The Picture of
Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Summaries
Grade 12
English Home Language
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Setting, Context and Timeline
The setting for this novel is London, England, in the late Victorian era (1890).
This refers to the time when Queen Victoria was the monarch (1837–1901).
The novel was written between 1890 and 1899.
It was first published in a magazine called Lippincott’s Monthly in July 1890.
Characters
The novel’s main character. Many sources list him as both protagonist
and antagonist.
Basil Hallward is painting a portrait of this beautiful, wealthy, young
man when the novel opens.
Under Lord Henry’s influence, he becomes obsessed with staying
Dorian Gray
young.
Dorian lacks intellectual depth and chooses only to focus on things that
he considers beautiful. He is self-centered (narcissistic) and destructive.
He is negatively influenced by Lord Henry, who teaches him about
hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure).
An artist. He is obsessed with Dorian’s beauty and paints the fatal
portrait.
He is sensitive and principled and is a good friend to Dorian.
Basil Hallward
At the beginning of the novel, he does not want Dorian and Lord Henry
to meet.
Dorian murders him after revealing the truth about the portrait.
A hedonistic member of London’s aristocratic society and a friend to
Basil and Dorian.
One of the novel’s main antagonists, he is known to his friends as Harry.
A nephew of Lord Fermor, an influential member of society.
Charming and eloquent, he uses clever, pretty words to talk about his
extremely immoral views.
Lord Henry Wotton The Duchess of Harley says of him, “… Lord Henry, you are quite
delightful and dreadfully demoralizing.” [Chapter 5, page 51.]
Has an extremely bad influence on Dorian and decides to use him as a
social experiment.
Has strange ideas about art and life.
Dorian calls him ‘Prince Paradox’ as he speaks in double meanings
much of the time
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Young actress (16), beautiful, naïve and poor.
To escape reality, she dedicates herself to acting and is heavily
indebted to her theatre manager (Mr Isaacs.)
She adores Dorian and commits suicide after he breaks off their
engagement.
Sibyl Vane
Her love for Dorian affects her acting. Before she falls in love with
Dorian, she is an excellent actress.
After shifting the focus of her passion onto Dorian, she completely loses
the ability to act.
Sibyl’s brother, who is about to sail to Australia when we meet him.
Suspicious of his sister’s lover, whom he knows only as “Prince
Charming”, from the start.
James adores his sister and is very protective of her.
James Vane
Vows (promises) to kill anyone who hurts his sister.
Killed by a stray bullet at one of Dorian’s hunting parties where he goes
to get his revenge.
Sibyl and James’s mother.
Mrs Vane
Thinks Dorian is a good match for Sibyl because he is wealthy.
Lord Henry’s wife.
Victoria Wotton Lives an entirely separate life from her husband and eventually
divorces him.
Lord Henry’s aunt.
Lady Agatha Involved in charity work in the London slums but most people pay little
attention to her efforts.
Lord Henry’s irritable uncle who is an influential member of society.
Lord Fermor
Reveals the story of Dorian’s family background to Lord Henry.
Duchess of
A young woman who flirts with Dorian at his country estate, Selby Royal.
Monmouth
Dorian’s valet (servant).
Although he is trustworthy, Dorian becomes suspicious of him and fears
Victor
that he knows the truth about the portrait.
He later fires Victor for this reason.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Summaries
Grade 12
English Home Language
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Setting, Context and Timeline
The setting for this novel is London, England, in the late Victorian era (1890).
This refers to the time when Queen Victoria was the monarch (1837–1901).
The novel was written between 1890 and 1899.
It was first published in a magazine called Lippincott’s Monthly in July 1890.
Characters
The novel’s main character. Many sources list him as both protagonist
and antagonist.
Basil Hallward is painting a portrait of this beautiful, wealthy, young
man when the novel opens.
Under Lord Henry’s influence, he becomes obsessed with staying
Dorian Gray
young.
Dorian lacks intellectual depth and chooses only to focus on things that
he considers beautiful. He is self-centered (narcissistic) and destructive.
He is negatively influenced by Lord Henry, who teaches him about
hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure).
An artist. He is obsessed with Dorian’s beauty and paints the fatal
portrait.
He is sensitive and principled and is a good friend to Dorian.
Basil Hallward
At the beginning of the novel, he does not want Dorian and Lord Henry
to meet.
Dorian murders him after revealing the truth about the portrait.
A hedonistic member of London’s aristocratic society and a friend to
Basil and Dorian.
One of the novel’s main antagonists, he is known to his friends as Harry.
A nephew of Lord Fermor, an influential member of society.
Charming and eloquent, he uses clever, pretty words to talk about his
extremely immoral views.
Lord Henry Wotton The Duchess of Harley says of him, “… Lord Henry, you are quite
delightful and dreadfully demoralizing.” [Chapter 5, page 51.]
Has an extremely bad influence on Dorian and decides to use him as a
social experiment.
Has strange ideas about art and life.
Dorian calls him ‘Prince Paradox’ as he speaks in double meanings
much of the time
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Young actress (16), beautiful, naïve and poor.
To escape reality, she dedicates herself to acting and is heavily
indebted to her theatre manager (Mr Isaacs.)
She adores Dorian and commits suicide after he breaks off their
engagement.
Sibyl Vane
Her love for Dorian affects her acting. Before she falls in love with
Dorian, she is an excellent actress.
After shifting the focus of her passion onto Dorian, she completely loses
the ability to act.
Sibyl’s brother, who is about to sail to Australia when we meet him.
Suspicious of his sister’s lover, whom he knows only as “Prince
Charming”, from the start.
James adores his sister and is very protective of her.
James Vane
Vows (promises) to kill anyone who hurts his sister.
Killed by a stray bullet at one of Dorian’s hunting parties where he goes
to get his revenge.
Sibyl and James’s mother.
Mrs Vane
Thinks Dorian is a good match for Sibyl because he is wealthy.
Lord Henry’s wife.
Victoria Wotton Lives an entirely separate life from her husband and eventually
divorces him.
Lord Henry’s aunt.
Lady Agatha Involved in charity work in the London slums but most people pay little
attention to her efforts.
Lord Henry’s irritable uncle who is an influential member of society.
Lord Fermor
Reveals the story of Dorian’s family background to Lord Henry.
Duchess of
A young woman who flirts with Dorian at his country estate, Selby Royal.
Monmouth
Dorian’s valet (servant).
Although he is trustworthy, Dorian becomes suspicious of him and fears
Victor
that he knows the truth about the portrait.
He later fires Victor for this reason.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
