Dorian Gray Comprehension Questions

Dorian Gray Study Questions

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Study Questions

 Chapter 1

1. Who are the Main characters in the novel?
2. What does each do for a living?
3. Why won’t Basil exhibit the picture?
4. What are the differences in Lord Henry’s idea of friendship and Basils?

 Chapter 2

1. What is Dorian's most important characteristic?
2. What is Lord Henry’s philosophy on influence?
3. Define  - New Hedonism.
4. Why is Dorian sad when he views the picture?
5. For what does Dorian sell his soul?

 Chapter 3

1. What do we learn about Dorian’s past?
2. What is Lord Henry’s definition of a paradox?
3. How does this definition help to foreshadow events in the novel?

Chapter 4

1. What is Lord Henry’s philosophy about women and relationships?
2. How does Dorian define Lord Henry’s influence on him?
3. Who is Sibyl Vane?  Why is she important?
4. What does Sibyl do for a living?  Why is this an important fact?
5. What attracts Dorian to Sibyl?

Chapter 5

1. Who is Sibyls brother?  What is his promise to her?
2. What does Sibyl call Dorian?
3. What are her mother’s feelings towards Dorian?

Chapter 6

1. What news does Lord Henry give Basil at the beginning of the chapter?
2. What type of influence does Sibyl have on Dorian?  Give examples.
3. What does Dorian know that pleasure is?

Chapter 7

1. What type of place is the theater?
2. What happens to Sibyls performance?  Why?
3. What is Dorian’s reaction to the performance?  Why?
4. What does Dorian notice in the picture after he leaves Sibyl?
5. What does Dorian feel towards the picture?

Chapter 8

1. What does Dorian do with the picture?
2. What is true power of the picture?
3. What happens to Sybil?
4. What does Dorian decide to do in the matter of Sibyl Vane?
5. How does Dorian decide to live his life after Sibyl?  Give examples from the chapter.
6. What part is the painting going to play in his future life?

Chapter 9

1. What is Basil’s reaction to the changes in Dorian’s personality?
2. What reasons does Basil give to Dorian fro not exhibiting the picture?
3. Explain the passion of creation that is talked about in the chapter.

Chapter 10

1. Where Does Dorian hide the picture?
2. Is it too late for Dorian to turn back? Explain your answer.
3. What is the Yellow Book?
4. What does the book come to represent for Dorian?

Chapter 11

5. 1. Why cant Dorian free himself of the influence of the
6. What does the book come to represent for Dorian?

Chapter 11

1. Why can’t Dorian free himself of the influence of the Yellow Book?
2. What objects does Dorian long to posses?
3. Why does Dorian collect things of such different backgrounds?
4. What is Dorian’s reputation in society? Why?

Chapter 12

1. Why does Basil visit Dorian?
2. What are some of the crimes that Basil accuses Dorian of committing?
3. Give examples of Dorian’s badness.
4. Does Basil still care about Dorian?  Give examples.

Chapter 13

1. What is Basil s reaction to the picture?
2. Is it really too late for Dorian?
3. Why does Dorian kill Basil?

Chapter 14

1. Who is Alan Campbell? Why does Dorian seek him out?
2. What influence does Dorian have over Alan Campbell?
3. How does Dorian get away with murder?
4. What change is visible on the picture?

Chapter 15

1. What do we learn about Dorian through other characters in this chapter?  Give two specific examples.

Chapter 16

1. Where does Dorian go to forget his troubles?  Why?
2. Who does he meet there?
3. How/why does Dorian escape from James Vane?

 Chapter 17

1. Why are reputations important according to Lord Henry?
2. Why does Dorian hide throughout this chapter?

 Chapter 18

1. What happens during the hunt on Dorian’s estate?
2. Who is the dead man? 

 Chapters 19

1. Why does Dorian want to change?
2. What happened to Alan Campbell?  What is Dorian’s reaction?
3. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul.  How does this quotation represent Lord Henry’s final influence over Dorian?

 Chapter 20

1. Is it too late for Dorian to change?
2. Why does Dorian want to change?
3. What does Dorian do to the picture?
4. What is Dorian’s final fate?  Explain.