What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Oscar Wilde delicately illustrated the answer to this question by portraying the lad Dorian Gray in his famous novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1891. 

The story takes the readers back to Victorian England, where aestheticism and beauty are appraised above everything. Dorian Gray, depicted as a handsome and charming young man, becomes the muse of a brilliant artist Basil Hallward who creates a stunning portrait for him. This leads to the encounter between Lord Henry Wotton, a narcissistic cynic who enthralls the innocent and naive Dorian with his aristocratic hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfillment are the only things worth pursuing in life. With the realization and infatuation of his physical appearance and under Lord Henry’s faulty influences, Dorian is prompted to a life of debauchery and indulgence. Dorian later becomes extremely influenced by Lord Henry, who advocates the pursuit of pleasure and beauty and rejects morality.  This triggers Dorian’s desire for eternal youth and beauty, sacrificing his soul. He prays to let his portrait bear his sins and the aging marks, with himself remaining untouched by the passage of time. Dorian indulges in a life of vanity and immorality, driving a series of transformations in the painting that reflects his soul’s hidden corruption and decay.  Despite his youthful appearance, Dorian's portrait becomes a grotesque representation of his true nature, constantly reminding him of his hidden sins and deteriorating morality. Haunted by the portrait’s transformation and eventually overwhelmed by guilt and horror of the coming of death, Dorian is agitated to destroy the portent, wishing to permanently destroy the painting, a symbol of his decadent soul and the only piece of evidence revealing his wicked crimes. The action of Dorian stabbing the portrait turns the table around. Dorian himself dies in a grotesque body that withers, bearing the physical consequences of all his vice actions; the painting restores to its original state, displaying the young and handsome lad that draws everybody’s affection. 

Wilde’s play with words delicately presents art and aestheticism between the lines, a significant theme of this novel. Lord Henry Wotton embraces aestheticism as a way of life. He values beauty, pleasure, and sensory experiences above moral considerations. Aestheticism promotes the idea that art and beauty are valuable in and of themselves, regardless of their ethical implications. Lord Henry fully embodies this philosophy, espousing hedonistic beliefs and encouraging Dorian to indulge in his desires. At the same time, art is depicted as a powerful medium for capturing and preserving beauty. As Basil Hallward, the artist in the novel, becomes infatuated with Dorian Gray's youthful beauty, he seeks to immortalize it by painting a portrait. The cautions from Lord Henry about the elapse of youth and the picture make Dorian conscious of his stunning appearance and are a reminder of his best moments; he starts to prioritize his appearance.  While Wilde portrays the allure of aestheticism and its appreciation of beauty, he also critiques its excesses. Dorian Gray does not obstruct any barriers towards the hedonistic view that goes against morality and stands for self-indulgence, making Dorian’s potential downfall inevitable. He gradually becomes more narcissistic, develops a penchant for tapestries and jewels, and emerges into— shallow, superficial, and vulgar clubs.  He enjoys immoral influences on others and believes others are always to blame for tragedies. It is fair to say that Lord Henry’s influence plays a significant role in his moral degradation; Lord Henry's hedonistic worldview and persuasive rhetoric, in some way, shapes Dorian's beliefs and choices, highlighting the power of influence and manipulation of others, which raises an interesting question on who bares the most responsibility in Dorian’s moral degradation. 

When Basil warns Dorian about his horrible changes in trying to stop his degeneracy, Dorian finds him deeply repugnant and claims that “I am what I am. There is nothing more to be said.” The portrait of Dorian Gray serves as a dual symbol, representing art's ability to capture the soul and the corrupting influence of hedonism. As Dorian engages in immoral acts, the portrait becomes increasingly grotesque, reflecting the decay of his soul, thereby illustrating that art can express beauty; it also can be seen as a medium to capture the corrupting soul under the influence of hedonism, a reflection of the hidden truths. The grotesque painting becomes a haunting reminder of the consequences of his indulgence and serves as a moral conscience, forcing him to confront his ugliness. Through the transformation of the painting and the flip of the situation at Dorian’s death, he shows the dangers of pursuing beauty at the expense of morality. Wilde suggests that an exclusive focus on the aesthetic can lead to moral decay, as one becomes disconnected from ethical considerations and succumbs to hedonistic pleasures.

Why does Dorian weigh his appearance to this extent? One key factor that triggers the desire to obtain eternal youth is how Dorian’s beauty astonishes others and brings him countless advantages and power, revealing Wilde’s criticism of Victorian England's prevalent hypocrisy and double standards. People tend to have a profound bias towards lower-class people, categorizing them as uncivilized people that commit crimes. At the same time, most characters present in the book have an innate ideology that people like Dorian Gray, who possesses both social status and beauty, are the ideal person to devote to charities; they will never get near the phrase “immoral” and all their actions should be praised for their goodness; ironically, this is not the case for Dorian as revealed by his disfigured portrait, implying the idea “do not judge a book by its cover,” since you do not have the grasp of knowledge about the inner personality apart from his appearance.

Overall, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an extravagant novel that brings the sensation of art through Wilde’s fine choice of words. This story acts as a cautionary tale about pursuing superficial ideals and maintaining one's integrity and morality, which should be analyzed appreciatively for not only one trial.