Romantic

Character Role Analysis

Sibyl Vane

Dorian's love for Sibyl is a turning point in the novel; here, he has to choose between real life (marriage with Sibyl, the person) and art (infatuation with Sibyl, the art object). Obviously, he chooses art over life, and thus throws away the one other person he truly loved (albeit briefly).

Dorian Gray

Aww, yeah. We have really outdone ourselves here—we managed to shoehorn Dorian into practically every category on this page.

Dorian is at the center of this novel in every possible way, and consequently, his totally narcissistic attitude makes him the only real, lasting romantic interest here; he has passing passions for Sibyl, the Duchess of Monmouth, Hetty Merton, and countless others, but, in the end, Dorian mostly loves Dorian. He's enamored of his golden, youthful beauty, and it's this self-love that motivates him to make his fatal wish in the first place. Dorian's love of his own image is what truly makes him tick.