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Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray explores the detrimental relationship between beauty and morality through the character of Dorian Gray, whose obsession with maintaining his youthful appearance leads to his moral decay. Influenced by Lord Henry, Dorian prioritizes beauty over inner qualities, resulting in selfish and destructive behavior. The novel ultimately warns that while beauty is valuable, it should not overshadow moral values, as true beauty encompasses the choices we make and how we treat others.

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7 views2 pages

Speech

Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray explores the detrimental relationship between beauty and morality through the character of Dorian Gray, whose obsession with maintaining his youthful appearance leads to his moral decay. Influenced by Lord Henry, Dorian prioritizes beauty over inner qualities, resulting in selfish and destructive behavior. The novel ultimately warns that while beauty is valuable, it should not overshadow moral values, as true beauty encompasses the choices we make and how we treat others.

Uploaded by

kelemnisi12
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Beauty and Morality in The Picture of Dorian Gray

Good morning/afternoon everyone,

In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the relationship between beauty and morality is at the
core of the story. Dorian Gray, a young man praised for his beauty, becomes obsessed with
maintaining his youthful appearance. This obsession leads to a moral downfall that ultimately
destroys him. Wilde uses Dorian's journey to explore how an unhealthy focus on beauty can lead to
the loss of one's moral compass.

At the beginning of the novel, Dorian is innocent and carefree. However, after meeting Lord Henry,
who argues that beauty and pleasure are the most important things in life, Dorian wishes that his
portrait would age instead of him. This wish sets the stage for his decline. As he indulges in a life of
excess, Dorian's physical appearance remains perfect, while his portrait—hidden away—reflects the
damage done to his soul. His actions grow more selfish and destructive, yet he is blind to the
consequences because he does not see the changes in himself.

Wilde shows us that Dorian’s obsession with beauty leads to his moral decay. His growing focus on his
looks causes him to abandon kindness, responsibility, and honesty. He becomes so focused on
maintaining his beauty that he loses sight of the importance of inner qualities like integrity and
compassion.

However, Wilde does not argue that beauty itself is inherently evil. Instead, the novel suggests that
when beauty becomes the only thing that matters, it can corrupt a person’s values. It is not the
beauty itself, but the way Dorian prioritizes it over everything else that leads to his downfall. Beauty,
In the end, Dorian tries to destroy the portrait, hoping to erase his guilt and regret. But
this attempt to escape his past only leads to his destruction. Wilde’s conclusion is clear:
beauty, when disconnected from morality, can be incredibly destructive. In conclusion,
The Picture of Dorian Gray teaches us that while beauty is valuable, it should never
come at the expense of our moral values. True beauty is not just about appearance, but
about the choices we make and the way we treat others. Thank you.

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