The Picture of Dorian Gray: Dorian as a Tragic HeroIn "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, we see a beautiful young man who makes enormous efforts to transform the real world in the idealistic world of art, dreams and sensations. Dorian's search, however, culminates in his final tragic destruction. Since Dorian lives a corrupt life, we are likely to focus on the negative aspects of his character. Despite his notable character flaws, Dorian Gray can still be considered a hero. This essay will examine Dorian's degradation from the innocent world to the vicious, sensation-oriented world. The elements that contribute to Dorian's status as a tragic hero will then be discussed. At first, the overall mood appears pure and innocent, expressed by descriptions as follows: “the rich smells of roses… the light summer wind… the intense scent of lilacs” (Wilde 5). This opening scene symbolizes the very world Dorian currently finds himself in. Just like the beautiful setting, Dorian is a "beautiful creature" (7) and the portrait Basil draws shows Dorian's "extraordinary personal beauty" (5). In other words, Dorian is at the mysterious door of life that has immense possibilities. At this point, Dorian ignores both the world of idealistic art and the world of worldly, earthly values. Dorian simply possesses “the passionate purity of all youth” (17). With his fateful meeting with Lord Henry, Dorian is introduced to a world of idealistic art and beauty. Lord Henry plays a key role in introducing a new world where beauty, youth and sensation dominate. First, Lord Henry employs a powerful strategy to develop Dorian's self-awareness of his own...... middle of paper......t in order to "kill the past" and the "monstrous life of 'soul' (192).Works CitedBloom, Harold. Oscar Wilde. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985.Cohen, ed. Speak from the Wilde side. Great Britain: Routledge, 1993.Ellman, Richard. Oscar Wilde. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1987. Eriksen, Donald. Oscar Wilde. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1977. Freidman, Jonathan (ed.). Oscar Wilde: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1996. Hart-Davis, Rupert. The letters of Oscar Wilde. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1962.Juan, Efifanio. The art of Oscar Wilde. New Jersey: Princetown University Press, 1991. Weintraub, Stanley (ed.). Literary criticism of Oscar Wilde. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1968. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Random House, Inc., 1992.