Dorian Gray and The Narcissus Comparison

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The myth of Narcissus is a good illustration of the harm that entire ego? love can make to a individual. There is a misconception about egotistic people. This confusion is the belief that egotistic people are in love with themselves, but harmonizing to the DSM? lll standards published in 1989, the narcissus is non in love with himself, but in fact in love with his contemplation. This does non intend that a narcissus has no love for others, but it is miss-directed love. They get their love individuality from the love of the image they portray to others. In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray is the supporter who is egotistic. Dorian Gary is in many ways a modern retelling of the ancient myth about Narcissus. In five ways they are really similar: beauty, love, retribution, decease and self-love.

These narratives both have the construct of beauty ; Dorian Gary and Narcissus are beautiful, immature and fine-looking. In The Picture of Dorian Gray the creative person Basil Hallward believes that Dorian’s beauty is the inspiration for all of his art. ? Unconsciously he defines for me the lines of a fresh school, ? Hallward declared, ? a school that is to hold in it all passion of the romantic spirit, all the flawlessness of the spirit that is Greek. ? Narcissus was Greek, so he besides in a manner influenced Basil. Without a uncertainty, Dorian and Narcissus were both distinguished for their beauty.

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Dorian and Narcissus have a really similar love secret plan ; both had one true love: Dorian’s being Sibyl Vane, and Narcissus’s being Echo. Sibyl was an actress that was in love with Dorian, but she was so caught up in her love that she lost her ability to move. Dorian experiencing indignant spurns her cruelly, go forthing her humiliated, heartbroken and left to kill herself that dark. Echo was the nymph that was in love with Narcissus, and was condemned by the goddess Hera to ne’er talk once more, except to reiterate whatever was said to her, because of this she was unable to state Narcissus that she loved him. Like Dorian, Narcissus cruelly refused to accept Echo’s love because of his choler.

Vengeance is a really of import device in both narratives, because it is finally what leads to the decease of both Narcissus and Dorian. Aphrodite was so enraged at the decease of Echo that

he promised to seek retaliation on Narcissus, puting an evil expletive upon him which finally lead to his decease. Dorian efforts to seek retaliation on Basil, when Basil points out how evil Dorian has become. Dorian couldn? Ts take the idea that person had thought of him as an evil individual so he killed Basil.

Both Narcissus and Dorian had an overpowering sum of amour propre, and in other words, they both were egotistic. Every adult females or miss fell in love with Narcissus outer beauty about instantly. Having this happen to Narcissus all the clip gave him a really high sentiment of himself. Narcissus was convinced that merely a miss every bit just as himself was worthy of his attending. Dorian wished upon ageless young person while his image aged. This supplication was answered. For every wickedness he committed, discolorations were added to the picture while it grew old, but his ain face remained virtuous and appealing. Dorian sold his psyche to the Satan in order to stay everlastingly beautiful.

In the terminal both Dorian and Narcissus end up death, due to their ain errors. A expletive is placed upon Narcissus, leting him to fall in love with something that could non return his love, Narcissus, who did non cognize of the expletive, ended up falling in love with his ain image, who in bend could non return his ain love. The expletive was placed upon him in order to shoe him the love others had for him, and the love he ne’er returned to them. Dorian Gray sold himself to the Satan for a pretty face. However it was this face that corrupted his life and the lives of those around him. Not merely did he do the deceases of others, but besides to himself. At the terminal of the fresh Dorian realized, or thought he realized that by destructing the portrayal he would be free, free from the scruples that the portrayal had held hidden for so many old ages. The same knife that had killed the Godhead of the portrayal would kill the painters work.

Dorian Gray is in fact a more modern retelling of the ancient myth of Narcissus. They portion the similar mentality on beauty, love, retribution, decease and self-love. Their love for beauty had corrupted their lives, every bit good as other characters that they were close to. Dorian’s love for Sibyl and Narcissus’s love for Echo were about indistinguishable and there deaths really much alike, along with the symbols they left buttocks. Dorian Gray is a perfect illustration of a more modern Narcissus.

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