"Suddenly I determined to leave her as flowerlike as I had found her" (Wilde 215).
Response
I think Dorian's promiscuity is a representation of Oscar Wilde in a heterosexual fashion. Promiscuity is not something that was widely accepted during this time period, especially homosexual promiscuity. I think Wilde chooses to write from a heterosexual perspective so as not to condemn himself. Wilde provides us with another critique of societal values through Dorian's promiscuity. Also, this idea brings up the value of love. In today's world the word love is thrown around like nothing, people say it even when they do not mean it. Dorian is a revolutionary character, his idea of love is more similar to that of today's world rather than that of his own time period.
Quote
"He was withered, wrinkled, and lonesome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was" (229).
Response
Yes! I have been waiting the whole book for Dorian to finally pay the price for his actions and he finally receives his punishment in the waning moments of the story. Youth is not eternal, no matter what a person does they cannot stay youthful forever. Dorian's age catches up with him extremely quickly, when he destroyed the picture he destroyed the bargain, he killed himself and lost his youth; he gave his beauty back to it's rightful owner. Dorian deserved to die, there was no hope of any reformation. He was simply too far gone that he had to die.
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