The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 20

Dorian continues to ponder his own soul. He considers the deaths of Alan Campbell and of Basil, but he is more concerned with his own soul. He even blames the entire curse on Basil, considering that Basil painted the picture to start with, and then said things that motivated Dorian’s behavior to change for the rest of his life. 

Dorian wonders if perhaps his recent consideration of changing his wicked ways might be reflected in the portrait. He goes to the attic, and after locking the door behind him, pulls aside the cover on the picture. He finds the picture to have not changed, aside from looking more evil and cunning than ever. He sees the“curved wrinkle of the hypocrite.” Blood is abundantly visible on both hands and feet. He considers confessing his crime. 

However, he knows that the only evidence of his crime is the portrait itself. Worrying that it might be his undoing, he decides to destroy the painting. He uses the same knife that he killed Basil with and stabs the picture. 

Dorian’s servants hear a horrible, unearthly scream and the sound of a body hitting the floor. Two men walking past the house hear the noise as well and call upon a policeman to investigate. When the officer rings the doorbell, there is no answer. 

A few minutes later, Francis, accompanied by two other servants, cautiously goes upstairs. The attic door is locked, so they climb up to the roof and enter the attic through a window. There they find the body of a hideous, ugly, old man, with a knife through his heart. Next to it is a picture of a young Dorian, handsome and youthful… just as he had appeared to them the day before. 

Only after they examine the rings on his fingers do they determine that this is the body of Dorian Gray. 

Analysis

Further evidence that Dorian’s soul is not redeemable is seen as he cares more for his own soul than for the souls of those who he has led to death. While he briefly ponders their loss, he does so only because he wants his own redemption. He is truly selfish and knows no other way after so many years of living this way. 

Dorian’s death is suicide. The horror of18 years’ worth of sins and wickedness escape his lips as he dies an agonizing death.