Chapter 1
Lord Henry Wotton did not take his eyes off the easel with the image of a young man of extraordinary beauty.
He insists. so that his friend, the owner of the workshop Basil Hallward, the author of this creation, would sell him the canvas for any money. Henry is sure that it would be a sin to hide such a picture. It can become the main decoration of any exhibition. Having received a categorical refusal, Henry asks to arrange an acquaintance with the man from the portrait, but here he hears another no. Basil knew his friend and his evil tendencies too well. Twenty-year-old Dorian Gray, from whom the portrait was painted, is an unspoiled young man and such an acquaintance is of no use to him. Chapter 2 Leaving Basil's house, Henry ran into Dorian at the door. They quickly found a common language. The lord assured Dorian that with his appearance any horizons were open and, if desired, he could easily conquer the world. One bad thing is that youth passes too quickly. When Dorian saw his finished portrait, he was overcome with envy of his image. After all, the face from the portrait will forever remain as young as him. If only it were the other way around. He did not age, but the portrait changed with age.
Chapter II
Having met the young man, Henry was instantly imbued with his extraordinary beauty. Dorian, in turn, listened to the lord’s so attractive, but tempting, so beautiful, but paradoxical speeches, with which Wotton endeared himself to the sitter’s soul. He showed Dorian the importance of beauty and youth, as well as their unfortunate fragility.
Having finished the portrait, the artist shows it to Gray. But the only feeling that arises in Dorian is envy of the portrait, because his hero will be forever young. Dorian also wants to preserve eternal youth. Basil gives the portrait to the young man. The handsome young man himself agrees to Lord Henry’s invitation to go to the theater and leaves with him.
Chapter 4
Close communication with the lord bore fruit. Dorian began to think like Henry and express himself in his words. The lord became the first with whom Dorian shared his secret. He fell in love with an aspiring actress of a seedy theater, the beautiful Sibylla with the appearance of a Greek woman. Because of her, he went to the theater, which did not interest him at all. Lord Henry advised his friend not to rush into a serious step, but was unable to convince the young man in love and dissuade him from hasty decisions. He realized this when he received an engagement invitation from him.
Chapter III
Another day, Lord Henry comes to his uncle Fermor with the intention of finding out the pedigree of Dorian Gray. The young man turned out to be Kelso's grandson, his mother was the beautiful Margaret Devereux. The richest men courted her, but she ran away with some officer who did not have a penny to his name. Margaret's father did not like this and, according to rumors, he staged a duel in which his daughter's lover was killed. Less than a year later, the woman died, leaving behind a baby. Her son was to receive a rich inheritance. Wotton wanted to conquer Gray, enslave his soul, make him his puppet, and he has already half succeeded.
Having learned what was needed, Henry said goodbye to his uncle and went to breakfast with Aunt Agatha, where Dorian was also invited. Late for the start, the lord comes and sits down at the table. During the meal, those present discussed numerous newfangled trends in England. Henry Wotton himself - the “Prince of Paradox” - captured the attention of listeners with his beautiful speeches, not letting them go until the very end. After breakfast, the lord goes to the Park and takes Dorian Gray with him, who asked for it.
Chapter 7
This evening Sybil has the main role. Her thoughts were far from the stage. Dorian couldn't get out of her head. She already imagined how bright her future would be after marrying her beloved. Unable to concentrate on her role, Sibylla failed the performance. Basil and Henry were disappointed. Dorian was as shocked as his friends. He insults Sibylla, calling her mediocrity. Returning home, he sees that the face in the portrait has acquired cruel features. Dorian, looking at him, regrets that he offended the girl and promises himself to do only good deeds in the future.
Chapter IV
The action takes place a month later. Dorian Gray sits in Lord Henry's library, waiting for him. The young man whiled away the time reading a book. Soon Lady Wotton enters the room. During their conversation, it becomes clear how much influence Lord Henry has on Gray. Dorian expresses himself in the same words, thinks the same way as him.
Finally, Henry arrives, and the young man tells him about his crush on the actress. He met her in a run-down theater, where he came by pure chance. Sibylla played the main role in the play Romeo and Juliet. Everything in this theater, from the music to the acting of the characters, disgusted the young man. But with the appearance of Sibylla, the theater and the whole world were filled with new colors for him. He told Henry about her melodious voice, beauty and excellent acting. About the nickname - “Prince Charming”, which Sybil gave to Gray. At the end of the conversation, Dorian persuades Lord Wotton to go with him and Basil to look at the girl on stage. But, before their trip together, Henry receives a telegram with news of the engagement of the young couple.
Chapter VII
The performance begins, the characters take their places and anticipate the appearance of Juliet, played by Sebilla. Seeing Dorian's beloved, both friends share his admiration for the beauty of the actress. But the girl, in their opinion, does not have acting talent. She plays the role poorly. Henry and Basil do not finish watching the performance and leave the theater.
After the end of the play, Dorian comes backstage to his beloved. He's amazed at how poorly she played. He had to be ashamed of her in front of his friends. Sebilla replies that she began to play worse because she fell in love with him. The main thing is that they have each other, and the theater is just an empty pretense. But Dorian thinks differently; he accuses the girl of killing his love. The young man wants nothing to do with the untalented actress. The girl fell at his feet and begged for forgiveness. Not heeding her sobs, Dorian leaves.
Having fallen into a state of oblivion, Dorian wandered aimlessly around the city until late. Returning home and passing by the library, where there was a portrait of Basil’s work, the young man glanced at the painting. The facial expression in the portrait changed, it became cruel. Dorian remembers his words spoken in the workshop. Then he wanted all age-related changes, the burden of vices and passions to be reflected in the portrait, and not on his real face. He thinks about Sebille and feels sorry for her. Dorian understands that the negative transformation of the portrait is a consequence of his bad deed.
Chapter X
Dorian takes the key to the old room and orders the workers to deliver the portrait there without opening it. He himself makes sure that all of the above is done, and only then can he exhale.
Going downstairs, Dorian saw a newspaper and a book from Lord Henry. The article revealed details of Sibylla's death. Angry, the young man tears up the newspaper and throws it away. But the book interested him. It was a sketch about a hero trying to survive the passions of bygone eras. The work captured the young man’s mind.
Chapter VI
Restaurant "Birstol", a separate room with lunch for three. Lord Henry greets Basil as he enters and tells him that Dorian is getting married. At first he does not believe him, believing that the young man is not so reckless. Finally, Dorian himself comes, greets his friends and talks about last night, about Sibylla playing beautifully on stage, about their meeting behind the scenes and about the beautiful kiss of lovers.
After having a snack and discussing this topic, the friends go to the theater. It is now that the artist realizes that Dorian Gray has become completely different.
Chapter XVI
Dorian decides to kill the past, forgetting about everything. Life, with its reckless revelry and baseness, excited Gray’s imagination even more than art. The young man hurries to the brothel, where he feels better.
At the exit from the brothel, a new danger awaited Dorian. Sibylla's brother decided to avenge his sister's death. He recognizes the young man when he hears the phrase “Prince Charming.” And only the magic of the portrait saves Gray’s life: he looks too young for the “killer” Sybil, who died eighteen years ago.
The deception was revealed, but it was too late: the culprit disappeared.
Chapter XIII
The heroes go upstairs to the old room that hides Dorian's secret. The artist is shocked by the portrait. He cannot believe that he once wrote it himself. Only the signature on the canvas remains evidence that his brush once created this work. An evil, grinning face looked out from the portrait. Dorian says that his wish, once expressed in Basil’s workshop, came true. The artist understands that the portrait he painted absorbed all of Dorian’s vices. Basil again tries to call the hero to righteousness. An angry Dorian Gray blames the artist and his ill-fated portrait for his worthless life, he rushes at Basil with a knife and kills him. Now we need to hide the evidence. Basil will not be missed for a long time, because he must leave for an exhibition in Paris.
Chapter XI
For many years Dorian was dominated by this book. He was captivated by a huge number of hobbies: from church rituals and attire to precious stones. The young man also began to be interested in portraits of his ancestors.
In London, dirty rumors began to appear about the personal life of a rich rake. They said that he was seen in a strange company of all sorts of rabble, that he visited obscene establishments. And although some did not like the young man, as soon as they looked at his beautiful and pure face, it became incomprehensible to many how evil gossip could be spread about such a pure young man. And after all his deeds, Dorian loved to come and look at the portrait, its changes, and compare that face with his own.
Chapter IX
In the morning Basil comes to Dorian's house. He was worried about his friend and thought that he was tormented by the death of Sebilla. The artist was amazed at his friend’s calmness. Basil realized that the young man was adversely influenced by their common comrade, the cynic Henry Wotton.
The artist notices that the portrait of Dorian Gray is covered with a cloth; he wants to look at his creation, but is refused. This greatly surprises Basil. Why can't he look at the portrait? He tells Gray about his desire to send the painting to an exhibition in Paris. Dorian asks him why he decided to exhibit the portrait, because before the artist did not want to show it to strangers.
Basil admits to Dorian that he was obsessed with him, and when he began to paint the portrait, he put his whole soul into it and perceived it as something sacred, very personal. Having given the portrait to Dorian, he eventually realized that the portrait needed to be shown to people. Gray did not give permission to display the painting and hides the portrait so that it does not come across to prying eyes.
Chapter XIV
The next morning, Dorian writes two letters: one addressed to his former friend, Campbell, a chemist, and the second he simply puts in his pocket. Thoughts about what happened do not leave the hero. Soon Alan arrives, as the text of the letter greatly excited him.
Yesterday's killer calmly spoke about what happened and asked for help. The body must be disposed of. Campbell refuses to be part of the heinous scam. Even Dorian’s pleas do not move him. And then Gray uses a second letter, the contents of which could destroy the chemist.
Alan, accompanied by Dorian, goes upstairs. To the room where Basil's body lies. Gray sees blood on the portrait's hand and hides it from Alan's eyes with a blanket. The chemist is left alone with the dead man. His knowledge of chemistry and nitric acid did their job: the body disappeared.
Chapter XX
Dorian Gray comes to the realization that he has ruined not only his life, but also the destinies of those around him. He brought evil to the world. He remembered the lady he had not disgraced and decided that this act would improve the portrait. But the image got even worse. The hero understands that he was motivated by vanity, not righteousness. The price for eternal youth was not only his human appearance, but also his inner content.
There is only one way to end everything - destroy the portrait. Dorian cuts his disfigured image with a knife. The servants hear the scream and run to help their master. Having entered the room, they see on the floor the body of an old man with a disfigured, angry face. And next to it stands the “Portrait of Dorian Gray” - the same charming young man whom Basil once painted is looking from it.
Chapter VIII
The next day Gray woke up late. The servant brought him letters and the young man, sorting them out, came across one from Henry; without reading it, he put it aside. Getting up, he noticed the picture and, having locked the doors, decided to check whether what he saw seemed impossible to him. Yes, it didn’t seem to him, the portrait had really changed. This shocked the young man. His only consolation was that it pushed him to change for the better. He will do good deeds and marry Sibylla.
But suddenly Lord Henry comes and delivers terrible news - Sybil Vane has committed suicide. Dorian’s suffering did not follow this, which surprised him and made him think about his heartlessness. But after talking with Henry, the young man felt much better. Gray decides that the portrait will bear the burden of sin, while he himself, with the same beautiful beauty, has fun and enjoys life.
After the conversation, the friends go to the opera.
Chapter I: Meet the Heroes
The scene is the studio of the artist Basil Hallward. The artist sits in front of the easel and looks at the portrait of a young man with a smile. Lord Henry, noting the extraordinary beauty of the young man in the portrait, expressed the opinion that this was Basil’s best work. To Lord Henry's surprise, the artist does not intend to send this portrait to the exhibition.
Perhaps out of natural curiosity, or perhaps due to the effect of an opium-soaked cigarette, Lord Henry begins to talk about Basil’s young friend. He is convinced that the only merit of a young man is beauty, and the young man himself is a charming but brainless creature. The artist is outraged, but still avoids answering the questions of the cynical Lord Henry. Lord Henry's pressure breaks through the wall of secrecy. The artist talks about the emotional excitement and influx of feelings he experienced when meeting Dorian. Dorian Gray brings happiness into Basil's life with just his appearance.
The conversation is interrupted by a footman reporting the arrival of Dorian Gray. The artist says that the young man does not know about his love. Basil is worried that the bad influence of Lord Henry will spoil the bright and pure young man.
Other characters
Basil Hallward is the artist who painted the portrait of Dorian Gray. He notices only positive qualities in his sitter.
Lord Henry Wotton is an aristocrat, satiated with all the available pleasures of life, Dorian’s main tempter.
Sibyl Vane is a young actress who falls madly in love with Dorian.
James Vane is a sailor, Sybil's brother, who, after her death, finds the meaning of life in revenge.
Chapter V
Sibylla sits on her knees in front of her mother, telling her about her relationship with “Prince Charming.” The mother, also an actress, is skeptical about their relationship, but only if the young man is not rich. The daughter does not listen to her mother, completely immersed in dreams. This picture is interrupted by the heroine’s brother James entering. On this day he goes to earn money for his family by working as a sailor. He and his sister go for a walk, where the enthusiastic Sybil told him about Dorian. But he only considered her a gullible simpleton. At one point, Dorian drives next to them, but James does not notice him and, in a fit of anger, shouts that he will kill him if he offends him. Sibylla looked at him with horror at first, but then forgave her brother, and they headed home.
Returning, James said goodbye to his sister and, instructing his mother to take care of Sybil, packed his things and went to work.
