An Analysis Of The Picture Of Dorian Gray Using Structuralism Theory (Binary Opposition Tenet)

In this novel, the writer used Lord Henry and Dorian, as the representative characters whose points of view were based on binary opposition tenet. For instance, they believed that physical outlook and intelligence were the other crucial parameters used in measuring how good and worthy someone's quality was. Oscar implicitly revealed how problematic the life values that mostly people at that time especially the aristocrat had. 

"beauty is form of genius- it is higher indeed than genius .... beauty is the wonder of wonders"

-Lord Henry-

"some days when you are old and wrinkled and ugly, when thought has seared your forehead with its lines and passion branded you lips with its hideous fires you will feel it, you will fell it terribly...

-Lord Henry-

"I choose my friends for good looks, my acquaintances for good characters and my enemies for their good intellects..., I have not got one who is a fool..."

-Lord Henry-

The other characters in which put in the category were Basil and Dorian. Basil was one of the main characters in this novel who was narrated as a man with intelligence and art skill meanwhile Dorian was also the main character in this novel and he was narrated having two qualities to be a worthy man. He had youth and beauty. All of the characters with powerful positions in this novel were portrayed to have at least one or two of the quality standards (Beauty, Youth, Intelligence and wealth). However how this story revealed that the characters with great power and expected to be "worthy men" like Henry and Dorian, they did violate moral values. It showed and proved that how the social value and belief of people at that time in regarding a man 's quality based on the standards (Beauty, Youth, Intelligence and wealth) was problematic because even the people with all the standards could not be considered "as perfectly good men with good quality". Indeed, how the story ended "Dorian killed his own friend, engaged in corrupted behaviors and finally decided to kill himself", it became a portrait of the final product of the problematic social values which means it was the way how the writer wanted people to know that the values could bring such significant harms. 

Good vs Evil (moral / immoral)

In this novel, there are two main contradicted characters compared implicitly by the writer. One is Basil who narrated as a wise, mature and kind artist. He had better understand on moral values and he was also aware of the bad things of materialistic or hedonistic values. He did not agree with Lord Henry's ideas in judging people's worthiness and quality mainly on their physical looks because for him good character was much more important than beauty. He also did not agree with Henry who kept doubting about the real love and loyalty in marriage. Indeed, he could not accept the extreme belief that Henry had instilled into Dorian's mind related to the importance of youth and beauty. 

On the other hand, Dorian is a rotten character in this novel. After being manipulated by Henry. He started living with immoral behaviors. He did enjoy the hedonistic lifestyles, he did involve in moral corruption (he used drugs, committed in human trafficking, prostitution, free sex lifestyle and he did even murder his own friend; Basil), it is clearly narrated how his character was corrupted because of his toxic obsession to stay young and beautiful physically which is kind of impossible thing because as human beings no body can avoid aging. No body can stay young and pretty forever.