"The Gay Artist as Tragic Hero The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Henry Alley

In his article "The Gay Artist as Tragic Hero The Picture of Dorian Gray" Henry M. Alley discs the central artistic figure Osr Wil's novel, Basil Hallward. As the novel's tragic protagonist, he mands the most py and fear and serv as the most dynamic member of the dramatis personae. Alley ntextualiz his discsn wh Aristotle's Poetics, ntemporary cricism, as well as Wil's own ments. In addn, Alley looks at Hallward's attempt to hi or censor his gay feelgs as parallel to Wil's stggle wh the var versns of the novel. Neverthels, the characterizatn of Hallward celebrat the possible harmony between moral and athetic bety, and, further, to affirm gay love, such as Wil also saw the liv of Shakpeare and Michelangelo. As other crics have poted out, The Picture of Dorian Gray anticipat the tragic end of Osr Wil's own life. Neverthels not enough strs has been placed on the sympathy eliced by the two dramas. Yet, both the artistic tale and the bgraphy, a gay man to a tragic end bee of an admirable attachment to a beg who neverthels would or uld not return the sacred "love that dare not speak s name."