“How little can you (Sybil) love if you say it mars your art! Without your art you are nothing. I would have made you famous, splendid, magnificent. The world would have worshiped you, and you would have borne my name? What are you now? A third-rate actress with a pretty face” (Wilde 91).

This passage seemed to be tainted with the most selfish words Dorian has uttered in this whole novel, so far. Nonetheless, one can understand why he would quickly fall out of love. Dorian and Sybil’s love was based on nothing at all. Dorian never loved her but only love her art. She was a great actress; Sybil had the ability to bring to life any of Shakespearean characters. She had a flawless beauty but that way how much Dorian care to know about her. When that was taken away his love for her quickly went away. He love was murdered the some with her acting that night. This shows that even if they were married upon Sybil’s first mistake Dorian would be contemplating how he would free himself from her. Breaking up with Sybil killed her. She could not handle the pain of having her heart broken into piece and then stomped on by the very man she loved. If Sybil had really thought about her action she would have known that her life was worth more than a man’s words. She did not even know him for that long her love for Dorian could not have based on anything. To Dorian Sybil was nothing but a Shakespearean character and Henry brought the readers to this realization: “Cry out against Heaven because the daughter of Brabantio died. But don’t waste your tears over Sybil Vane. She was less real than they are” (107). On the other hand her death comes with a consequence and to Dorian it will be fatal because of her brother’s promise. His revenge will be the real.


“Life had decided that for him-life, and his own infinite curiosity about life. Eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasure subtle and secret, wild joy and wilder sins- he was to have all these things. The portrait was to bear the burden of his shame; that was all” (109)

The portrait brings an interesting aspect to Dorian’s life. Its powers gives him the power to do what ever he want and not suffer the physical or the emotional burdens. The painting gives him a reason to live as Henry’s social experiment. Dorian will be unstoppable and he had no reasons to. Nevertheless, the portrait was not going to serve this purpose to Dorian at first. When he first found out about the portrait, Dorian wanted it to be a guide for good conduct: “The picture, chance or unchanged, would be to him the visible emblem of his conscience. He would resist temptation. He would not see Lord Henry any more- would not, at any rate, listen to those subtle, poisonous theories ” (98). Dorian did not of that. The next day he listened to what Harry had to say and believed him. Secondly, he changed his original view of the picture from good to evil. Dorian is just going to indulge in sin and not feel remorse. He caused the death of Sybil and could even feel the pain that he should be feeling. Dorian just been immune to every form of pain and will enjoy all the benefits it comes with.