In chapter 20 of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is presented to us as a character torn between reforming himself and relieving himself of sin and of the corruption he perpetuated. on others, and continuing his exclamatory aspiration for the return of his “untouched splendor of eternal youth”. Above all, Dorian's death can only be interpreted by affirming its relationship to his portrait; the “fatal tableau,” in which Wilde's diction suggests, serves as a stark reminder of the deterioration of his soul and true self, or simply as a symbol of a greater societal force upon Dorian. Therefore, only with this can one judge whether Dorian really died by murder, suicide or by accident. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay At the beginning of the chapter, Wilde uses a pathetic fallacy to express the "beautiful night" which could coincide with Dorian's inherent sense of contentment and his self-centeredness and narcissism regarding his relief at being safe. This is reflected in earlier parts of the novel, such as after the death of James Vane, where Wilde bathingly recalls how Dorian's "eyes filled with tears, for he knew he was safe." The pleasant and opulent aristocratic setting of the "beautiful night" echoes the synaesthesia previously used in Lord Henry's sumptuous "apricot-colored" habitat, well reflects Dorian's narcissism, but to a greater extent the setting is an oxymoron in relation to the underlying feeling of unease and sentiment. boredom in Dorian. Influenced by the hedonistic aphorisms of Lord Henry and the "venomous" imagery illustrating the influence of the Yellow Book advocating a "complex and multiform creature", he seeks to "seek new sensations" (an allusion to Pater's Renaissance). However, Wilde's deliberate and repetitive use of the past perfect tense and free indirect speech in "He had often," "she had believed" suggests Dorian's remorse and apathy toward the pursuit of pleasure. This is seen in his interaction with the girl he had "lured to love" but told him he was "poor" and "mean", implying that Dorian may be atoning for a similar situation with Sybil by not corrupting the girl. , while the imagery of the “thrush” echoes the “caged songbird” whose suicide Dorian was responsible for. This perhaps underlies Dorian's guilt and desire for change, as evidenced by the alliterative aphorism "There was cleansing in punishment", suggesting that Dorian wishes for each of his sins to result in punishment. On the other hand, one could argue that his statement to the girl represents his desperation to begin "A new life!" ", implying that Dorian is torn but is more inclined to ignore rather than face the consequences of his actions that will inevitably lead to him. until his death. Additionally, Dorian's relationship to the portrait is paramount to whether his death is murder, suicide, or an accident. Jonah Siegel argues that "Dorian's death is less a sign of moral failure than an indication of the failure of his historicism." In fact, it can be argued that Dorian's growing repugnance toward his portrayal's attempt to reduce him to "sliver shards" represents to a greater extent the failure of his historicism. This questionable externalization of Dorian's conscience could reflect Victorian society's crushing judgment of Wilde himself, because he is homosexual, and the hypocrisy that prevailed in the 19th century, which was built on a facade of rectitude morality and piety.