What Does The Reader Learn About The Three Main Characters In The Opening Chapter Of, "The Picture Of Dorian Gray"?

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What Does The Reader Learn About The Three Main Characters In The Opening Chapter Of, “The Picture Of Dorian Gray”?

Oscar Wilde wrote the novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, in 1891. When first published in, “Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine”, it was criticised for being immoral and provoked a response in Britain. It follows the story of young, Dorian Gray, who when realises his good looks will eventually leave him after witnessing the result of a portrait of himself, he exchanges his soul for endless youth and beauty. In the opening chapter, we are made known of three main characters, Basil Hallward, the artist who paints Dorian’s portrait, Lord Henry Wotton, Basil’s witty friend who eventually becomes close with Dorian and the main character himself, Dorian Gray, a handsome young gentlemen of society.        

        The first chapter starts off in the residence of Basil Hallward.  At once we can tell that the man inhabiting here is of an artistic nature, the place described as, “the studio”, a typical place where artists work. We can tell that Basil takes care of his home, it’s, “filled with the rich odour of roses… the heavy scent of the lilac… delicate perfume”, giving the impression of a very rich, fragrant home, filled with elegance.

        We are then introduced to Basil himself, “whose sudden disappearance some years ago caused, at the time, some public excitement and gave rise to so many strange conjectures”. This explains that for some reason, Basil previously faded away from society most probably and the fact that it caused, “public excitement”, shows that Basil was probably well known and could have been admired by the general public. Furthermore, while looking at the artwork he created, he smiles, however it fades and closed his eyes, covered his eyes, “as though he sought to imprison within his brain some curious dream which he feared he might awake”. This line indicates that perhaps Basil is slightly troubled at the moment, the word, “feared”, is used, possibly to show that his mind contains thoughts he would rather not have.

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        Moving away from his silent thoughts, he converses with his friend Lord Henry. At this point, we are made known that Basil attended the prestigious university of Oxford, again showing that he is quite intelligent. We can tell that the relationship between Lord Henry and Basil is one that has been maintained for a long time, as Basil predicts the reactions that come from Henry.

 Basil explains why he doesn’t want to exhibit this particular work of art; his portrait of Dorian Gray, he says, “there is too much of me in him”. This could give the idea that Basil ...

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