Dorian Fell In Love: Dorian Gray Chapter V & VI

(p. 72- 94)

What I like…

This is a scene on the road where Sibyl and her brother James took a seat during their walk.

“They took their seats amidst a crowd of watchers. The tulip-beds across the road flamed like throbbing rings of fire. A white dust, tremulous cloud of orris-root it seemed, hung in the panting air…”

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“..The brightly-coloured parasols danced and dipped like monstrous butterflies.”

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What it's all about...

Chapter V is belonged to the Vane family. Sibyl lived with her mother—an ex-theater actress, and her brother James who was going to Australia to find a better living. Both mother and brother reacted differently on Sibyl's engagement with Dorian. Mrs. Vane, although doubt the young couple's seriousness, put a hope on her son-in-law-to-be, who she believed to be a rich nobleman.

On the contrary, James—who quite racist to any gentlemen—detested the young man whom Sibyl hardly known (she hadn't even know his name, other than his nickname 'Prince Charming'). James sworn that if the young man wrongs her sister, he would kill him. Shortly before his departure, James forced his mother to reveal a secret, that his late father was actually a gentleman who never married his mother because of their backgrounds.

In chapter VI Dorian was very excited to announce his engagement to Basil and Lord Henry. The three of them had an interesting discussion on marriages and pleasures, before they made a departure to the important night; the night when Sibyl would perform Juliet in the play they were going to attend.

My random thoughts...

Slapped by Mr. Wilde J

Straight forward quotes that the trueness was sometimes frightened, and Oscar Wilde has written it very sharply:

“Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.”

“When poverty creeps in at the door, love flies in through the window.”

Life is a theatre play

If life is an art for Lord Henry, then for Mrs. Vane, life is a theatre play…

Art is dangerous

Art is a medium into which people expresses their thoughts, idea, and sometimes their own soul (like Basil). In that case, art can bring a strong influence to others. The art of painting (by Basil) and the art of intelligent (by Lord Henry) had both altered Dorian Gray’s soul and his way of thinking. One of them might meant nothing, but both…we have saw the result. Lord Henry said to Basil in chapter V:

“Your portrait of him has quickened his appreciation of the personal appearance of other people”

But I think he was not 100% correct. Lord Henry himself had shared quite big part in what had happened to Dorian Gray.

Reactions upon Dorian's marriage

Lord Henry did not approve nor disapprove Dorian's marriage, he just under-estimate marriages, and thought marriage only make one lack individuality. Basil didn't say anything, he was too surprised of that new fact and think it was just merely passion.

A bitter goodbye

At the end of this chapter the gentlemen departed to the theatre in two vehicles. Lord Henry could only take another passenger in his brougham (a carriage which can only take 2 passengers), so he asked Basil to take a separate hansom. Lord Henry—of course—took Dorian with him. For other people it is only a transport arrangement, but somehow Basil felt that he would 'lose' Dorian after that night, their relationship would never be the same again.

The characters development

Dorian Gray—In the excitement of his passionate love, Dorian realized the bad influences Lord Henry had been pouring upon him all these time. At this particular moment, Dorian disagreed with Lord Henry about love, marriage and pleasure.

"When I am with her, I regret all that you have taught me. I become different from what you have known me to be. I am changed, and the mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories."

Oh..how fragile soul was so easy to change!

Lord Henry—In chapter VI I saw clearly how Lord Henry was a hedonist. He praised a lot about Pleasure (Wilde purposely used capital letter), and he believed that one should only live for one's self.