No One Lives Forever

Unlike the picture above, Dorian did not age naturally. He went from a stunning young boy to a haggard old man in the final moments of the book, within the same chapter. Thus, the second theme that can be derived from The Picture of Dorian Gray is the mortality of beauty and youth. Dorian’s descent into debauchery was a result of his belief that he was invincible because he would never age. However, the immoral decay of his soul reflected on his picture, which made him despise it. His desperate attempt to destroy his portrait resulted with a knife in his heart put there by his own hand. Dorian’s need for immortality cost him his mortality in the process.

Similarly, Sybil Vane was a casualty in Dorian’s battle. Her death, rather her suicide, followed Dorian’s harsh words about her terrible performance in the theatre and that she was unworthy of love. Dorian never knew Sybil, whom he had proposed to, and he merely saw her as a spectator in a crowd. To him, Sybil was only beautiful on stage. Although she was a different character every night, her deaths were a fantastical display that tantalised his senses. All in all, Dorian’s affection for her was merely skin deep. He never knew her, thus he did not mourn her.