Extended Essays 2021

Wilde constructs Dorian Gray to participate in his own Faustian Bargain where he

inadvertently trades his soul in return for eternal youth. This occurs at the commencement of

the novel. He says, ‘How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrid, and dreadful. But this picture

will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June…. If it was only the other way!’ 36 . Consequently, Basil Hallward’s portrait becomes the physical

incarnation of Gray’s soul and therefore a symbolic representation of the deal.

Furthermore, Wilde, through the narrator, describes the relationship between the characters of

Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton, in that they correlate directly to the characters present

in the Faustian Bargain. Dorian Gray is a version of Faust who makes the deal in the original

tale, whilst Lord Henry Wotton is representative of Mephistopheles; the Devil. Although

Lord Henry is not directly responsible for Gray trading his soul for eternal youth, he is a

seductive influence. He says, ‘ There was so much in you that charmed me that I felt I must

tell you something about yourself. I thought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For there is such a little time that your youth will last, — such a little time ’ 37 . In this brief

interaction, Dorian Gray is convinced that his youth is his singular asset, therefore proving

Lord Henry to be a powerful manipulator through Wilde’s use of high -modality diction. For

example, the sense of urgency is elevated by the use of the modal verb ‘must’ and the phrase

‘such a little time’ , therefore, increasing the persuasive tone of Lord Henry’s dialogue.

Additionally, Dorian Gray’s unwavering inclination to believe Lord Henry, establis hes him

as being entirely naïve and susceptible to persuasion.

Moreover, akin to the devil character, Lord Henry Wotton plays a significant role in the

corruption of Dorian Gray’s soul, instigating Gray’s delve into devious exploits through the gifting of ‘a book bound in yellow paper, the cover slightly torn and the edges soiled’ 38 . As

was mentioned previously this is a reference to J.K. Huysmans’ book, À Rebours (‘Against

Nature). Pro fessor C. Michael Shea has stated that the French novel had ‘ a profound effect

upon the practical and theoretical approach to life for Wilde’s hero’. The protagonist of this

novel greatly correlates with what the character of Dorian Gray could become; a man who

cares only for the discovery of the new sensation without regard for personal connections or

36 P.28, Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray 37 P.25, Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray 38 P.119, Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

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