The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde | Chapter 11

Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth summary and analysis of Chapter 11 of Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.


As both a morality tale and a horror story, The Picture of Dorian Gray traces the dissolution and destruction of the title character.

The devastatingly handsome Dorian Gray has his portrait painted as a youth and wishes that the painting, rather than his own visage, might reflect his increasing age. His idle wish comes true and his moral turpitude is reflected in his increasingly grisly likeness.

Whether this is an indictment of the character's unethical dealings or of Victorian society's disapproval of Gray's veiled homosexuality remains a topic of intense debate.

Wilde's own valorization of aesthetic beauty is well known and it seems likely that the story is in part an endorsement of that philosophy, which scandalized the ceaselessly practical Victorians.

Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray was first published in 1890. With characteristic savoir faire, Oscar Wilde weaves elements of the gothic and the aesthetic into the fabric of his best-known novel.

The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray contains many potent themes, including reputation versus character, as some find Dorian charming although his nature is dark and his reputation suffers; appearance versus reality, as the novel questions what is on the surface and what lies beneath it; and art versus life, as the difference between creating beauty and living beautifully is demonstrated. Important symbols include the painting, theater, and flowers.


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[lydiac]

genuinely the hardest chapter to read and get through in the whole book - my mind was dying while trying to understand what the description was trying to explain

[pvmpkinqveen]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggled through this chapter.

[alopeciaboy]

i was getting "this could've been an email but why are we in a conference" vibes from in this chapter.

[rbrinks]

I’m very grateful for the summary of this chapter because I could barely stay awake reading it

[joaovictor_of]

I sincerely believe this chapter is a literary crime against humanity

[MugiwaraPirate]

That was a hard chapter to read. Thanks for the summary 👍

[tamannajain]

Glad to see I am not alone to think this chapter is boring.

[camillaarusei]

this chapter was a fucking pain. thank u so much for these videos!!

[helin]

I spent an entire month procrastinating reading this chapter because it was so difficult this was my last option because i simply couldn’t get through thanks!

update:i don’t understand a fucking thing this man is saying either

[SP-cggn]

This chapter had me questioning whether I want to continue reading this book! I came to the comments section for support and glad to have found I am not alone in my frustration and confusion with it.

[nontombinontosh]

I struggled alot with this chapter 😭It's so difficult. But I am glad that I am not the only one who found it challenging to understand

[jennifersosna]

I’m doing this thing where I’m reading all the books I was assigned in high school but never read. I actually really liked this book so far but STRUGGLED through this chapter. Thank you for the summary!

[lucaexistsmaybe]

This chapter was so much. This video is a life saver

[minhcraft_]

I understand the point of the writing style and how this chapter is structured but it is so fucking boring and empty I want to tear my eyes out

[kay-dosc]

None of us are reading this book for fun

[Andr]

i've read this chapter for three months, no kidding

[oceanmansbreakfast]

I feel so relieved that everyone else found this chapter as much of a chore to get through as I did 😭

[yorgoshirmiz]

Every chapter of this novel is wonderfully crafted until you stumble upon chapter 11 and feel like you’re reading Oscar Wilde’s “favourite things” with some Shakespearean implanted style of writing into it…

[shikhasharma]

Oh it's that chapter which ruined my speed of reading this novel. This chapter on one side and the entire novel on the other side!

[ritak]

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who couldn’t get past this chapter