Why Has Dorian Gray Sold His Soul To The Devil?
Melanie Arakelian
English 102
Mon-Wed 9:40-11:10
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1) Do you believe Dorian Gray sold his soul to the devil?
In my opinion Dorian Gray sold his soul to the devil. Since the portrait was a symbol of sin and throughout the story we saw by every sin he made the features on the portrait changed and became older and wrinkled. It wasn’t explicitly stated as such but once Dorian recognized the painting’s significance he deliberately chose to lead a life of decadence and depravity. When Lord Henry immediately began to influence Dorian, suggesting that he could treasure and guard his youth and beauty while he has them, because they will soon fade. Terrified of aging, Dorian wishes he could trade his soul to stay as young as he looks in the portrait; a short while later, wishes that he could stay young while the image in the painting aged. The portrait then begins to take on a life-like existence; in fact Basil’s threat to burn the portrait is likened to “murder” and Basil prefers the company of the portrait to the real Dorian. …show more content…
Dorian is finally forced to come to terms with his actions, and reaches a moment of crisis. He searches his soul and asks himself if it is too late to prove his innocence, and his answer to himself is too late you can’t bring back the past. It is too late to turn back from the path he’s chosen. Dorian thinks the portrait hunts his conscience and attempts to destroy it but doesn’t think it would kill himself as a backfire. That’s another reason why I think he sold his soul to
English 102
Mon-Wed 9:40-11:10
The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1) Do you believe Dorian Gray sold his soul to the devil?
In my opinion Dorian Gray sold his soul to the devil. Since the portrait was a symbol of sin and throughout the story we saw by every sin he made the features on the portrait changed and became older and wrinkled. It wasn’t explicitly stated as such but once Dorian recognized the painting’s significance he deliberately chose to lead a life of decadence and depravity. When Lord Henry immediately began to influence Dorian, suggesting that he could treasure and guard his youth and beauty while he has them, because they will soon fade. Terrified of aging, Dorian wishes he could trade his soul to stay as young as he looks in the portrait; a short while later, wishes that he could stay young while the image in the painting aged. The portrait then begins to take on a life-like existence; in fact Basil’s threat to burn the portrait is likened to “murder” and Basil prefers the company of the portrait to the real Dorian. …show more content…
Dorian is finally forced to come to terms with his actions, and reaches a moment of crisis. He searches his soul and asks himself if it is too late to prove his innocence, and his answer to himself is too late you can’t bring back the past. It is too late to turn back from the path he’s chosen. Dorian thinks the portrait hunts his conscience and attempts to destroy it but doesn’t think it would kill himself as a backfire. That’s another reason why I think he sold his soul to