There are many worthy and interesting works in the literature. One of them is “Portrait of Dorian Gray”. The summary of this novel will help you understand the main essence of this amazing story. This work has been filmed more than once, and the main character has become a legendary collective way. The man who gave the world-famous work was called Oscar Wilde. "Portrait of Dorian Gray", a summary of this novel, you can see in this article. Of course, she will not be able to fully convey the entire depth of this work. However, everyone can catch the main idea and draw their own conclusions.
"Portrait of Dorian Gray": a summary. Part 1
The story begins with the meeting of the talented painter Basil Hallward with an old friend Henry Wotton, who catches the artist at the time of work on the portrait of a young and very handsome man Dorian Gray. Not much time passes, and a young man appears on the threshold of Basil's house. The incredible beauty of the young man, captivating the painter, does not leave indifferent even Lord Watton himself. As soon as the portrait is completed, Dorian utters dreamy words about how he would like his beauty to remain unchanged, while the portrait would grow old. Touched by these words, the artist presents the young man with a picture. At this time, Lord Henry invites the young man to plunge into the world of a dissolute, rich and secular life, full of luxury and entertainment. Time passes, and the young man falls in love with Sybil Wayne - a novice actress. Beautiful and tender, this talented girl vegetates on the stage of a wretched theater. The girl’s life is not easy, because she is forced to eke out a hungry and poor existence with her mother and brother. Faced with Dorian, she sees in him a deity descending from heaven to earth.
"Portrait of Dorian Gray": a summary. Part 2
Having acquired in Sybil the embodiment of talent and beauty, the naive Dorian informs Basil and Lord Henry of his imminent engagement to the young maiden. Few people perceive this news with joy or enthusiasm. Everyone begins to care about the future of Dorian. Nevertheless, the mentors of the young man willingly agree to come to the play of Sybil, where she will play Juliet. However, bitter disappointment awaits everyone. After all, the actress, floating in the clouds in anticipation of the upcoming engagement, reluctantly plays the role, without much desire pronouncing the script. Seeing this, Dorian accuses Sybil of having killed his love with her mediocrity. After spending a sleepless night, Dorian writes her a letter of reconciliation, not yet knowing that the girl could not stand his words and committed suicide.
"Portrait of Dorian Gray": a summary. Part 3
After everything that happened, Dorian again returned to the dissolute image of social life. That's just the portrait begins to change, and seriously worried young man takes him away. The next 20 years of Dorian fit into one chapter. He is so absorbed in his acquaintance with new temptations that he completely forgets about his soul, admiring only his outer shell. And no mind can pull a young man out of a vicious circle, the glory of the seducer of young minds is assigned to him. When he is visited by an old friend who gave him the ill-fated portrait, Dorian with a grin reveals to him the true face captured on the canvas. The practically rotting old man - an image that not only the artist, but also Dorian cannot bear - becomes the reason why he kills Basil, accusing him of what happened. More and more Dorian is trying to forget himself, but the portrait haunts him, showing his true face. And then one day, unable to bear it, Gray rushes to the canvas with a knife. Servants who have risen to noise find the mutilated body of the old man and an unharmed portrait with a handsome and young youth who is not subject to time. And so ends the famous novel “Portrait of Dorian Gray”, the composition of which is the merit of the famous Oscar Wilde.