Oscar Wilde's classic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray inspires beauty and romance. The main focus of the novel is aesthetics, a philosophical view that details the nature of creation and the appreciation of art and beauty. The tragedy of young Dorian Gray after being deceived by his companion, Lord Henry Wotton, is one that pushes many to reform ideas about life and purpose. Lord Henry believes in hedonism, a thought that states that pleasure is the only true good; declares: “The only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and the satisfaction of the senses” (Wilde). This prospect is appealing to many people, including that of the title character, Dorian Gray. In contrast to Lord Henry is an artist named Basil Hallward, who perceives Dorian as his muse; serve as inspiration and purpose. Basil has many moral traits including trust, compassion, and kindness. His infatuation with Dorian causes him to change his art and style, composing an exquisite painting of the young boy. Basil states: “the work I have made, since I met Dorian Gray, is good work, it is the best work of my life… his personality suggested to me a completely new artistic way, a completely new mode of style. I see things differently." (Wilde). Dorian becomes so mesmerized by the beauty of the image and Lord Henry's words that he wishes the image represented his sins and his age, rather than his physical being. To young Dorian's surprise, his wish comes true. This theme shares similarities with the Faust story, as the title character trades his soul for pleasures. The Picture of Dorian Gray shares many Gothic themes including the supernatural, Victorian era society, temptation, death, and tragedy. These items are exquisitely detailed and inspiring...... middle of paper ......ivelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&WID=&SID=5&iPin=ETL130&SingleRecord=True>.Fox, Paul. "Nature in the Picture of Dorian Gray." McClinton-Temple, Jennifer ed.Encyclopedia of Literature Themes. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2011. Bloom's literature. File, Inc. Web Facts. June 11, 201431&SingleRecord=True>.Hawthorne, Julian. "The novel of the impossible." Lippincott's MonthlyMagazine (September 1890): pp. 412–415. Cited as "The Novel of the Impossible" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Oscar Wilde, Classical Critical Opinions. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literature. File, Inc. Web Facts. June 11, 2014W028&SingleRecord=True>.Wilde, Oscar, and Joseph Bristow. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2006. Print.