The Picture of Dorian Gray
A young man named Dorian Gray has his portrait painted by artist Basil Hallward. Under the influence of the cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian wishes that he could stay young forever while his portrait ages instead. His wish comes true. As years pass, Dorian remains beautiful while the portrait shows the ugly marks of his sins and cruel actions. This dark tale explores beauty, youth, corruption, and the price of a soul.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Portrait
Artist Basil Hallward paints a portrait of the beautiful Dorian Gray while his friend Lord Henry Wotton watches and makes cynical remarks about beauty and youth.
Chapter 2: Lord Henry's Influence
Lord Henry meets Dorian in the garden and begins to influence him with his philosophy about beauty, youth, and pleasure.
Chapter 3: The Wish
Dorian sees his finished portrait and is struck by his own beauty. Fearing he will grow old, he makes a desperate wish that the portrait would age instead of him.
Chapter 4: Sibyl Vane
Dorian falls madly in love with Sibyl Vane, a young actress who performs Shakespeare at a small theater. He tells Lord Henry about her.
Chapter 5: The Vane Family
Sibyl tells her mother about Dorian, whom she calls Prince Charming. Her brother James is suspicious and swears to kill the man if he ever hurts Sibyl.
Chapter 6: The Engagement
Dorian announces his engagement to Sibyl. Lord Henry warns him that marriage will ruin everything, but Dorian ignores his advice.
Chapter 7: The Failed Performance
Dorian brings Lord Henry and Basil to see Sibyl perform. She acts terribly because real love has made pretend love seem false. Dorian cruelly rejects her.
Chapter 8: The First Change
Dorian returns home and notices that his portrait has changed - there is a cruel twist to the mouth. He learns that Sibyl has killed herself.
Chapter 9: The Hidden Portrait
Basil comes to comfort Dorian but finds him strangely calm about Sibyl's death. Dorian decides to hide the portrait in his old schoolroom upstairs.
Chapter 10: The Yellow Book
Lord Henry gives Dorian a strange yellow book about a young Parisian who pursues beauty and pleasure. The book fascinates and corrupts Dorian.
Chapter 11: Murder
On the night before Dorian's thirty-ninth birthday, Basil visits him to ask about the terrible rumors. Dorian shows him the hideous portrait. When Basil tells him to pray for forgiveness, Dorian kills him in a sudden rage.
Chapter 12: The Scientist
Dorian forces Alan Campbell, a scientist and former friend, to destroy Basil's body with chemicals. No evidence is left. Some weeks later, Alan shoots himself, but Dorian feels nothing.
Chapter 13: The Sailor
Haunted by the murder, Dorian goes to an opium den. A sailor, James Vane, attacks him to avenge his sister Sibyl, but lets him go because Dorian looks too young. A woman then tells James that Dorian has not aged in eighteen years.
Chapter 14: The Hunt
Dorian goes to his country house to forget James Vane, but James follows him there. During a hunt, James is accidentally shot dead in the bushes. Instead of relief, Dorian feels guilt and decides to return to London and change his life.
Chapter 15: The Good Deed
Dorian spares a village girl and tells Lord Henry he wants to be good. Lord Henry calls it vanity and says Basil is missing. At home, the portrait is worse than ever. Dorian decides to destroy it with the knife that killed Basil.
Chapter 16: Dorian's Death
Dorian decides to destroy the portrait with the knife that killed Basil. He thinks about all the people he has hurt. When he stabs the painting, he feels a terrible pain, grows old in a moment and dies.
Chapter 17: The Discovery
The servants hear a terrible scream and break into the locked room. Under a beautiful, young portrait lies a withered old man with a knife in his heart. Only his rings show that he is Dorian Gray.
Chapter 18: The Funeral
Many people come to Dorian's funeral, but nobody truly knew him. The portrait is sold to a rich collector, and its terrible secret is forgotten. Years later, Dorian's story remains a warning about vanity and the price of a soul.
Chapter 19: The Mother
Mrs. Vane, Sibyl's mother, lives alone and remembers the children she lost. She dies a year after Dorian, forgotten by everyone. The world soon forgets Dorian's lesson, but his portrait still watches everyone.
Chapter 20: The End
The last chapter looks back at Dorian's life: Lord Henry's dangerous ideas, Basil's attempt to save him, Sibyl's true love and the portrait that showed every sin. It ends with a lesson: we all have a hidden portrait of our true selves.
About This Novel
This novel is written at the B1 level, suitable for intermediate learners. Each chapter includes vocabulary words, interactive translations, and comprehension questions to help you learn.
Tip: Click on any word while reading to see its translation. Take your time with each chapter and review the vocabulary before moving on.