The Picture of Dorian Gray: 7

Passage: (Lord Henry to Dorian) "'You said to me that Sibyl Vane represented to you all the heroines of romance-- that she was Desdemona one night, and Ophelia the other; that if she died as Juliet she came to life as Imogen.'

...

'Mourn for Ophelia, if you like. Put ashes on your head because Cordelia was strangled. Cry out against Heaven because the daughter of Barbantio died. But don't waste your tears over Sibyl Vane. She was less real than they are.'

There was a silence. The evening darkened in the room. Noiselessly, and with silver feet, the shadows crept in from the garden. That colors faded wearily out of things. After some time Dorian Gray looked up. 'You have explained me to myself, Harry' he murmured, with something of a sigh of relief.'"



In the story, the reader observes many changes in Dorian Gray's character. The reader first observed the hedonistic influence of Lord Henry, then the completely different and positive influence of Sibyl Vane. The passage shows the transformation of Dorian not only into the picture, but also the hedonist he was foreshadowed to become. Lord Henry, the emblem of the hedonistic motif of the story, is bitterly belittling Sibyl Vane's suicide. Lord Henry touches on Sibyl Vane's acting. Wilde uses irony to portray the life of Sibyl Vane. She not only acts out Shakespearean tragedies, but also lives one. Lord Henry points out the irony through intertextual references. Henry then says, with a chiding tone, "But don't waste your tears over Sibyl Vane. She was less real than they are." Harry completely debases Sibyl, stating that theatrical characters are more human and real than she was. Directly after Henry's remark about Sibyl the passage says "There was a silence. The evening darkened in the room. Noiselessly, and with silver feet, the shadows crept in from the garden. the colors faded wearily out of things." The imagery of the setting is a response to Harry's offensive words. The diction of the passage, using words like "noiselessly", "shadow", "crept", "darkened", and "silence" bombards the reader. Directly after the dark, mysterious alteration of the scene, Dorian says "You have explained me to myself". Despite the horrific words of Harry, evident in the response from the setting, Dorian has found comfort. When he was with Sibyl, and when he planned to marry her, Dorian was rebellious against Harry, he didn't worship him. After the death of Sibyl, as illustrated in this passage, Dorian is returning to Harry.

The Picture of Dorian Gray: 6

Passage: While Lord Henry sat dreaming on these things, a knock came to the door, and his valet entered, and reminded him it was time to dress for dinner. He got up and looked out into the street. The sunset had smitten into scarlet gold the upper windows of the houses opposite. The panes glowed like plates of heated metal. The sky above was like a faded rose. He thought of his friend's young fiery-colored life, and wondered how it was all going to end.

The observation made by Lord Henry is an important part of the novel, it's all about Dorian and his future. Harry observes the sunset he looks out of his window into the street. A window is a way to see the outside world from inside, and vice versa. After looking through the window of his room, Lord Henry sees the sunset and describes the sky as "a faded rose." Not only is Dorian (and Sibyl) always referred to as a rose, but also, syntactically, right after the mention of the faded rose, he has a thought of how Dorian's "young fiery-colored life" will end. It is ironic because the reader is introduced to Dorian (and so is Lord Henry) in Basil's studio, which is surrounded by flowers, and elegant gardens. Through an archetypal analysis, the garden represents Eden, where Dorian (and Adam) is manifested. From the garden, Dorian changes, due to the influence of Lord Henry. Lord Henry notes Dorian's change, and observes that "his nature had developed like a flower, had borne blossoms of scarlet flame". A faded rose is clearly loosing its color and probably dying; the juxtaposition of "a faded rose" and "young fiery-colored life" emphasizes the relevance and foreshadowing qualities of Lord Henry's observation. Because he is looking into the outside world, through the window, and seeing the faded sunset, it leads the reader to believe the outside world will be the end of Dorian (or rather, like Adam, he will be banished from Eden). He was found in a garden, met Lord Henry, and is progressively growing more different. After Lord Henry wonders how Dorian is going to "end", he receives a telegram from Dorian telling him that he is engaged to Sibyl. Because of the foreshadowing qualities of Lord Henry's observation, the reader infers that the engagement is a bad thing. Adam was banished from Eden when Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The similarities between Eden and Basil's studio, and Adam and Dorian, could be alluding to Sybil's similarity to Eve. Eden was where man was created (by God), and Basil's studio was where the picture of Dorian Gray was painted (by Basil). Like the snake, Lord Henry is enticing Dorian. In the beginning, Basil was hesitant to introduce Lord Henry to Dorian, which displays similarities between the enticing snake, and the enticing qualities of Lord Henry. Another note about Sibyl is that she's an actress. Wilde deliberatly puts her in tragic Shakespearean plays. She labels Dorian "Prince Charming" not only because she doesn't know his real name, but also, to make her life seem more theatrical. This sets up the relationship between Dorian and Sibyl to be more like a play, with a tragic ending.


Like the sunset, the observation is syntactically placed at the end of the chapter. When Lord Henry receives the telegram informing him of the engagement, Wilde noted that Lord Henry read the note at "about half-past twelve o'clock". The mention of time is important- he was thinking of how Dorian's life was going to end while observing the sunset (on its way to darkness), and now is reading about his plans to marry Sibyl, in complete darnkess. The setting went from a sunset, to the dark. Which provides more evidence foreshadowing that the marriage will, perhaps, bring an end to Dorian Gray (or perhaps the living Dorian Gray (as oppose to the picture). Wilde uses words like "smitten", "scarlet", "faded", and "fiery" to portray a soft tone, and listless observation, which is typical of Lord Henry. The tone is typical of Lord Henry, however, completely contrasts the profound observation Lord Henry is making.

The Picture of Dorian Gray 5

Passage: (In response to Dorian's response when it was not Lord Henry, but his wife coming into the library.)

"'You thought it was my husband. It is only his wife. You must let me introduce myself. I know you quite well by your photographs. I think my husband has got seventeen of them.'

'Not seventeen, Lady Henry?'

'Well, eighteen, then. And I saw you with him the other night at the Opera.'"


The conversation between Lady Henry and Dorian embodies many of the ongoing motifs in the novel. When Lady Henry says "It is only his wife" it is said in a casual tone that portrays marriage as nothing serious or significant (using the word "only"). Then Lady Henry goes on to say "I know you quite well by your photographs". It is ironic because one cannot know someone "well" just based off looks (relevant to the beauty motif). She, syntactically, starts the sentence saying "I know you well", which sets the conversation toward a more personal level, however, Lady Henry then balks the personal relationship by saying she knows him through photographs. It is odd that Lady Henry brings up a specific amount of photographs that Lord Henry has of Dorian Gray, and even more odd when Dorian challenges her estimate. She then slows down the specificity of the photographs, with a flippant tone, "well, eighteen, then", when she says "then", the tone of the conversation comes off as lacking interest, and almost agitated. By going one number up from seventeen, it shows that Lady Henry is not really concerned with the specific number, which is ironic that she brought "seventeen" up at all, which emphasizes why the statement is so odd. Lady Henry then mentions that she saw Dorian "with him the other night at the Opera". The statement raises the question: why was she not at the Opera with her husband, and also, why wouldn't she say hello to her husband if she saw him? The statement echoes one made by Lady Henry later in the chapter when she says "I like Wagner's music better than anybody's. it is so loud that one can talk the whole time without other people hearing what one says." Both statements embody the hedonistic way of life; a husband and wife aren't at an Opera together (casual relationships (The Wasteland)), and when attending a classy Opera, they wish the music to be tuned so that "one can talk the whole time".


This passage, syntactically, is placed at the start of Dorian's development as a hedonist, or rather, exhibiting the influences Lord Henry has had on him (echoed later by Lady Henry, saying "Ah! that is one of Harry's views, isn't it, Mr. Gray?"). When he meets Lady Henry, she is similar, if not practically the same character as Lord Henry, which is to show that beauty leaves a person vacuous, rather than intelligence, which makes a person have personality (for example, Basil, a painter, and Lord Fermor, a well educated politician, who are all foils of Lord Henry in that they have a multitude of personality) (beauty vs. intelligence motif). When Lady Henry says "you thought it was my husband" it shows she was aware Dorian's expectations to see Lord Henry, and she took it upon herself to see Dorian (she didn't happen to stumble into Dorian). The conversation transitions into Lady Henry's invitation for Dorian to attend a party of hers. The abruptness of the introduction, and the expedience leading to an invitation exhibits the hedonistic, casual actions and views of Lady and Lord Henry.


*** Although the writing styles of Wilde differ greatly from Shelley, there are a lot of qualities in common between the two, since they are both during the Romance era. Throughout the Romance era, especially in England there was a desire to reinvent Greek values. In Frankenstein, other than the homoeroticism, the beauty of characters, the relationships, and how nature is portrayed are similar in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Lord Henry says, in Chapter 2, "return to the Hellenic ideal- to something finer, richer, than the Hellenic ideal." Lord Henry, the emblem of the hedonistic motif, is voicing, and contributing to the theme and Greek motif. The rampant flower references, are similar to the nature references made in Frankenstein. Also, like a flower (nature), beauty is "destined to fade" (as Lord Henry says), so as the plot progresses, Dorian will attempt to defy nature and keep his beauty forever, similar to Victor's defiance of nature- creating the creature.

The Picture of Dorian Gray 4

Passage: "One afternoon, a month later, Dorian Gray was reclining in a luxurious arm-chair. In the little library of Lord Henry's house in Mayfair. It was, in its way, a very charming room, with its high paneled wainscoting of olive-stained oak, its cream colored frieze and ceiling of raised plaster-work, and its brickdust felt carpet strewn with silk long-fringed Persian rugs."

The first sentence of the passage starts with "one afternoon", which is ambiguous and anticipated from the ongoing listless diction; however, it also says "a month later", which is startlingly specific. The reference to time is brought up solely because of Dorian Gray, who, over that "month" has been greatly influenced by Lord Henry evident because the line "Dorian Gray was reclining in a luxurious arm-chair" is syntactically placed right after. The alliteration "little library" seems negligent, however, the alliteration brings focus to the setting which sets the foundation for the luxurious diction that comes after it. The sentences that follow are so descriptive, they are similar to descriptions of a picture. Syntactically Dorian Gray is put at the beginning of the passage, the alliteration of the setting (little library) brings the focus to the setting, or the picture, and the descriptive sentences that follow use imagery to paint the picture. The metaphorical transformation of Dorian Gray into a picture is echoed in a assertion made by Lord Henry in chapter 3, "the mere shapes and pattern of things becoming as it were, refined, and gaining a kind of symbolical value, as though they were themselves patterns." It then says, in reference to Dorian Gray, "He would make that wonderful spirit his own." I believe the passage is the first signs of Dorian Gray's transformation into a hedonist, like Lord Henry, and a picture, foreshadowed in Chapter 2 (when Dorian wishes to give his soul to look like his picture).

Syntactically, the hedonistic transformation of Dorian Gray is placed after the "month" of being with Lord Henry. The luxurious, languid diction of the the following sentences emphasize the dense, listless, beauty of the setting, and Dorian Gray. Words like "high paneled", "olive-stained oak", "cream colored", and "silk", contribute to the setting, and has an affect on the tone, making it as dense, and listless as the setting. The connotations associated with Persian rugs further accentuates the lavish lifestyle of Lord Henry.

The Picture of Dorian Gray 3

Passage: ...He was a marvelous type, too, this lad, whom by so curious a chance he had met in Basil's studio, or could be fashioned into a marvelous type, at any rate. Grace was his, and the white purity of boyhood, and beauty such as old Greek marbles kept for us. There was nothing that one could not do with him. He could be made a Titan or a toy. What a pity it was that such beauty was destined to fade!...

The motif of Hedonism begins to consume the plot when Lord Henry meets Dorian Gray, the real Dorian Gray. Lord Henry is characterized as a hedonist when he goes on a rant to Dorian Gray about why "there is no such thing as a good influence", continuing by saying "the aim of life is self-development". The above passage encompasses Lord Henry's hedonistic views and Dorian Gray. As the story progresses, Dorian Gray and Lord Henry are found in the garden together. Lord Henry comments on the value of youth to Dorian Gray, commenting that "youth is the one thing worth having". The statement about youth echoes the last line of the above passage, that it is a pity Dorian Gray will inevitably loose his beauty. By saying "he could be a Titan or a toy" Lord Henry both complements and demeans Dorian Gray. He complements Dorian Gray by using the profound image of a Titan, however, also says he could be made into a toy. The alliteration brings an immense focus to the juxtaposition of the two vastly different images. A Titan (defined as a pre-Olympian Greek god; often depicted as giants) is a powerful image of a valiant, sculptural looking man. A toy is a mere object, with little value other than an attractive appearance, which is the only similarity between the images: attractive appearance. In the passage above, "the white purity of boyhood, and beauty such as old Greek marbles kept for us", is in reference to the relevance of Dorian Gray to the novel. "White", syntactically placed before "purity", over accentuates "purity" because purity is very often affiliated with the color white. He then says "old Greek marbles kept for us", the statement is continuing the Greek "Hellenic" motif. The "Greek marbles", an understatement for the Greek sculptures of over accentuated muscles, etc., are furthering a point made by Lord Henry that beauty doesn't last, but is kept unchanged through art (the picture of Dorian Gray). Dorian Gray wants to give his soul to look like the painting Basil painted, similar to the beauty encapsulated in "Greek marbles", which are also white like the "white purity of boyhood".

Syntactically, the observation made by Lord Henry is framed by ellipses. By doing so, it separates the observation from the streaming thought, and brings focus to the observation. The tone is very slow moving, long flowing sentences similar to Lord Henry, until the last sentence; It is dramatic, the word choice "destined" makes the situation sound more story like. The exclamation point is placed syntactically at the end of the observation. The sentence is put at the end to tell the reader, despite all the languidly observed beautiful features of Dorian Gray, they are "destined to fade!".

The Picture of Dorian Gray 2

Passage: "Dorian Gray stepped up on the dais, with the air of a young Greek martyr, and made a little moue of discontent to Lord Henry, to whom he had rather taken a fancy. He was so unlike Basil. They made a delightful contrast. And he had such a beautiful voice."

The juxtaposition of Basil Hallward and Lord Henry echoes the motif of intellect against beauty, which is emphasized by Dorian Gray. In Chapter 1, Basil says "the personality of Dorian Gray will dominate me", which is contrasted by Lord Henry's statement about Dorian Gray: "I am bound to the state that she never told me he was good-looking" (making it seem as though beauty is the only thing anyone should be paying attention to. This is ironic because Basil, the artist and "intellectual" finds obsession in Dorian Gray's "personality", whereas Lord Henry, the heidonist, finds obsession in Dorian Gray's good looks. The juxtaposition of the obessions they have of Dorian Gray is, ironically, acknowledged by Dorian Gray in the above passage "delightful contrast". Lord Henry, then says "Genius lasts longer than Beauty." The statement is foreshadwoing the plot, through the beauty and genius motif: Dorian Gray is obsessed with his beauty, and through genius (art; Basil) his beauty will last. The concept of Homosociality, theororized by Eve Sedgwick, is evident in the relationshup between the three men. Despite their ambiguous sexualities, all three discuss looks of other men. "With the air of a young Greek martyr", is reference to Dorian's Greek like beauty. Greek culture and society is associated with homosociality, and also the visual image of Greek sculptures: overaccentuated male muscles make the asociation with Dorian Gray appropriate.

Dorian Gray is characterized as youthful through childish diction. Earlier in the chapter, when Basil tells Lord Henry to leave the scene, Dorian, childishly, fights Basil's wishes by saying "Oh, please don't, Lord Henry. I see that Basil is in one of his sulky moods; and I can't bear him when he sulks. Besides, I want you to tell me why I should not go in for philanthropy." He then tries to keep Lord Henry by expressing an interest in what he has to say "I want you to tell me why". By begging, "Oh, please don't", and following with a complaint about Basil, Dorian Gray has portrayed hisself to be, not only youthful, but immature. The syntax of the first sentence "Dorian Gray stepped on the dais", sets up the paragraph to have Dorian Gray above the setting, which contributes to the imagery of Dorian Gray, being put, literally, on a pedastal.



** I find many allusions to The Wasteland, however, I, painfully, discovered that The Wasteland was written after The Picture of Dorian Gray. When describing the relationship Lord Henry has with his wife, he says "I never know where my wife is, and my wife never knows what I am doing. When we meet- we do meet occasionally,". The noncallant meetings, and relationship he has with his wife echoes the relationshups being described in The Wasteland. Then, "After a pause, Lord Henry pulled out his watch. 'I am afriad i must be going Basil,' he murmured". The time reference is similar to the allusion made in The Great Gatsby, when Gatsby almost breaks the clock- in reference to the part of The Wasteland "HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME" (Line 141). I find it also relevant in that The Great Gatsby also had the homosociality motif.

The Picture of Dorian Gray 1

Passage: "The dim roar of London was like the bourdon note of a distant organ."

Among the florid, and flowing words in the beginning of the novel, the passage above sticks out, deliberately, to express its qualities of foreshadowing to the reader. Chapter 1 begins with a deep, slow moving (due to use of adjectives), "light summer wind" like diction. The immense imagery is due to the deep detail of the flowers; forcing the reader to imagine what they look like. Then comes the passage above, the last sentence of the second paragraph (syntax), that is not abruptly thrown into the readers view, but still drastically differs from the rest. It is clearly foreshadowing due to the words "dim", and "distant". They not only begin with the letter "d", to show emphasis on their importance, but also share similar denotation and connotation. The word "distant" means far off, which portrays a sense of perception, alluding to something in "the distance" that could, as the story progresses, relate closer to the plot. The start of the passage begins with the paradox "the dim roar" which is in reference to London. The word "dim" contrasts the word "roar" to bring more focus and emphasis to the importance of the sentence, alluding to the relevance the "roar" of London will have as the novel progresses.

The passage holds syntactical relevance in that it is deliberately placed in the beginning of Chapter 1, and is placed at the end of the second paragraph. All sentences leading up to the above passage use words like: "rich", "light", "beauty", "honey", "heavy", "delicate"- that portray a languid and peaceful diction, which emphasizes the relevance. The sentence isn't so drastically abrupt because of the soft diction used to portray the profound foreshadowing; the words "dim" and "distant"are used to counteract the biting sounds of "roar" and "bourdon", portraying a bleak, but still soft tone. Through parallelism and simile, the "The dim roar" is directly correlated with "the bourdon note", and "London" Is directly correlated with "a distant organ". The parallelism further defines "the dim roar", and "London", by using the same structure to say "the bourdon note", and "a distant organ".