El mito de la caverna

The novel begins when Lord Henry Wotton observes his friend Basil Hallward painting the portrait of a beautiful young man named Dorian Gray. Dorian arrives soon after and met Lord Henry. Lord Henrytalk about their own worldview and Dorian begins to believe that beauty is the only thing worth having in life and want the portrait that Basil is painting, age in place. Under the influence of LordHenry, Dorian begins to explore their senses. One night he discovers Sibyl Vane, an actress who works in a seedy theater playing Shakespeare. Dorian proposes marriage. Sibyl has plans to his mother andhis brother, referring to her fiance as "Prince Charming." His brother, James, warns that if "Prince Charming" ever harms her, he will kill him.

Dorian invites Basil and Lord Henry to see Sibyl actin its depiction of Romeo and Juliet. But Sibyl, overwhelmed by the excitement of the forthcoming marriage and love with Dorian, he loses interest in the theater, so badly that night plays Juliet.After the show, Dorian rejects Sibyl saying that beauty lies in its art and, as I could not act, then Dorian is no longer interested. Coldly decides to break the promise of marriage and not see Sibyl.Back home, note that the picture of Basil has changed, so he realizes that his wish has been fulfilled: the portrait is now a subtle sneer.

Thereafter, the age and commit sins that Dorian will bemarked on the portrait while he retains its outward appearance unchanged. Dorian decides to reconcile with Sibyl, but the next morning, Lord Henry gives him the news that Sibyl has committed suicide bytaking prussic acid. Dorian hides the box in a room to which only he has access. During the next eighteen years Dorian experience all possible services, under the influence of a "poisonous" Frenchnovel, a present from Lord Henry.

One night, before leaving for Paris, Basil visits Dorian in his house to question him about all the rumors about his sins and vices and the people corrupted by its...