Chapter 1
Basil discusses his latest portrait with his friend, Lord Henry Wotton.
Lord Henry admires the painting, the subject of which is a gorgeous, golden-haired
young man. Believing it to be Basil’s finest work, he insists that he exhibits it.
Basil refuses saying that there is too much of himself in the painting to have it
displayed.
When Lord Henry presses for a better answer Basil reluctantly reveals that he met
Dorian at a party and was overcome by an overwhelming sense of crisis.
Dorian has become an object of fascination in Basil's eyes.
Lord Henry remembers where he heard Dorian’s name before, from his aunt Agatha.
At that moment the butler calls to say that Dorian Gray has arrived.
Basil reluctantly agrees to let Henry meet him but begs him to not influence the young
man.
Because he has a “simple and beautiful” nature.
Chapter 2
Dorian proves to be just as beautiful as his portrait.
Basil introduces them to each other and Dorian begs lord Henry to stay and talk to
him.
Basil warns Dorian not to listen to Lord Henry, but this intrigues Dorian.
Lord Henry agrees to stay and, while Basil puts the finishing touches on the portrait,
discusses his personal philosophy, which holds that “the highest of all duties ,is the
duty that one owes to one’s self.”
Lord Henry takes Dorian out to the garden and comments on his beauty and youth.
He warns him of how quickly it will fade and that he must enjoy his youth, urging
him to live life to the fullest.
Basil calls the men inside, and Dorian sits for another quarter of an hour until the
portrait is complete. It is a thing of remarkable beauty—“the finest portrait of modern
times,” Lord Henry tells Basil—but looking at it makes Dorian unhappy.
Because it will remain the same and he will age and grow ugly. Casting a wish that it
would take over his age and that he would remain beautiful.
Basil tries to comfort him but Dorian vows not to let it ruin their friendship.
Basil goes to destroy it when Dorian stops him
Saying that he loves the painting, a relieved Basil promises to give it to him as a gift.
Dorian and Lord Henry depart after Dorian promises, despite Basil’s objections, to go
to the theatre with Lord Henry later that evening.
Chapter 3
Lord Henry visits his uncle, Lord Fermor, a “genial if somewhat rough-
mannered” old nobleman. When Lord Henry asks his uncle about Dorian
Gray’s past, the old man tells him that Dorian comes from an unhappy family
with a dark, tangled history.
He tells Henry that Dorian’s mother was a noble woman who eloped with a
poor man, a soldier.
Her father arranged for the soldier to be killed just before Dorian’s birth.
His mother died soon after his birth.
Leaving Dorian to be raised by a loveless tyrant. With this information, Lord
Henry becomes increasingly fascinated with Dorian; he finds the story
romantic and delights in the thought that he might influence the young man,
making “that wonderful spirit his own.”
, Shortly after he goes to his aunt Agathas, he scandalises the group by going on
at length about the virtues of hedonism and selfishness and mocking his aunt’s
philanthropic efforts. “I can sympathise with everything,” he remarks at one
point, “except suffering.” He insists that one’s life should be spent
appreciating beauty and seeking out pleasure rather than searching for ways to
alleviate pain and tragedy.
The guests are appalled by his remarks and selfishness but cannot help but be
charmed by his cleverness.
Dorian is so invested he abandons his plans to visit Basil later on and goes
with Lord Henry.
Chapter 4
One month later, while waiting in Lord Henry’s home for his host to arrive, Dorian
discusses music with Lord Henry’s wife, Victoria.
When Lord Henry arrives Dorian rushes to him telling him the news that he has fallen
in love with the actress Sibyl Vane.
Dorian admits to discovering her while wandering through the slums: inspired by
Lord Henry’s advice to “know everything about life,” he had entered a playhouse.
Despite his disdain for the theatre owner, Dorian decided that the star, Sibyl Vane,
was the finest actress he had ever seen. After several trips to the theatre, the owner
insisted that Dorian meet Ms. Vane, who, awed by the attentions of such a handsome
gentleman, declared that she would refer to him as “Prince Charming.” Lord Henry,
amused by this development, agrees to accompany Dorian to see Sibyl Vane play the
lead in Romeo and Juliet the following night. Basil is to join them, and Dorian
remarks that Basil sent him his portrait, framed, a few days earlier.
After Dorian leaves, Lord Henry muses on about the influence he has over Dorian,
reflecting on how interesting human psychology can be.
He gets dressed, goes out for dinner, returns and finds a letter from Dorian which
states that he is engaged to be married to Sibyl Vane.
Chapter 5
Sibyl Vane is deliriously happy over her romance with Dorian. Mrs. Vane, her
mother, is less enthusiastic, and she alternately worries over Dorian’s intentions and
hopes that her daughter will benefit from his obvious wealth.
Her brother James is also not very enthusiastic over the whole engagement and vows
to kill him if he were to ever hurt Sibyl.
Preparing to sail off to Australia, he had arrived to say his goodbyes.
Impatient with his mother’s “affectations,” James takes Sibyl on a walk. Rather than
discuss her Prince Charming, Sibyl chatters about the adventures James is certain to
find in Australia. She imagines him discovering gold but then, thinking this life too
dangerous, states that he will be better off as a quiet sheep farmer.
James cannot shake the feeling that he is leaving his sister at an inopportune time. He
doubts both Dorian’s intentions and his mother’s ability to protect Sibyl from them.
He asks about him, and warns Sibyl against him.
As the two sit and watch “the smart people go by,” Sibyl sees Dorian pass in an open
carriage. She points him out, but he is gone before James can see him. James swears
fiercely that if Dorian ever wrongs her, he will track down her “Prince Charming” and
kill him.
Sibyl pledges her undying love to Dorian.
Later that night, James confronts his mother, asking her whether she was ever married
to his father. Mrs. Vane answers no, and James begs her not to let Sibyl meet the same
Basil discusses his latest portrait with his friend, Lord Henry Wotton.
Lord Henry admires the painting, the subject of which is a gorgeous, golden-haired
young man. Believing it to be Basil’s finest work, he insists that he exhibits it.
Basil refuses saying that there is too much of himself in the painting to have it
displayed.
When Lord Henry presses for a better answer Basil reluctantly reveals that he met
Dorian at a party and was overcome by an overwhelming sense of crisis.
Dorian has become an object of fascination in Basil's eyes.
Lord Henry remembers where he heard Dorian’s name before, from his aunt Agatha.
At that moment the butler calls to say that Dorian Gray has arrived.
Basil reluctantly agrees to let Henry meet him but begs him to not influence the young
man.
Because he has a “simple and beautiful” nature.
Chapter 2
Dorian proves to be just as beautiful as his portrait.
Basil introduces them to each other and Dorian begs lord Henry to stay and talk to
him.
Basil warns Dorian not to listen to Lord Henry, but this intrigues Dorian.
Lord Henry agrees to stay and, while Basil puts the finishing touches on the portrait,
discusses his personal philosophy, which holds that “the highest of all duties ,is the
duty that one owes to one’s self.”
Lord Henry takes Dorian out to the garden and comments on his beauty and youth.
He warns him of how quickly it will fade and that he must enjoy his youth, urging
him to live life to the fullest.
Basil calls the men inside, and Dorian sits for another quarter of an hour until the
portrait is complete. It is a thing of remarkable beauty—“the finest portrait of modern
times,” Lord Henry tells Basil—but looking at it makes Dorian unhappy.
Because it will remain the same and he will age and grow ugly. Casting a wish that it
would take over his age and that he would remain beautiful.
Basil tries to comfort him but Dorian vows not to let it ruin their friendship.
Basil goes to destroy it when Dorian stops him
Saying that he loves the painting, a relieved Basil promises to give it to him as a gift.
Dorian and Lord Henry depart after Dorian promises, despite Basil’s objections, to go
to the theatre with Lord Henry later that evening.
Chapter 3
Lord Henry visits his uncle, Lord Fermor, a “genial if somewhat rough-
mannered” old nobleman. When Lord Henry asks his uncle about Dorian
Gray’s past, the old man tells him that Dorian comes from an unhappy family
with a dark, tangled history.
He tells Henry that Dorian’s mother was a noble woman who eloped with a
poor man, a soldier.
Her father arranged for the soldier to be killed just before Dorian’s birth.
His mother died soon after his birth.
Leaving Dorian to be raised by a loveless tyrant. With this information, Lord
Henry becomes increasingly fascinated with Dorian; he finds the story
romantic and delights in the thought that he might influence the young man,
making “that wonderful spirit his own.”
, Shortly after he goes to his aunt Agathas, he scandalises the group by going on
at length about the virtues of hedonism and selfishness and mocking his aunt’s
philanthropic efforts. “I can sympathise with everything,” he remarks at one
point, “except suffering.” He insists that one’s life should be spent
appreciating beauty and seeking out pleasure rather than searching for ways to
alleviate pain and tragedy.
The guests are appalled by his remarks and selfishness but cannot help but be
charmed by his cleverness.
Dorian is so invested he abandons his plans to visit Basil later on and goes
with Lord Henry.
Chapter 4
One month later, while waiting in Lord Henry’s home for his host to arrive, Dorian
discusses music with Lord Henry’s wife, Victoria.
When Lord Henry arrives Dorian rushes to him telling him the news that he has fallen
in love with the actress Sibyl Vane.
Dorian admits to discovering her while wandering through the slums: inspired by
Lord Henry’s advice to “know everything about life,” he had entered a playhouse.
Despite his disdain for the theatre owner, Dorian decided that the star, Sibyl Vane,
was the finest actress he had ever seen. After several trips to the theatre, the owner
insisted that Dorian meet Ms. Vane, who, awed by the attentions of such a handsome
gentleman, declared that she would refer to him as “Prince Charming.” Lord Henry,
amused by this development, agrees to accompany Dorian to see Sibyl Vane play the
lead in Romeo and Juliet the following night. Basil is to join them, and Dorian
remarks that Basil sent him his portrait, framed, a few days earlier.
After Dorian leaves, Lord Henry muses on about the influence he has over Dorian,
reflecting on how interesting human psychology can be.
He gets dressed, goes out for dinner, returns and finds a letter from Dorian which
states that he is engaged to be married to Sibyl Vane.
Chapter 5
Sibyl Vane is deliriously happy over her romance with Dorian. Mrs. Vane, her
mother, is less enthusiastic, and she alternately worries over Dorian’s intentions and
hopes that her daughter will benefit from his obvious wealth.
Her brother James is also not very enthusiastic over the whole engagement and vows
to kill him if he were to ever hurt Sibyl.
Preparing to sail off to Australia, he had arrived to say his goodbyes.
Impatient with his mother’s “affectations,” James takes Sibyl on a walk. Rather than
discuss her Prince Charming, Sibyl chatters about the adventures James is certain to
find in Australia. She imagines him discovering gold but then, thinking this life too
dangerous, states that he will be better off as a quiet sheep farmer.
James cannot shake the feeling that he is leaving his sister at an inopportune time. He
doubts both Dorian’s intentions and his mother’s ability to protect Sibyl from them.
He asks about him, and warns Sibyl against him.
As the two sit and watch “the smart people go by,” Sibyl sees Dorian pass in an open
carriage. She points him out, but he is gone before James can see him. James swears
fiercely that if Dorian ever wrongs her, he will track down her “Prince Charming” and
kill him.
Sibyl pledges her undying love to Dorian.
Later that night, James confronts his mother, asking her whether she was ever married
to his father. Mrs. Vane answers no, and James begs her not to let Sibyl meet the same
