The central protagonist whose Faustian wish grants him eternal youth while his portrait absorbs the physical and moral decay of his sins. His hedonistic lifestyle leads to tragedy, including the suicide of Sibyl Vane and the murder of Basil Hallward. After a quarter-century of absence, he returns to London, tempts Emily Wotton, and ultimately destroys the portrait in a fit of remorse, causing his own rapid aging and death in the ensuing fire.
Represents the starting point of the protagonist's journey before his transformation.
Basil serves as the artist who immortalizes Gray's likeness, setting the supernatural plot in motion.
Explore the full interactive character relationship map of Dorian Gray
Related entry on Wikidata (Q30611756), public domain (CC0).