The Picture of Dorian Gray

Character Guide

Spoiler-free — fuller detail (with spoilers, if you want them) lives in the reader's Guide tab.

Dorian Gray

A strikingly beautiful young man who becomes the subject of Basil Hallward's masterpiece portrait; his innocence and vanity are awakened as he is drawn into Lord Henry's philosophy of pleasure.

Basil Hallward

A gifted painter deeply devoted to Dorian, whom he considers his muse and the inspiration for his finest work, the portrait at the heart of the story.

Lord Henry Wotton (Harry)

A witty, cynical aristocrat and friend of Basil's who preaches a philosophy of hedonism and the supremacy of youth and beauty, quickly becoming a corrupting influence on Dorian.

Sibyl Vane

A poor but immensely talented young actress performing Shakespeare in a shabby theatre, with whom Dorian falls passionately in love.

James Vane

Sibyl's protective older brother, a sailor about to leave for Australia, who distrusts Dorian and fears for his sister's welfare.

Mrs. Vane

Sibyl and James's mother, a former actress now reduced to modest circumstances, who is eager for Sibyl to make a good match.

Glossary

Blue Book

A British directory listing names, addresses, and titles of the gentry and professionals, used here by Dorian to look up Alan Campbell's address.

Dandyism

A cultivated, aesthetic lifestyle centered on refined dress, wit, and studied indifference, embodied by Lord Henry and later Dorian.

Panegyric

A formal, elaborate speech of praise; used to describe Lord Henry's rapturous eulogy of youth to Dorian.

Monstrance

A ceremonial vessel used in Catholic ritual to display the consecrated host, admired by Dorian for its ornate beauty.

Dalmatic

A wide-sleeved ceremonial vestment worn by clergy, part of the ornate Catholic ritual imagery Dorian is drawn to.

Darwinismus

The German term for the Darwinian evolutionary movement, referenced as one of the intellectual fads Dorian briefly explores.

Antinomianism

The theological view that moral law is not binding on the spiritually enlightened; associated with the mystical phases Dorian dabbles in.

Moue

A small pouting facial expression, used to describe Dorian's playful reaction to Basil's instructions while sitting for the portrait.

Waterbury watch

A cheap, mass-produced American pocket watch brand, mentioned by Lord Henry to mock Basil Hallward's unpretentious habits.

Panis cælestis

Latin for 'heavenly bread,' referring to the consecrated host in the Catholic Mass, part of the ritual imagery that fascinates Dorian.

Open the full interactive Guide in the reader →