The fate of Dorian's parents is a tragic story which is told to the reader in Chapter Three. Dorian's mother, the beautiful Margaret Devereux, fell in love and eloped with a "penniless young fellow" who was in the Army. Only a few months after the marriage, however, the man was killed in a duel. According to Lord Fermor, Lord Henry's uncle, the duel was arranged by Margaret's father, Lord Kelso. He was very angry at his daughter's elopement and paid a man to ensure that her husband died. Tragically, Margaret died within one year, leaving the young Dorian an orphan.
The details of Dorian's parentage not only add a sense of mystery to his character, they also foreshadow his own scandalous adult life. Like the elopement of his mother, Dorian's decadent lifestyle shocks and scandalizes English society. In addition, just like Lady Margaret, Dorian pursues his own desires, without any regard for the consequences.