Dorian Gray Metaphors and Similes Quotes

As one read them, one seemed to be floating down the green water-ways of the pink and pearl city, seated in a black gondola with silver prow and trailing curtains. The mere lines looked to him like those straight lines of turquoise-blue that follow one as one pushes out to the Lido. The sudden flashes of colour reminded him of the gleam of the opal-and-iris-throated birds that flutter round the tall honeycombed Campanile, or stalk, with such stately grace, through the dim, dust-stained arcades. Leaning back with half-closed eyes, he kept saying over and over to himself: –
"Devant une façade rose,
Sur le marbre d’un escalier."
The whole of Venice was in those two lines.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 14. While he waits for scientist Alan Campbell, Dorian reads some stanzas about Venice from a book of French poetry. The two lines quoted translate as "Upon a red-faced town On the marble of a stairway." They transport Dorian back to Italy’s floating city, which he had visited with Basil. A beautiful simile is used to compare the lines of the poem to the "straight lines of turquoise-blue that follow one as one pushes out to the Lido." There is a dark irony in the images of beauty and peace conjured up by Dorian in this passage, as they mask Dorian’s darker nefarious thoughts – to have Campbell dispose of Basil Hallward’s body after his grisly murder by Dorian. When Campbell refuses Dorian uses blackmail to force him to carry out his dirty work.

She is very clever, too clever for a woman. She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness. It is the feet of clay that make the gold of the image precious. Her feet are very pretty, but they are not feet of clay. White porcelain feet, if you like. They have been through fire, and what fire does not destroy, it hardens. She has had experiences.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 15. Lord Henry makes this comment about the beautiful Duchess of Monmouth, who is smitten with Dorian and has been invited by him to a party that he is hosting. This is typical of Henry’s disdainful view of women in general. Henry likes women to be vulnerable with "feet of clay" and not "too clever." Using two decorative arts metaphors he describes the Duchess as having white porcelain feet rather than feet of clay, so she is hardened by her experiences.

The moon hung low in the sky like a yellow skull. From time to time a huge misshapen cloud stretched a long arm across and hid it. The gas-lamps grew fewer, and the streets more narrow and gloomy.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 16. A simile linking the moon with death and the description of the dramatic sky creates an ominous atmosphere as Dorian heads for the opium dens. The comparison of the moon to a skull is foreshadowing of the attempt on Dorian’s life by James Vane in revenge for his sister Sibyl’s suicide. The passage has an air of Gothic foreboding that is found throughout the novel.

His soul, certainly, was sick to death. Was it true that the senses could cure it? Innocent blood had been spilt. What could atone for that? Ah! for that there was no atonement; but though forgiveness was impossible, forgetfulness was possible still, and he was determined to forget, to stamp the thing out, to crush it as one would crush the adder that had stung one.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 16. Dorian heads for an opium den so that he can "cure the soul by means of the senses." He has spilled the innocent blood of Basil. But his "sick to death" soul has abandoned all hope of being saved, and Dorian just wants to forget his crime. A vivid simile describes how he will crush this adder that has stung him through the oblivion of opium.

The way seemed interminable, and the streets like the black web of some sprawling spider. The monotony became unbearable, and as the mist thickened, he felt afraid.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 16. The Gothic atmosphere of the novel is very evident in the night description of the gloomy streets of London’s East End as Dorian journeys to the opium den. The sense of unease is emphasized by the use of a vivid simile comparing the streets to the dark web of a "sprawling spider." As the mist thickens, Dorian feels afraid – foreshadowing the danger he will soon face when James Vane sets out to kill him.

He was prisoned in thought. Memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away. From time to time he seemed to see the eyes of Basil Hallward looking at him. Yet he felt he could not stay. The presence of Adrian Singleton troubled him. He wanted to be where no one would know who he was. He wanted to escape from himself.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 16. When Dorian arrives at the opium den, a vivid simile is used to describe how his memory is like a disease killing his soul. Riddled with guilt he is haunted by images of his murder victim Basil, who symbolized the goodness in humanity. He is also troubled by the presence of Adrian Singleton in the opium den, who has become an addict because of Dorian.

There was a wild recklessness of gaiety in his manner as he sat at table, but now and then a thrill of terror ran through him when he remembered that, pressed against the window of the conservatory, like a white handkerchief, he had seen the face of James Vane watching him.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 17. Dorian sits down at the table with his guests, having fallen faint a little earlier in his conservatory. He is terrified because he saw the face of James Vane pressed against the conservatory window watching him. The face is compared, in a simile, to a white hankerchief. Dorian is fearful that Vane wants to kill him in revenge for his sister’s suicide. But there is also a reckless gaiety about Dorian’s manner at dinner, now that his crimes are catching up with him.

Each hideous detail came back to him with added horror. Out of the black cave of Time, terrible and swathed in scarlet, rose the image of his sin.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 18. Dorian, who remains in his house for a number of days, is haunted by the horror of his killing of his friend Basil in a "wild hour of madness." He recalls in vivid detail the "ghastly" memory of the scene. A metaphor is used to compare time to a black cave wrapped in scarlet red, out of which his terrible sin rises.

There is no one with whom I would not change places, Harry. Don’t laugh like that. I am telling you the truth. The wretched peasant who has just died is better off than I am. I have no terror of Death. It is the coming of Death that terrifies me. Its monstrous wings seem to wheel in the leaden air around me.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 18. Metaphorical language is used with powerful effect ("monstrous wings" and "leaden air") to describe Dorian’s escalating paranoia and his terror at the coming of death since he saw the face of the hunter-avenger James Vane in his window.

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.
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