Art and Objectification in Dorian Gray

Throughout The Picture of Dorian Gray, art seems to be a vehicle used to objectify other characters. I think that this is most clear in Dorian’s interaction with Sibyl. After her poor acting performance, he suddenly loses all interest. His explanation appropriately conveys how he’s objectified her: “you have killed my love. You used to stir my imagination. Now you don’t even stir my curiosity. You simply produce no effect. I loved you because you had genius and intellect... and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art” (88). The language Dorian uses is often used to describe art, rather than human beings, and it essentially indicates that Sibyl is nothing more than art for him to enjoy and interpret. In his initial description of Sibyl earlier in the book, he says he simply wants “to place her on a pedestal of gold and to see the world worship the woman who is mine” (78). Just like we places statues or vases on pedestals for people to admire, Dorian proposes putting Sibyl—a human being—on a pedestal for people to stare at. In a sense his description is dehumanizing, but it also portrays Sibyl as a type of commodity to be flaunted, just like art.

It is important to note, though, that Dorian’s class and privilege are what allow him to do this. The only reason why he meets Sibyl in the first place is because he wonders to the slums of London to essentially gawk at the environment and the people who live there. He refers to it as “some adventure,” rather than a real place, where real people live, and where real problems exist. Dorian’s privilege leads him to view these people, and Sibyl, as existing solely for purposes of entertaining him. They essentially become objectified in the form of art for his viewing pleasure.