The Picture of Dorian Gray 3: The Paradoxical Cleanse

     As sickening as it is to read Dorian’s murder of Basil, the motive behind this assassination is universally relatable. Dorian blames Basil for facilitating the corruption of his soul. As Hallward views the aged and decrepit portrait for the first time, he realizes that the evil which is manifesting itself in Dorian is partially his fault: “He seemed to recognize his own brushwork, and the frame was his own design” (114). The monster into which Dorian has become is partially due to the vanity and bad influence that was introduced into his life by Hallward. Dorian feels as though his path of destruction began with Basil, and through the murder of Hallward, Dorian is trying to release all of this pent up frustration and anger. The fog was dense when the two characters first met, but after the homicide, “the wind had blown the fog away, and the sky was like a monstrous peacock’s tail, starred with myriads of golden eyes” (116). Dorian paradoxically tries to cleanse his conscience by committing the greatest sin (besides pride) that he has done thus far. The watchful stars in the sky are meant to show that he cannot be absolved of one sin by committing another. At times we may try use one lie to conceal a prior wrongdoing, but the further you diverge from honesty and morality, the more problematic the situation becomes. The best way to cope with shame and guilt is to recognize and appreciate its value. By committing a ‘reparation’ sin, you are ignoring the only benefits that can arise from the original sin. The fog may have cleared, but the storm is far from over.