illustration of the upper-right corner of Dorian Gray's picture

The Picture of Dorian Gray

by Oscar Wilde

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Is Dorian Gray an antihero?

Quick answer:

Dorian Gray is an antihero because he embodies qualities contrary to traditional heroism. While he appears young, handsome, and vibrant, his actions are far from heroic, involving murder, influencing suicide, and indulging in debauchery. According to the definition, an antihero lacks noble qualities, purpose, and moral integrity—traits Dorian exemplifies as he leads a hedonistic life without regard for others. Thus, he remains the story's protagonist but not a conventional hero.

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Indeed he is. On the face of it, Dorian has all the qualities you'd normally associate with a traditional hero. Young, handsome, and full of vitality, we could easily imagine him performing all manner of heroic deeds; and we'd gladly cheer him on, too.

But that's not how Dorian behaves—far from it. Because there's nothing remotely heroic about committing murder, driving someone to suicide, or engaging in the kind of debauchery that becomes Dorian's way of life.

The potential for heroism in this remarkable young man may well be there, but at no point in the story is it ever realized. Yet despite it all, he still remains very much the story's protagonist, which in literary terms is one of the anti-hero's main components.

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Dorian Grey is most certainly an anti hero.  Dictionary.com defines an anti hero as "a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like."

Dorian is most certainly an antihero by these standards.  He is not noble because he finds that he can act in a manner that society does not respect and that his portrait will bear the physical burden.  He embraces his ability to secretly misbehave, whereas a true hero would know that those actions were wrong and stay on the right track.  Another consideration is that he has no true purpose at all.  He drifts through life being a hedonist, hoping to help no one and, lease of all, himself.

Dorian Grey is an excellent example of an antihero.

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