Literary Devices in The Picture of Dorian Gray

Allusion

"He felt as if he had come to look for Miranda and had been met by Caliban."

(95)

Dramatic Irony

“‘Besides, what on earth could happen to you, Dorian? You have everything in the world that a man can want. There is no one who would not be delighted to change places with you.’”

(215)

Sir Geoffrey’s reassuring words to Dorian’s fears are ironic because the audience is fully aware of Dorian’s cruelty which contributed to Sibyl Vane’s suicide and led him to murder his good friend Basil Hallward. The horrific effect that this evil has on Dorian’s soul and conscience is revealed to the audience through the aging of Dorian’s portrait but is unknown to most characters in the novel including Sir Geoffrey.

Foil

The contrast between Basil Hallward’s sincere care for Dorian and Lord Henry’s ill-motivated friendship with Dorian emphasizes Basil’s kind nature and Lord Henry’s slyness. This is clearly revealed in their differing reactions to news that Dorian has been engaged to a Sibyl Vane, a young actress. Basil expresses his concerns of the quickness of this engagement and the affect it may have on Dorian’s reputation while Lord Henry is merely amused as, to him, Dorian is a “subject made to his hand [that]…seemed to promise rich and fruitful results” (73).

Foreshadowing

“‘Oh, if it were only the other way! If the picture could change, and I could be always what I am now! Why did you paint it? It will mock me some day – mock me horribly!’”

(43)

Hyperbole

“During the three terrible hours that the play had lasted, he had lived centuries of pain, aeon upon aeon of torture.”

(105)

Litotes

"…my nerves are dreadfully out of order. That is all.”

(26)

Metonymy

“‘Why, man, it's nigh on eighteen years since Prince Charming made me what I am.’”

(203)

Personification

“Gradually the events of the preceding night crept with silent, blood-stained feet into his brain and reconstructed themselves there with terrible distinctness.”

(174)

Paradox

“It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.”

(39)

Simile

“The dim roar of London was like the bourdon note of a distant organ.”

(9)

Building Upon a Foundation

Although the basis of one’s morality is innate, changes in this code of ethics do occur throughout an individual’s life as a result of external factors. This is proven specifically through the implications of the theory of natural selection and the degree of influence which societal norms have on different morals.

The theory of natural selection suggests that those with traits that allow them to better survive are more likely to reproduce and therefore, pass these survival traits onto the next generation. As societal and environmental changes occur, those who are able to adapt to better survive are, again, more likely to have children to which they will pass on these traits. Therefore, all are born with a certain instincts that allow for their survival. These instincts, however, are not always necessarily selfish or immoral as often believed to be; due to the growing trend of selflessness being rewarded in today’s global society, altruistic actions and self sacrifice often contribute to greater benefits that lead to better survival in the long term. In modern society, this concept is exemplified by certain reasons for which some youth choose to volunteer such as to appear like a better individual to employers or university application reviewers. These individuals do indeed help others but their reasons for doing so are less for the greater good, but rather for personal benefit, better opportunities in the future and ultimately, increased ease of survival. In this way, the theory of natural selection supports the argument that humans are born with both moral and immoral dispositions.

The balance between moral and immoral innate beliefs obviously varies depending on the individual and the genetic makeup of their parents. However, the degree to which these beliefs are ultimately developed and engrained into an individual’s code of ethics relies heavily upon the societal and cultural norms which this individual is exposed to. Morals such as that it is wrong to steal or cheat are learned from the consequences that exist if such actions are committed, consequences which are part of the laws and rules which allow for order in society; at times when there are no consequences for these actions, however, such as during disasters when chaos ensues and individuals can loot stores without being caught, even normally law abiding citizens often choose to steal. This proves that the reason why humans deter from acts such as stealing are more a result of the consequences that society associates with them and less a result of predisposed morals. On the other hand, more universal morals such as those that involve the life or death of individuals are less influenced by society. Killing, for example, is condemned in all the holy books of major religions that may have significantly different viewpoints on other issues. 

In conclusion, predisposed instincts are the basis for an individual’s morality; therefore, if their innate beliefs are equally good and bad, societal norms will be the sole cause for a person’s morality or immorality. However, since this is not the case and the balance between the good and bad in the predisposed beliefs of individuals varies, the degree to which a person’s morality is innate or learned ultimately depends on the individual.