PENGUIN READERS

Teacher’s notes LEVEL 4 Teacher Support Programme

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde towards the end of the 19th century. Basil Hallward has
painted a portrait of a handsome young man, Dorian
Gray. Thrilled by the beauty of the painting, Dorian
Gray wishes that he could always stay as young as his
image in the picture. He gives up his soul to achieve this
wish. Dorian sets out on a life of self-indulgence and
evil. His behaviour seems to be reflected in the portrait
and he realises that his wish has come true – the portrait
is beginning to show a corrupted man while he remains
unchanged physically. Frightened of what is happening,
Dorian hides the picture in a locked room. The years
pass and Dorian leads an increasingly depraved life, but
the years have no effect on him; he looks as young and
beautiful as ever. Then one evening he meets the artist
About the author once more and, after he has shown him the evil-looking
Oscar Wilde is one of the best-known characters of portrait, Dorian kills him in a fit of hatred. Dorian tries
British literary history. Wilde grew up in a professional to carry on with his immoral life but he is tormented by
middle-class family in Dublin. He was a brilliant student feelings of guilt and decides that the only way he can make
and came to England to study at Oxford University. up for what he has done is to destroy the painting. In
He was very ambitious and wanted to join English the climax of the story Dorian tries to kill the man in the
high society. He soon became famous for his witty portrait, but kills himself in the process.
conversation, especially his ironic epigrams or amusing
Chapters 1–2: Dorian Gray, a young and beautiful man
sayings. Oscar Wilde was flamboyant and eccentric
has his portrait painted by his artist friend, Basil Hallward.
from an early age. At a time when men only wore black
The picture is so beautiful that the artist loves it as he also
or grey he put on colourful clothes, grew his hair long
loves Dorian. Dorian also admires the way the portrait
and wore a green flower in his buttonhole. He was a
reflects his beauty but becomes frightened when his
founder member of the influential ‘aesthetic’ movement
new-found friend, Lord Henry, tells him that his beauty
which believed in ‘art for art’s sake’ and rejected the strict
will fade with age. Dorian makes a passionate wish that he
morality of Victorian society which regarded all sexual
would remain young and beautiful forever; he would give
matters as ‘dirty’ and immoral. In Victorian England
up his soul for this.
all men were expected to get married and have a family.
Wilde married and had two children, but he secretly loved Chapters 3–6: Dorian falls in love with the actress Sibyl
men, something which was considered disgusting and was Vane because of her beauty and acting ability. When he
a serious crime. Wilde kept his love affairs with men a takes his friends to a performance she acts very badly,
secret and between 1892 and 1895 his plays made him the which disturbs him so much that he breaks up with her,
most successful and popular writer in Britain. He loved hurting her cruelly. After the break-up, Dorian notices
mixing with the aristocracy yet his works made fun of the that the picture has changed; it shows cruelty in the face,
English upper classes and, in a subtle way, criticised the while his own face remains pure and innocent looking.
cruel morality of his time. When Wilde was found guilty He realises that he can live a corrupt life without his face
of having a sexual relationship with a man, nearly all his showing the effects, while the picture will show ageing
friends dropped him, his plays and books were withdrawn and the ugliness of his soul. Dorian decides to go back to
and his possessions were sold to pay his creditors. He came Sibyl and ask her to marry him but Sibyl has already killed
out of prison a broken man and spent the final years of his herself as a result of Dorian’s cruelty.
life in poverty, unable to write and forced to live in exile. Chapters 7–8: Basil is shocked by Dorian’s apparent
indifference to Sibyl’s death. He wants to see the picture
Summary but Dorian refuses and tells him the picture has changed
Published in 1891, The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar and has a life of its own. Dorian also refuses to sit for Basil
Wilde’s only novel. An immediate and popular success, for another painting. They argue and Dorian says that
it has never been out of print. The story is set in London Basil has taught him to love only his own beauty. Dorian

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 PENGUIN READERS
Teacher’s notes LEVEL 4 Teacher Support Programme

The Picture of Dorian Gray

decides to hide the picture away in the old schoolroom so Undercurrent of sexuality: To this familiar moral
that nobody would ever see it again and discover his secret. fable, Wilde adds the extra ingredient of sexual scandal.
Chapters 9–11: Many years pass with terrible changes Although the novel never actually describes it, the reader
to his soul because of his corrupt ways. He meets Basil in is aware that there is an undercurrent of sexuality in
the street one night and invites him home. They argue many of the relationships. Apart from the story of Sibyl
about rumours Basil has heard of Dorian’s terrible life. Vane, we do not know exactly what Dorian does that is so
Finally, Dorian shows Basil the picture, which Basil finds ‘immoral’, as in Victorian England it was impossible for a
shocking. Suddenly, Dorian feels hatred for Basil and kills writer to be honest about sexual matters. In the end, good
him. Later, Dorian forces Campbell, a scientist he knows, triumphs over evil when Dorian kills himself. This is the
to destroy all traces of the body using chemicals. type of moral ending that was expected in 19th century
literature.
Chapters 12–13: Dorian decides to become a good
person. He discusses this with Lord Henry, who convinces Wit and humour: The Picture of Dorian Gray is not
him that people cannot change. Later Dorian becomes simply a moral fable. It is full of Oscar Wilde’s unique
angry about the wish he once made and begins to fear for wit and humour. The dialogue sparkles with numerous
his soul. He decides he must start a new life and to do examples of Wilde’s epigrams, those short witty sayings
this he must destroy the picture. He stabs the picture and which have now become part of the English language.
a terrible crash and scream are heard. The police arrive to These epigrams are often based on irony or a reversal of
find the dead body of an old and ugly man lying next to a logic, a typical example of which is when Lord Henry says
portrait of the young and beautiful Dorian Gray. ‘I choose my friends for their beauty and my enemies for
their intelligence. A man cannot be too careful in choosing
Background and themes his enemies.’ Wilde’s own conversation was full of this
wit, and it gives the novel an extra dimension which most
The Picture of Dorian Gray is often described as a
Victorian stories lack.
melodrama – a work in which everything is larger than
life. It is more like a myth or a morality tale than the
realistic novels which readers are accustomed to nowadays. Discussion activities
It contains so much dialogue that it is almost as if it is a Chapters 1–2
written version of a stage play. This is not surprising as Before reading
Wilde went on to write a series of very successful plays 1 Discuss: Ask the students to look at the picture on
in the three years following its publication, including his the cover of the book. Have you ever had your portrait
masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest. done? Have you ever painted someone else’s portrait?
What can you tell about a person by looking at their
Faust: The theme of The Picture of Dorian Gray is face? What kind of person do you think this man is?
a recurring one in European culture, most famously Do you think you would like him? Say why or why not.
expounded in Faust. In the story of Faust, the devil tempts 2 Pair work: Put the students into pairs and ask them
a man to sell his soul in exchange for all the things he to read the title of Chapter 1 ‘An Extraordinarily
Beautiful Young Man’. Have them list specific qualities
desires. The result is disaster and the lesson is that a man’s
that make someone appear beautiful. When they have
soul is more valuable than anything he could possibly finished, have some of the pairs read their lists to the
gain in the material world. In Oscar Wilde’s version, class. See if other students agree, or have different
Lord Henry represents the devil figure and Dorian Gray qualities on their lists.
is Faust.
After reading
Morality: The portrait symbolises Dorian’s soul or 3 Pair work: In pairs, have the students take turns
morality. Lord Henry tempts Dorian to indulge in an saying: How Basil feels about Dorian; How Lord
immoral lifestyle, carelessly disregarding the feelings of Henry feels about Dorian; How Dorian feels about
Lord Henry; and How Dorian feels about Basil.
the people he seduces and then rejects. Dorian thinks that
4 Discuss: Write this famous epigram (clever, witty or
he can escape from the consequences of his immoral life funny saying) from the book on the board: ‘I choose
because the portrait takes the blame for him. But he goes my friends for their beauty and my enemies for their
too far by killing his old friend Basil Hallward and then intelligence. A man cannot be too careful in choosing
suffers from guilt. Wilde is showing us that nobody can his enemies.’ Ask students to work in pairs. Do they
escape the moral consequences of their actions. agree with this saying or not? Each student finds one
more epigram from these chapters.

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 PENGUIN READERS
Teacher’s notes LEVEL 4 Teacher Support Programme

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Chapters 3–5 14 Discuss: Put this sentence on the board: ‘Corruption
Before reading is a thing that writes itself across a man’s face. It
5 Predict: Have the students read the heading for cannot be hidden.’ (p. 45). Put students into small
Chapter 3 ‘Dorian in Love’. Then have them write groups. They discuss this statement and whether they
about these questions: What kind of person do you agree with it or not.
think Dorian would fall in love with? Why do you think After reading
this? How do you think he would treat someone he was 15 Write: Put students into small groups and get them
in love with? to write two sentences to describe what happens in
After reading Chapter 8, two sentences to describe what happens
6 Discuss: Have the students compare their predictions in Chapter 9 and two sentences to describe what
from activity 5. happens in Chapter 10. When they are finished, have
7 Debate: Divide the class into two groups and hold a some of the groups read their sentences to the rest of
debate on one of these sayings from Lord Henry: the class.
a ‘No woman is an artist. Women never have Chapters 11–12
anything to say, but they say it charmingly.’
b ‘The reason we like to think so well of others is Before reading
because we are afraid for ourselves.’ 16 Predict: Have the class read the heading for
c ‘When we are happy we are always good, but Chapter 11 ‘The Problem of the Body’. Then have
when we are good we are not always happy.’ the students form small groups and predict what
Dorian might do with the body.
Chapters 6–7
After reading
Before reading 17 Discuss: Dorian says ‘I have done too many terrible
8 Predict: Ask the students to read the title of things in my life. I am not going to do any more.’
Chapter 6 ‘Love Becomes Tragedy’ and have them (p. 56). In small groups, students answer these
write down what they think will happen to Dorian questions: (a) Do you believe what Dorian says above?
and Sibyl. (b) Can you think of ways people can get forgiveness for
After reading earlier bad behaviour?
9 Check: Have the students read their predictions Chapter 13
about what would happen in Chapter 6. Were they
correct? Before reading
10 Put students into small groups to answer these 18 Predict: Have the students think about why
questions: (a) Why does Dorian change his mind about Chapter 13 is called To Kill the Past. Then put them
Sibyl? (b) ‘He felt the time had come to choose. Or had into small groups to discuss who they think would
he already chosen?’ (p. 32). What is this choice? What like to kill the past, why he would want to, and how
would you choose if you were in the same situation? he might go about doing it.
11 Pair work: In pairs, ask the students to list adjectives After reading
that describe Basil Hallward and Lord Henry. After 19 Check: Review students’ predictions in activity 18.
ten minutes, ask each pair to compare their lists with 20 Role play: Put the students into groups of three and
the class. Write the adjectives, that they all agree with, have them pretend to be the people on the street
on the board. when the terrible crash and scream were heard from
12 Artwork: Put students into pairs and have them Dorian’s house. Have them guess what is happening.
draw each other’s portrait. The student who is posing Have them discuss Dorian Gray and the kinds of
should put on a cruel face so the other can draw a rumours they have heard about him. Then have
picture showing cruelty, like the picture of Dorian’s them make a list of all the different things they have
face in the portrait. Then have the students show their heard about Dorian Gray, including the following:
pictures to the class. The class votes on whose drawing The different bad things he has done. / The kind of
looks the cruellest. person he is. / The ways he has been a bad influence on
Chapters 8–10 his friends. / How they feel about Dorian. / Why they
think Dorian is able to stay so young and pure looking.
Before reading 21 Students discuss this question in small groups: What
13 Role play: Put the students into pairs to role play the is the lesson of The Picture of Dorian Gray? Is there a
conversation on pages 32–33. One student will be lesson in it for people today?
Dorian and the other will be Basil. Then have some
of the pairs role play their conversations in front of Vocabulary activities
the class. For the Word List and vocabulary activities, go to
www.penguinreaders.com.

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