Dorian Gray Portrait Quotes

What was that loathsome red dew that gleamed, wet and glistening, on one of the hands, as though the canvas had sweated blood? How horrible it was! – more horrible, it seemed to him for the moment, than the silent thing that he knew was stretched across the table, the thing whose grotesque, misshapen shadow on the spotted carpet showed him that it had not stirred, but was still there, as he had left it.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 14. When Dorian goes to cover the portrait after stabbing Basil to death he notices that it has undergone a dramatic new change in appearance. He experiences a feeling of terror when he sees the "red dew" glistening on one of the hands, as if the painting had "sweated blood" and is alive. He finds the sight more horrifying than that of Basil’s corpse after he murdered him. The evidence of Dorian’s diabolical crime is clearly portrayed in the portrait.

A cry of pain and indignation broke from him. He could see no change, save that in the eyes there was a look of cunning and in the mouth the curved wrinkle of the hypocrite. The thing was still loathsome – more loathsome, if possible, than before – and the scarlet dew that spotted the hand seemed brighter, and more like blood newly spilled.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 20. Dorian vowed to give up his sinful ways and live a good life, following the death of James Vane in Chapter 19. His first good action was the decision not to seduce and ruin the inkeeper’s daughter at an inn where he stayed. So now Dorian rushes to the portrait to see if it has changed to reflect his better self and become more beautiful. But it hasn’t. All he sees are the cunning eyes and sneer of a hypocrite. The "scarlet dew" metaphor describing the bleeding hand in the portrait brings it alive for us in a shocking and vivid way. The painting with its magical powers knows him better than he knows himself and reflects his true soul. Dorian lets out a shreik of pain and anger.

It had kept him awake at night. When he had been away, he had been filled with terror lest other eyes should look upon it. It had brought melancholy across his passions. Its mere memory had marred many moments of joy. It had been like conscience to him. Yes, it had been conscience. He would destroy it…As it had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter’s work, and all that that meant. It would kill the past, and when that was dead, he would be free. It would kill this monstrous soul-life, and without its hideous warnings, he would be at peace.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 20. Dorian picks up the knife with which he killed Basil Hallward and stabs Basil’s portrait of him with it. In destroying the painting he believes that he is killing his conscience and the past and so freeing himself from these. His decision to destroy the portrait is in keeping with his hedonism – to pursue only things that bring pleasure, and get rid of those that don’t.
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