"Like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart." - Dorian (originally from Hamlet) (p220)
Dorian says this quote, and it seems to apply to both Dorian and Harry immensely. They both are very emotionless and never really consider people's actual feelings - only superficial things. Especilly Harry. Harry, with almost every death in the book, didn't seem to care about the actual dead person. He only thought about how the death may affect himself or Dorian. An example would be when James got shot, he wished that the shooter had killed him on purpose, "a murder", solely because it would be more interesting. In Hamlet, King Claudius asks Laertes this because of Laerte's fathers death. He is asking Laertes, is he sad /mournful for the death? Or is he heartless and not care? In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is much like the painting. Because after all these deaths, especially Basil's, he doesn't feel bad - he is emotionless. Heartless.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Dorian Gray 19
Harry says "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it." (p21)
Harry tells Dorian this, i'm still not completely sure why he wanted to tell Dorian this. Maybe Dorian tempted to be eternally young, so he just accepted the wish and sold his soul to have it(?) Although, when I first read it I thought maybe Dorian had a man crush on Harry, and Harry was simply telling him not to ignore his love, and just to face facts. But either way, this quote is ironic for Harry to say, because Harry very rarely "yields to temptation." It seemed his character only talked in this play, he shared his advice (most of it being bad advice) and never really acted much. His only use, it seemed, was too greatfully influence Dorian, and definitely not for the best.
Harry tells Dorian this, i'm still not completely sure why he wanted to tell Dorian this. Maybe Dorian tempted to be eternally young, so he just accepted the wish and sold his soul to have it(?) Although, when I first read it I thought maybe Dorian had a man crush on Harry, and Harry was simply telling him not to ignore his love, and just to face facts. But either way, this quote is ironic for Harry to say, because Harry very rarely "yields to temptation." It seemed his character only talked in this play, he shared his advice (most of it being bad advice) and never really acted much. His only use, it seemed, was too greatfully influence Dorian, and definitely not for the best.
Dorian Gray 18
I am going to pick some quote that stood out to me in the book for the rest of my blogs and explain what they mean to me and their importance.
Basil said "When I like people immensely I never tell their names to any one." (p6)
I marked this quote at the time because I didn't understand why Basil didn't want to reveal Dorians names, or anyones who he liked. But later it became obvious. I think Basil greatly admired (and maybe even loved) Dorian. He didn't want anyone to see him or talk to him, because then they might fall in love with him or take him away from him. But later, Harry did that very thing. Dorian was amazed by Harry and learned horrible things from him. Also, Sibyl did the same thing. Because Dorian loved Sibyl an Sibyl admired Dorian so much, Basil felt like he was being replaced.
Basil said "When I like people immensely I never tell their names to any one." (p6)
I marked this quote at the time because I didn't understand why Basil didn't want to reveal Dorians names, or anyones who he liked. But later it became obvious. I think Basil greatly admired (and maybe even loved) Dorian. He didn't want anyone to see him or talk to him, because then they might fall in love with him or take him away from him. But later, Harry did that very thing. Dorian was amazed by Harry and learned horrible things from him. Also, Sibyl did the same thing. Because Dorian loved Sibyl an Sibyl admired Dorian so much, Basil felt like he was being replaced.
Dorian Gray 17
I don't really know what else to talk about, so I decided to talk about the deaths in the book.
Basil: Basil's death was one of the most shocking. But then, because Dorian showed him the portrait and because Basil was basically the symbol of reality, I could predict he would die eventually. And after his death, Dorian went on with his life with little guilty.
Alan Campbell: Alan helped Dorian burn the body so there was no evidence of Dorian killing him. Alan didn't want to help him, but Dorian threatened him, so he couldn't help but rid the body. Soon after, Alan committed suicide. I was surprise he didn't reveal Dorian's secret before he killed himself, but I guess that was just another instance in which Dorian avoided death himself.
James Vane: James set out to kill Dorian after being told who he was, since before all he knew him as was "Prince Charming." It was weird how he died too, because the man who shot him was aiming to kill a rabbit that even Dorian told him not to kill.
Dorian: Dorian's surprised death was probably the most interesting. He just wanted to kill his ugly portrait, hoping that by killing the portrait he would get rid of all the ugliness and evilness in his soul, but because he was so corrupt by his vanity and such, he killed himself.
Basil: Basil's death was one of the most shocking. But then, because Dorian showed him the portrait and because Basil was basically the symbol of reality, I could predict he would die eventually. And after his death, Dorian went on with his life with little guilty.
Alan Campbell: Alan helped Dorian burn the body so there was no evidence of Dorian killing him. Alan didn't want to help him, but Dorian threatened him, so he couldn't help but rid the body. Soon after, Alan committed suicide. I was surprise he didn't reveal Dorian's secret before he killed himself, but I guess that was just another instance in which Dorian avoided death himself.
James Vane: James set out to kill Dorian after being told who he was, since before all he knew him as was "Prince Charming." It was weird how he died too, because the man who shot him was aiming to kill a rabbit that even Dorian told him not to kill.
Dorian: Dorian's surprised death was probably the most interesting. He just wanted to kill his ugly portrait, hoping that by killing the portrait he would get rid of all the ugliness and evilness in his soul, but because he was so corrupt by his vanity and such, he killed himself.
Dorian Gray 16
After looking through this book, I see that a lot of the instances is like Hamlet. For one, Sibyl Vane is SO much like Ophelia. She falls in love with this crazy guy, in her case Dorian (although Dorian is not much like Hamlet.) Also her brother, James, acts like Ophelia's brother. In Hamlet, before Ophelia's brother, Laertes, leaves he tells her not to fall in love with Hamlet and he didn't like the relationship. This is so much like the discussion James has with Sibyl! Although, James also tells her that if Dorian hurts her, he would kill him. And, like Ophelia, Sibyl commits suicide because her lover went crazy. Later, James returns wanting to kill Dorian, like how Laertes wanted to kill Hamlet. And in both stories, the brother dies in trying to kill the lover.
But Dorian is not like Hamlet at all. Hamlet actually loved Ophelia and when she died, he was upset and said he loved her more than a thousand brothers, but Dorian was emotionless and thought only of hiself.
But Dorian is not like Hamlet at all. Hamlet actually loved Ophelia and when she died, he was upset and said he loved her more than a thousand brothers, but Dorian was emotionless and thought only of hiself.
Dorian Gray 15 THEME
The last theme I found in this book was "Reality." It went against evrything Harry pretty much said, and was mainly found in Basil's words. This theme wasn't found much in the beginning of the book, but more towards the end. Basil told Dorin "position and wealth are not everything" (p153) This was basically the opposite of whatever Harry said. Harry would constantly tell Dorian that beauty was the onlyh important thing, and Basil basically told him it WASNT. Basil admits the reality of the situation again when he tells Dorian "You led them there.. yet you can smile as you are smiling now." (p155) Basil is saying that Dorian has hurt so many people and ruined so many reputations, but he is an emotionless robot and acts as if it was nothing. Also before Dorian kills Basil, Basil says "You have done enough evil in your life!" (p162) I think Basil basically put a mirror in front of Dorian's soul and didn't sugarcoat. He told him what was actually going on, he had to break Dorian out of this superficial, "all about Dorian" world. But Dorian killed him. :(
Dorian Gray 14 THEME
Theme: Fakeness
There is a lot of ideas of "fakeness" in this novel, more predominant in Sibyl and Dorian's relationship. They constantly refer to each other using play references. I think Sibyl was hoping for a Princess Movie relationship, especially because she constantly would refer to Dorian as "Prince Charming." Also Dorian hoped to "make Romeo jealous" (p59) with his relationship. After Sibyl acted badly, she admitted to Dorian "acting was the one reality of my life."(p90) This idea seemed very true, and that's why she was such a good actor; This is also why her love for Dorian made her a bad actor. After Sibyl commited suicide, Harry told Dorian that her death "seemed.. simply like a wonderful ending to a wonderful play." (p104) This play reference even continues after she died. This idea rubs off onto Dorian and he later tells Basil that her death was "one of the greatest romantic tragedies of the age." (p113)
There is a lot of ideas of "fakeness" in this novel, more predominant in Sibyl and Dorian's relationship. They constantly refer to each other using play references. I think Sibyl was hoping for a Princess Movie relationship, especially because she constantly would refer to Dorian as "Prince Charming." Also Dorian hoped to "make Romeo jealous" (p59) with his relationship. After Sibyl acted badly, she admitted to Dorian "acting was the one reality of my life."(p90) This idea seemed very true, and that's why she was such a good actor; This is also why her love for Dorian made her a bad actor. After Sibyl commited suicide, Harry told Dorian that her death "seemed.. simply like a wonderful ending to a wonderful play." (p104) This play reference even continues after she died. This idea rubs off onto Dorian and he later tells Basil that her death was "one of the greatest romantic tragedies of the age." (p113)
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