The Picture of Dorian Gray · Chapter
Chapter XVI explained
Dorian Gray, haunted by his sins and the memory of Basil Hallward, seeks oblivion in the opium dens of London's docks.
What happens
Dorian Gray, haunted by his sins and the memory of Basil Hallward, seeks oblivion in the opium dens of London's docks. He encounters Adrian Singleton, a ruined acquaintance, and is reminded of his corrupting influence. After a tense exchange, Dorian leaves and is suddenly attacked by a man with a revolver.
Themes in this chapter
Hedonism and Its Consequences
Dorian's pursuit of sensory oblivion through opium illustrates the destructive end of his hedonistic lifestyle.
Sin and Punishment
Dorian is tormented by memory and guilt, seeking forgetfulness but finding no escape from his sins.
The Soul and Conscience
Dorian's soul is 'sick to death,' and he struggles with conscience, trying to justify his passions intellectually.
Characters to notice
- Dorian Gray
Seeks forgetfulness in opium dens, haunted by guilt and Basil Hallward's eyes.
- Adrian Singleton
A ruined young man Dorian meets in the opium den, abandoned by friends.
- Basil Hallward
Dorian's memory of Basil's eyes haunts him, recalling Basil's accusations.
- Lord Henry Wotton
Dorian repeats Lord Henry's words: 'To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul.'
- Prince Charming
A woman in the opium den mockingly calls Dorian 'Prince Charming.'
Key passages
“To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul.”
Heal the spirit through physical experience, and heal the body through spiritual experience.
Dorian repeats Lord Henry's maxim as a justification for his opium use.
“Ugliness was the one reality.”
Only ugliness felt truly real to him now.
Dorian finds reality in squalor and vice, rejecting art and beauty.
“There goes the devil's bargain!”
There goes the man who sold his soul to the devil!
A woman in the opium den mocks Dorian, referencing his pact with the portrait.