At first glance, similarities between the character of Dorian Gray and any serial killer may seem few and far between. Aside from the obvious connection of murder, there may not seem to be any likeness at all. Ho can one draw parallels between a savage and cold-blooded murderer who apparently killed for the sheer thrill and a person who was an upper class member of society?

Looking beyond the initial impression of daily appearances, Dorian Gray and serial killers have quite a few parallels. Beneath the manners and civility, Dorian Gray was, among other things, a classic example of someone who, in time, would have continued to deceive not only himself, but the rest of society as well, until he made a vital mistake and was apprehended by the law.

Having passed the point of redemption, Dorian Gray would have almost had to continue to kill in order to cover his tracks. (41: 368). It’s somewhat like lying - once a lie is told, more lies must follow in order to avoid the probability of being caught lying.

One theory states that the character of Dorian Gray was, in fact, based upon a man by the name of Frank Miles, who, it is believed, was the man everyone knows as Jack the Ripper. (Rumbelow 14.) Frank Miles was a homosexual artist who spent some time living with Oscar Wilde, the author of The Picture of Dorian Gray. (Rumbelow 13.) If, in fact, this theory is true, the parallels between Dorian Gray and a serial killer run more than superficially.

Either way, it is safe to say that had Dorian Gray not killed himself and had the novel continued, he would have become an even more twisted and demented individual, killing not to hide his secret, but to experience the brief period of peace that followed. (Abrahamsen 33.)

One’s initial impression of Dorian Gray is his childlike innocence. That innocence changes, however, under the influence of Henry Wotton; Dorian enters into a “life of sensual indulgence”. (41: 348) and falls into “every mean kind of depravity”. (8: 488.) As time passes he becomes more aware of his youthful good looks and dives further into “the corruption of his own soul…”. (41: 366.) Along the way to his demise, Dorian’s innocence goes through various levels of “love, bitter disappointment, pride, ecstasy, solitary introspection, horror, humiliation, anguish, ennui, [and] despair…”. (41: 356.)

In order to understand Dorian’s sever change from being an innocent to one who willfully commits atrocities, one must look at his childhood. Dorian hails from what today’s society would term a dysfunctional family. His father, one assumes, is not a wealthy man, and marries Dorian’s mother, an heiress. (41: 372.) Dorian’s maternal grandmother, not at all happy with this arrangement, sets up a duel in which Dorian’s father is killed. (41: 372.) Dorian eventually ends up in the care of his maternal grandfather. (41: 372.)

The trauma of his childhood explains Dorian’s “extreme sensitivity and vulnerability”. (41: 372.) It is Dorian’s apparent emotional instability that paves the way for Henry Wotton’s undue influence over him.

Looking at the overall picture, murders, for the most part, have one emotion in common: “intense personal torment”. (Abrahamsen, 101.) It is these internal conflicts that lead to the “crimes of desertion and murder”. (41: 373.) Dorian Gray swings from one emotional extreme to the other (41: 372) creating mass internal confusion. It is this confusion that leads to his crimes and lack of feeling about them. (41: 374.) From a psychiatric point of view, it is clear that these conflicts arise from his emotionally unsupportive childhood. (Abrahamsen, 32.) Because he never knew either of his parents and was raised by a grandfather who did not provide emotional support, Dorian feels powerless as a result of his lack of receiving what he wants. (Abrahamsen, 33.)

Basil’s murder was the result of repressing his emotions and not dealing with the rages within him. (Abrahamsen, 33.) Dorian is afraid to show what he truly feels inside, for society has certain views and expects only superficial attitudes. This is why he feels powerless, which murder and corrupt actions suppress this fear for a short time, (Abrahamsen, 33) but Dorian returns to the confliction emotions very soon after.

Dorian’s being a victim of society and the moral majority of society leads him to follow a “double life” (41: 374) and escalates his intense emotional conflict which, in turn, leads to his criminal life and lack of feeling about them. (41: 374.) One example of this is Dorian’s suppression of his homosexual tendencies. (41: 372.) It is a constant battle between his accepting what he feels and the belief he must be what society decrees in order to appease its superficial standards. (41: 372.) The need for Dorian to express himself as he truly is is undermined by his desire for society’s acceptance. (Rumbelow, 7.)

Dorian’s relationship with Sibyl is a perfect example of his trying to conform to the standards by which society functions. (41: 372.) The frustration he feels as a result of repressing his true nature changes the course of his life in a profound way. (Rumbelow, 7.) Dorian falls deeper into the depths of corruption and before he realizes it it’s too late for him to turn back. (41: 368.) Basil’s murder is the line that, once crossed, can not be changed. (41: 368.) Dorian realizes that in order to finally find peace of mind he must destroy the painting and with it his soul. (41: 368.)

Dorian does want to be a good person. He tries to repent not only for Basil’s murder, but for all his other evil acts as well, but by the time he does this, it is too late. (41: 368.) All Dorian really wants is attention - to be noticed by his peers - which is the reason he reveals the truth to Basil in Chapter Thirteen of the novel. (41: 368.) This desire for attention is couple with the desire to be stopped. (Abrahamsen, 50.) By showing Basil the portrait, Dorian is reaching out for help. (Abrahamsen, 50.)

Once Dorian does this and sees Basil’s reaction, he is afraid of having everyone else made aware of his corruption. Despite the rumors that already exist about Dorian, society has nothing to confirm them. Dorian realizes that Basil will provide the confirmation and murders him to avoid having his secrets revealed. In murdering Basil, Dorian is denying any good left in his soul and this is what leads to his ultimate destruction. (41: 369.)

As with most murderers, Dorian is much better off dead - for his sake as well as the well-being of everyone else in society. There are murderers who do genuinely feel sorrow and repentance for their crimes, but Dorian is not one of them. His emotional state is too overpowering for him to accept and deal with in spite of his desire to be a good person and to cleanse his soul of the evil marks left upon it by his crimes. Because of this, Dorian would have continued to commit atrocities.

It has been said that the desire for murder is contained within everyone, (Abrahamsen, 31), a fact that goes undisputed, for there is good and evil throughout the existence of human nature. Most people are capable of not letting the evil that exists take the place of the goodness, but there will always be those who find more pleasure in committing atrocities no matter how short the peace of mind.

Dorian Gray is one of those people.