   #copyright

The Picture of Dorian Gray

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Novels

   CAPTION: The Picture of Dorian Gray

   Cover of the first edition
     Author   Oscar Wilde
    Country   Ireland
    Language  English
    Genre(s)  Novel
   Publisher  Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
    Released  1890
   Media Type Print ( Hardback & Paperback)
      ISBN    ISBN 0-14-143957-2 (Modern paperback edition)

   The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only novel to be published by Oscar
   Wilde, and was first published as the lead story in Lippincott's
   Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890. Wilde later revised this edition,
   making several alterations, and adding new chapters; the amended
   version was published by Ward, Lock, and Company in April 1891.

   The novel tells of a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a
   painting by artist Basil Hallward. Dorian is selected for his
   remarkable physical beauty, and Basil becomes strongly infatuated with
   Dorian, believing that his beauty is responsible for a new mode of art.
   Talking in Basil's garden, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of
   Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world view. Espousing a
   new kind of hedonism, Lord Henry suggests that the only thing worth
   pursuing in life is beauty, and the fulfillment of the senses.
   Realising that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian cries out, wishing
   that the portrait Basil has painted of him would age rather than
   himself. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, subsequently plunging him into a
   sequence of debauched acts. The portrait serves as a reminder of the
   effect each act has upon his soul, each sin being displayed as a new
   sign of aging on the portrait.

   The Picture of Dorian Gray is considered one of the last works of
   classic gothic horror fiction with a strong Faustian theme. It deals
   with the artistic movement of the decadents, and homosexuality, both of
   which caused some controversy when the book was first published.
   However, in modern times, the book has been referred to as "one of the
   modern classics of Western literature."The BBC placed it at #118 in its
   " Big Read" list, a list of the 200 most popular novels.

Plot summary

   Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

   The novel begins with Lord Henry Wotton observing the artist Basil
   Hallward painting the portrait of a handsome young man named Dorian
   Gray. When Dorian arrives at the London Studio he meets Lord Henry
   Wotton. Wotton's low musical voice enchants the lad as he stands upon a
   little dais in the afternoon sunlight. The constant flick and dash of
   the artist's brush melt away, as Lord Henry's doctrine of
   self-development corrupts Dorian's innocence. "The only way to get rid
   of a temptation is to yield to it [..]" murmurs Lord Henry. "Resist it
   and the soul grows sick with longing." Listening to Henry, Dorian
   wishes that the painting would grow old instead of him.

   Under the influence of Lord Henry, Dorian begins an exploration of his
   senses. He starts by discovering a brilliant actress, Sibyl Vane, who
   performs Shakespeare in a dingy theatre, but although the theatre is a
   wretched hole of a place, her acting outshines it all. Dorian
   approaches her, and very soon, proposes marriage. Sibyl, who knows only
   his Christian name, and refers to him only as "Prince Charming", rushes
   home to tell her skeptical mother and brother. Her protective brother,
   James, tells her that if Prince Charming ever harms her, he shall find
   him and "shoot him like a dog".

   Dorian then invites Basil and Lord Henry to see Sibyl perform in Romeo
   and Juliet. Sibyl, whose only previous knowledge of love was through
   the love of theatre, suddenly loses her acting abilities through the
   experience of true love with Dorian, and performs very badly. Dorian
   rejects her, cruelly saying that her beauty was in her art, and if she
   could no longer act, he was no longer interested in her. Once he
   returns home, Dorian notices that Basil's portrait of him has changed.
   There is a touch of cruelty in the mouth. After a close examination of
   the painting Dorian realises that his mad wish has come true - the
   portrait is ageing and will bear his sins while his own outward
   appearance remains unchanged. He decides to reconcile with Sibyl, but
   Lord Henry arrives in the morning to say that Sibyl has killed herself
   by swallowing prussic acid.

   Dorian accepts his fate. Over the next eighteen years he experiments
   with every vice forbidden to man, mostly under the influence of a
   "poisonous" French novel, a present from Lord Henry. Wilde never
   reveals the title but his inspiration was likely drawn from Joris-Karl
   Huysmans's À rebours (Against Nature).

   One foggy night, before he leaves for Paris, Basil arrives to question
   Dorian about the dreadful rumours of his indulgences. Dorian does not
   deny the debauchery, and endeavours to show Basil his soul. He takes
   Basil to the portrait, now hidden in the old nursery, which is revealed
   to have become monstrously ugly under Dorian's sins. In a fit of anger,
   Dorian blames the artist for his fate, and stabs him to death. He then
   blackmails an old friend into destroying the body.

   Dorian seeks escape from the deed he has done in an opium den. After
   meeting an old friend of his, along with an old love, who calls him by
   the name "Prince Charming", he leaves. Sibyl Vane's brother,
   coincidentally in the same room, has been searching for someone named
   "Prince Charming" for 18 years. He follows Dorian out and attempts to
   shoot him; but he is deceived when Dorian asks to be thrust under the
   lamplight, and in the dripping mist tells James Vane that he would have
   been too young to have been involved with his sister 18 years ago—his
   appearance has not changed since. The sailor lets Dorian go, but is
   approached by the woman from the opium den, who chastises him for not
   killing Dorian and tells him that Dorian has not aged for the past
   eighteen years.

   Whilst at dinner at Selby Royal, Dorian's country estate, Dorian sees
   Sibyl Vane's brother stalking the grounds and fears for his life.
   However, during a game-shooting party the next day James is
   accidentally shot and killed by one of the hunters.

   After returning to London, Dorian informs Lord Henry that he will be
   good from now on, and has started by not breaking the heart of his
   latest innocent conquest, a vicar's daughter in a country town. At his
   apartment, he wonders if the portrait would have begun to change back,
   losing its sinful appearance, now that he has changed his ways. He
   unveils the portrait to only find that it has become worse: in his eyes
   were a look of cunning, and his face took on the subtle air of a
   hypocrite. Seeing this he begins to question the motives behind his
   act, whether it was merely vanity, curiosity, or seeking new emotional
   excess. Another sign appears in the portrait, the stain of blood that
   appeared with Hallward's murder grows brighter and spreads. He
   considers momentarily what this could mean, what act would be required
   to redeem him of this mark. Deciding that only a full confession would
   absolve him, but lacking any guilt and fearing the consequences, he
   decides to destroy the last vestige of his conscience. In a fit of
   rage, he picks up the knife that killed Basil Hallward, and plunges it
   into the painting. Hearing his cry from inside the locked room, his
   servants send for the police, who find a bloated, hideous-looking old
   man with a knife in his heart, and the portrait of Dorian, as beautiful
   as he was eighteen years ago. It is only through his rings that the
   corpse can be identified.

Characters

   In a letter, Wilde stated that the main characters of The Picture of
   Dorian Gray are in different ways reflections of himself: "Basil
   Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me:
   Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps."
     * Dorian Gray - an extremely handsome young man who becomes
       enthralled with Lord Henry's idea of a new hedonism. He begins to
       indulge in every kind of pleasure, whether moral or immoral.
     * Basil Hallward - an artist who becomes infatuated with Dorian's
       beauty. Dorian helps Basil to realise his artistic potential, as
       Basil's portrait of Dorian proves to be his finest work.
     * Lord Henry Wotton - a nobleman who is a friend to Basil initially,
       but later becomes more intrigued with Dorian's beauty and naivety.
       Extremely witty, Lord Henry is seen as a critique of Victorian
       culture who espouses a view of indulgent hedonism. He corrupts
       Dorian with his world view, as Dorian attempts to emulate him.
     * Sybil Vane - An extremely poor but beautiful actress with whom
       Dorian falls in love. Her love for Dorian destroys her acting
       career, as she no longer finds pleasure in portraying fictional
       love when she has a true love in reality.
     * James Vane - Sibyl's brother who is to become a sailor and sail for
       Australia. He is extremely protective of his sister, especially as
       he sees his mother as useless and concerned only with Dorian's
       money. He is hesitant to leave his sister, believing Dorian to be a
       bad influence.
     * Mrs. Vane - Sybil and James's mother, an old and faded actress. She
       has consigned herself and Sibyl to a poor theatre house to pay for
       her debts. She is extremely pleased when Sibyl meets Dorian, being
       impressed by his status and wealth.
     * Alan Campbell - once a good friend of Dorian, he ended their
       friendship when Dorian's reputation began to come into question.
     * Lady Agatha - Lord Henry’s aunt. Lady Agatha is active in charity
       work in the London slums.
     * Lord Fermor - Lord Henry's uncle. He informs Lord Henry about
       Dorian's lineage.
     * Victoria Wotton - Lord Henry's wife, who only appears once in the
       novel, whilst Dorian waits for Lord Henry.
     * Victor - a loyal servant to Dorian. However, Dorian's increasing
       paranoia leads him to use Victor to complete pointless errands in
       an attempt to dissuade him from entering the room that houses
       Dorian's portrait.

Themes

   Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Aestheticism and duplicity

   Aestheticism is a strong theme in The Picture of Dorian Gray, and is
   tied in with the concept of the double life. Although Dorian is
   hedonistic, when Basil accuses him of making Lord Henry's sister's name
   a "by-word", Dorian replies "Take care, Basil. You go too far"
   suggesting that Dorian still cares about his outward image and standing
   within Victorian society. Wilde highlights Dorian's pleasure of living
   a double life, describing how Dorian returns home sometimes to look at
   his portrait, and, when looking at the disfigurement of the portrait,
   "[grows] more and more enamoured of his own beauty, more and more
   interested in the corruption of his own soul." Not only does Dorian
   enjoy this sensation in private, but he also feels "keenly the terrible
   pleasure of a double life" when attending a society gathering just 24
   hours after committing a murder.

   This duplicity and indulgence is most evident in Dorian's visits to the
   opium dens of London. Wilde conflates the images of the upper class and
   lower class by having the supposedly upright Dorian visit the
   impoverished districts of London. Lord Henry asserts that "crime
   belongs exclusively to the lower orders...I should fancy that crime was
   to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary
   sensations", which suggests that Dorian is both the criminal and the
   aesthete combined in one man. This is perhaps linked to Robert Louis
   Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which Wilde admired.
   The division that was witnessed in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, although
   extreme, is evident in Dorian Gray, who attempts to contain the two
   divergent parts of his personality.

Homoeroticism

   The name "Dorian" has connotations of the Dorians, an ancient Hellenic
   tribe. Robert Mighall suggests that this could be Wilde hinting at a
   connection to "Greek love", a euphemism for the homoeroticism that was
   accepted as everyday in ancient Greece. Indeed, Dorian is described
   using the semantic field of the Greek Gods, being likened to Adonis, a
   person who looks as if "he were made of ivory and rose-leaves."
   However, Wilde does not mention any homosexual acts explicitly, and
   descriptions of Dorian's " sins" are often vague, although there does
   appear to be an element of homoeroticism in the competition between
   Lord Henry and Basil, both of whom compete for Dorian's attention. Both
   of them make comments about Dorian in praise of his good looks and
   youthful demeanour, Basil going as far to say that "as long as I live,
   the personality of Dorian Gray will dominate me."However, whilst Basil
   is shunned, Dorian wishes to emulate Lord Henry, which in turn rouses
   Lord Henry from his "characteristic languor to a desire to influence
   Dorian, a process that is itself a sublimated expression of
   homosexuality."

   The later corruption of Dorian seems to make what was once a boyish
   charm become a destructive influence. Basil asks why Dorian's
   "friendship is so fatal to young men", commenting upon the "shame and
   sorrow" that the father of one of the disgraced boys displays. Dorian
   only destroys these men when he becomes "intimate" with them,
   suggesting that the friendships between Dorian and the men in question
   become more than simply Platonic. The shame associated with these
   relationships is bipartite: the families of the boys are upset that
   their sons may have indulged in a homosexual relationship with Dorian
   Gray, and also feel shame that they have now lost their place in
   society, their names having been sullied; their loss of status is
   encapsulated in Basil's questioning of Dorian: speaking of the Duke of
   Perth, a disgraced friend of Dorian's, he asks "what gentleman would
   associate with him?"

Anti-Semitism

   Wilde's description of Mr. Isaacs, the manager of the theatre in which
   Sybil performs, has come under criticism for anti-semitism. Although a
   minor character, there are several disparaging references to the
   manager, especially related to his ethnicity; Dorian calls him a
   "hideous Jew" and "a monster". Dorian again attacks him soon after
   those comments, calling him an "offensive brute". Other characters also
   mention their distaste for the manager; Sybil says that "he is not a
   gentleman", and that she "hates the way he talks" to her.

   Christopher S. Nassaar, Professor Emeritus of English at the American
   University of Beirut, suggests that Wilde's's depiction of Isaacs is a
   reaction to the depiction of the Jewish community in George Eliot's
   Daniel Deronda. It is possible that Wilde was reacting against Eliot's
   portrayal, as she favoured naturalism, whilst Wilde favoured
   aestheticism. However, anti-semitism was not uncommon in the 19th
   century, and it is possible that Wilde was merely appealing to his
   audience; Oliver Twist is another contemporary novel which uses
   anti-semitic depiction in a similar way. Some newer editions of The
   Picture of Dorian Gray have gone so far as to replace the word "Jew"
   with that of "man", or "manager".

   Nassaar goes on to say that there is "no trace of anti-Semitism in any
   of Wilde's other works" and, in his personal life, he had "several
   Jewish friends". These incidents could exist merely to further
   highlight Dorian's shallow personality, as the descriptions are often
   concerned with the man's actions, or with what he wears.Moreover, the
   term 'Jew' has also been used as a name for moneylenders, derived from
   the now archaic usage of the word as a verb to mean "to cheat", or "to
   drive a hard bargain".

Allusions to other works

   A picture of Urashima Taro and the turtle he rescues in the fairytale
   Enlarge

    A picture of Urashima Taro and the turtle he rescues in the fairytale

Urashima Taro

   " Urashima Taro" is a Japanese fairytale about a young fisherman who
   saves a turtle from cruel children. The turtle rewards Taro by taking
   him to the bottom of the ocean to meet his master, Queen Otohime. As
   Taro stays with the Queen under the sea, he ceases to age; however, he
   becomes homesick, and asks to return home. Upon returning to his home
   town, he opens a jewel-encrusted box that was given to him by Queen
   Otohime as a gift. A cloud surrounds Taro, and he ages rapidly, the
   cloud causing him to experience his true age.

   Although there is no written proof that "Urashima Taro" had a direct
   influence on The Picture of Dorian Gray, the notion of deferral of
   aging is central to both stories: Dorian's primary wish is "to be
   always young". Both characters indulge themselves: Dorian with men,
   women, and other vices, Taro enjoying the frivolity of the court and
   the companionship of the Queen. Both characters feel the desire to
   return to their original lives. However, Dorian's desire stems from his
   increasing paranoia over the portrait, and his deteriorating mental
   condition, whereas Taro begins to miss his old friends and home town.
   The end of both tales results in the protagonist realising that the
   friends he once knew no longer associate with him: Dorian's friends
   desert him because of his questionable reputation; Taro simply outlives
   his peers. Both realise their true age at the end of the story,
   becoming withered with the age they had once avoided.

Faust

   Wilde himself stated that "in every first novel the hero is the author
   as Christ or Faust." As in Faust, a temptation is placed before the
   lead character Dorian, the potential for ageless beauty; Dorian
   indulges in this temptation. In both stories, the lead character
   entices a beautiful woman to love them and kills not only her, but also
   that woman's brother, who seeks revenge.. Wilde went on to say that the
   notion behind The Picture of Dorian Gray is "old in the history of
   literature" but was something to which he had "given a new form".

   Unlike Faust, there is no point at which Dorian makes a deal with the
   devil. However, Lord Henry's cynical outlook on life, and hedonistic
   nature seems to be in keeping with the idea of the devil's role, that
   of the temptation of the pure and innocent, qualities which Dorian
   exemplifies at the beginning of the book. Although Lord Henry takes an
   interest in Dorian, it does not seem that he is aware of the effect his
   actions. However, Lord Henry advises Dorian that "the only way to get
   rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows
   sick with longing"; in this sense, Lord Henry acts as the devil's
   advocate, "leading Dorian into an unholy pact by manipulating his
   innocence and insecurity."

Oisin

   Another Irish tale which was of influence is of Oisín and Tír na nÓg
   (Land of Youth), a salutory tale of temptation and consequences.

Literary significance

   The Picture of Dorian Gray began as a short novel submitted to
   Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. In 1889, J. M. Stoddart, a proprietor
   for Lippincott, was in London to solicit short novels for the magazine.
   Wilde submitted the first version of The Picture of Dorian Gray, which
   was published on 20 June 1890 in the July edition of Lippincott's.
   There was a delay in getting Wilde's work to press whilst numerous
   changes were made to the manuscripts of the novel (some of which
   survive to this day). Some of these changes were made at Wilde's
   instigation, and some at Stoddart's. Wilde removed all references to
   the fictitious book "Le Secret de Raoul", and to its fictitious author,
   Catulle Sarrazin. The book and its author are still referred to in the
   published versions of the novel, but are unnamed.

   Wilde also attempted to moderate some of the more homoerotic instances
   in the book, or instances whereby the intentions of the characters' may
   be misconstrued. In the 1890 edition, Basil tells Henry how he
   "worships" Dorian, and begs him not to "take away the one person that
   makes my life absolutely lovely to me." The focus for Basil in the 1890
   edition seems to be more towards love, whereas the Basil of the 1891
   edition cares more for his art, saying "the one person who gives my art
   whatever charm it may possess: my life as an artist depends on him."
   The book was also extended greatly: the original thirteen chapters
   became twenty, and the final chapter was divided into two new chapters.
   The additions involved the "fleshing out of Dorian as a character" and
   also provided details about his ancestry, which helped to make his
   "psychological collapse more prolonged and more convincing."The
   character of James Vane was also introduced, which helped to elaborate
   upon Sibyl Vane's character and background; the addition of the
   character helped to emphasise and foreshadow Dorian's selfish ways, as
   James forsees Dorian's character, and guesses upon his future
   dishonourable actions (the inclusion of James Vane's sub-plot also
   gives the novel a more typically Victorian tinge; part of Wilde's
   attempts to decrease the controversy surrounding the book). Another
   notable change is that, in the latter half of the novel, events were
   specified as taking place around Dorian Gray's 32nd birthday, on 7
   November. After the changes, they were specified as taking place around
   Dorian Gray's 38th birthday, on 9 November, thereby extending the
   period of time over which the story occurs. The former date is also
   significant in that it coincides with the year in Wilde's life during
   which he was introduced to homosexual practices.

Preface

   The preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray was added, along with other
   amendments, after the edition published in Lippincott's received
   criticism. Wilde used it to address these criticisms and defend the
   novel's reputation. It consists of a collection of statements about the
   role of the artist, art itself, the value of beauty, and serves as an
   indicator of the way in which Wilde intends the novel to be read, as
   well as traces of Wilde's exposure to Daoism and the writings of
   Zhuangzi. Shortly before penning the preface, Wilde reviewed Herbert A.
   Giles's translation of the writings of the Chinese Daoist philosopher.
   In his review, he writes:

     The honest ratepayer and his healthy family have no doubt often
     mocked at the dome-like forehead of the philosopher, and laughed
     over the strange perspective of the landscape that lies beneath him.
     If they really knew who he was, they would tremble. For Chuang Tsǔ
     spent his life in preaching the great creed of Inaction, and in
     pointing out the uselessness of all things.

Criticism

   Overall, initial critical reception of the book was poor, with the book
   gaining "certain notoriety for being 'mawkish and nauseous,' 'unclean,'
   'effeminate,' and 'contaminating.'" This had much to do with the
   novel's homoerotic overtones, which caused something of a sensation
   amongst Victorian critics when first published. A large portion of the
   criticism was levelled at Wilde's perceived hedonism, and its distorted
   views of conventional morality. The Daily Chronicle of 30 June 1890
   suggests that Wilde's novel contains "one element...which will taint
   every young mind that comes in contact with it." Although the element
   is not named explicitly, the homoeroticism of the novel, especially of
   the first edition, seems the likely subject. The Scots Observer of 5
   July 1890 asks why Wilde must "go grubbing in muck-heaps?” Wilde
   responded to such criticisms by curtailing some of the homoerotic
   tendencies, and by adding six chapters to the book in an effort to add
   background.

Allusions from other works

   Several popular songs of the 1980s and later reference The Picture of
   Dorian Gray or its title character. Morrissey has made many references
   to Wilde's works; in the song "Glamorous Glue", Morrissey quotes
   Dorian's affirmation that he is "too much in love" to marry. The
   Libertines also mention Dorian in their song "Narcissist", questioning
   the worth of being narcissistic. U2 also reference Dorian Gray in the
   song "The Ocean"; more recently, James Blunt used the line "hides my
   true shape, like Dorian Gray" in his song "Tears and Rain". An
   industrial metal electronica group have also named themselves after the
   lead character Dorian Gray.

   The book have has several times been adapted and re-worked. Will Self
   updated the novel by placing events in June 1981, a time according to
   Self when "Britain was in the process of burning most of its remaining
   illusions." In Self's novel, the homoeroticism that was merely an
   undertone of the original work becomes an overt theme: Self's Dorian
   indulges in homosexual orgies. The portrait of Dorian is replaced with
   a postmodern piece of art involving video cassette recorders and
   televisions. Rick R. Reid also wrote a variation on The Picture of
   Dorian Gray; in lieu of a portrait, Reid has a sophisticated hologram
   which changes with each sin that Dorian commits. The Picture of Dorian
   Gray was also parodied by contemporary journalist and novelist Robert
   S. Hichens in The Green Carnation.

Film, television and theatrical adaptations

   As with literature, The Picture of Dorian Gray has been the subject of
   several film remakes. According to the BBC, the most notable adaptation
   was Albert Lewin's 1945 film The Picture of Dorian Gray, which won an
   Oscar for "Best Cinematography, Black-and-White". One of the most noted
   aspects of this version was Lewin's choice to portray the film in black
   and white despite the fact that technicolor was available at the time.
   Instead, he shot the film in black and white, and used a "breathtaking"
   technicolor effect to show the effects Dorian's actions have on the
   portrait. The BBC itself created a very good version, as well, with
   Peter Firth as Dorian Gray.

   More recently, Dorian Gray was a character portrayed by Stuart Townsend
   in Stephen Norrington's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , which
   was based on the graphic novel of the same name, written by Alan Moore.
   Dorian Gray was not originally included in Moore's graphic novel, and
   Dorian's inclusion was a decision made by Norrington. A "League of
   Extraordinary Gentlemen" is assembled in an attempt to stop the villain
   "The Fantom" from destroying Venice. Dorian Gray is selected for his
   immortality; however, the film version expounds upon the novel by
   suggesting that not only does the portrait keep Dorian from ageing, but
   also from suffering injuries. In addition, Dorian is unable to look at
   his own portrait; if he does, then the "spell" will be broken, and his
   powers will be lost.

   The Faustian theme of The Picture of Dorian Gray has also made it a
   popular choice for television, being adapted for use as a storyline for
   episodes in some television series'. Star Trek: The Next Generation
   used the novel as inspiration for its 129th episode Man of the People.
   In the episode, an Ambassador Vel Alkar uses women as an object to
   which all of his negative aspects can be channeled. This results in the
   women's dispositions changing, each becoming more and more irritable.
   They also begin to age much quicker than is usual until they "burn out"
   and die. Deanna Troi becomes a near victim, until a plan is created to
   cause Vel Alkar to receive all of the emotions he has chanelled away
   from himself. When this occurs, he rapidly ages and dies from his own
   emotions, much in the same way Dorian Gray does after confronting his
   portrait at the end of The Picture of Dorian Gray. This theme is also
   present in the earlier science fiction show Blake's 7 whereby a
   character named Dorian forces others to absorb his physical and mental
   defects.

   An operatic version of The Picture of Dorian Gray was staged by Lowell
   Liebermann. Liebermann wanted to base a play on The Picture of Dorian
   Gray because "the book made an impression on [him] as no other book has
   yet done". Premiered at the Monte Carlo Opera in 1996, Liebermann put a
   lot of emphasis on the musical score of the play, saying:


   The Picture of Dorian Gray

      The entire opera is based on a twelve-note row which is used not
   serially, but tonally. It is first heard at the beginning of the opera
   in pizzicato cellos and basses. It is harmonized as Dorian's theme and
    then as the painting theme. As the painting disintegrates and becomes
     corrupted, so does its theme. The twelve consecutive scenes of the
   opera occur in the keys of the consecutive pitches of the note-row. In
   this manner the entire opera becomes one grand passacaglia, a variation
      of Dorian's theme, a picture of the picture---the tonal structure
         generated by a non-tonal device, a further metaphor for the
     form/content divide that generates the novel's dramatic structure.


   The Picture of Dorian Gray


   — Opera World

   Retrieved from "
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
