The Picture of Dorian Gray

 [conclusion in English is at the bottom of this post]

“Like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart.”

Meminjam sebaris kalimat dari Hamlet karya Shakespeare yang juga dikutip oleh Oscar Wilde di buku ini, kupikir seperti itulah keseluruhan kisah The Picture of Dorian Gray ini. Dorian Gray adalah seorang pemuda 20 tahun yang ketampanannya menyiratkan kemudaan yang menyegarkan dan tanpa dosa, seperti jiwanya saat itu—saat sebelum dunia mulai meracuninya. Dorian bersahabat dengan seorang pelukis terkenal bernama Basil Hallward yang segera terpesona dan memuja Dorian. Basil melukis potret diri Dorian sambil mencurahkan kecintaannya pada pemuda itu ke dalam lukisannya, yang kemudian menjadi sebuah mahakarya.

Sahabat Basil yang lain, Lord Henry, adalah seorang pria yang memuja kenikmatan, dan memandang dunia dan kehidupan lewat cara pandang yang sinis dan skeptis. Lord Henry inilah yang kemudian—setelah berkenalan dengan Dorian—menyuntikkan ide-ide yang meracuni pikiran Dorian sehingga si pemuda menjadi pemuja kemudaan. Ia lalu ‘berdoa’ agar lukisan dirinya lah yang akan menjadi tua dan lelah akibat beban hidup Dorian, sementara dirinya sendiri tetap muda dan tanpa garis-garis kehidupan di tubuhnya. Entah bagaimana, ‘doa’ itu terwujud, dan ketika jiwa Dorian—akibat pengaruh buruk sekitarnya—makin bobrok, ekspresi dirinya di dalam lukisan itu pun pelan-pelan berubah. Sementara itu Dorian berubah menjadi makin jahat, dan jiwanya makin ‘gelap’. Dari luar ia tampak tanpa beban, padahal di dalam jiwanya keropos dan ia tak sanggup bangkit dari keterpurukan. Pertanyaannya, akankah Dorian Gray sanggup bangkit dari keterpurukannya? Ketika jiwa manusia sudah tergerogoti demikian dalam, manakah yang lebih gampang, berusaha ‘kembali ke jalan yang benar’ ataukah malah jatuh semakin dalam?

Dorian Gray adalah kisah gothic tentang gelapnya jiwa manusia, dan semua itu gara-gara racun pengaruh buruk dari lingkungan sekitarnya. Oscar Wilde telah merangkai kisah ini dengan cantiknya, memadukan sisi artistik dengan gaya menulis flamboyant khas dirinya, membuatku sangat menikmati kisah ini dari awal hingga akhir. 256 halaman itu bak secangkir kopi, bukannya kuminum dengan beberapa tegukan cepat, melainkan kuseruput sedikit demi sedikit sambil menikmati setiap sensasi yang bisa kureguk darinya. Benar-benar perkenalan yang memabukkan bersama Oscar Wilde. J Kalau anda ingin turut mencicipi kenikmatannya, percikannya ada di chapter posts ini (dari chapter I hingga XVII)

Lima bintang untuk Dorian Gray dan Oscar Wilde!

Conclusion:

The Picture of Dorian Gray, I think, is Oscar Wilde’s allusion to the world for over-worshipping beauty and youthfulness. Through this book we are also invited to see the development of human spirit in general. I see the picture of Dorian Gray as a reflection of his soul. Dorian wanted to have barter with the devil to exchange his own soul with the physical youthfulness of the painting, and with that, he hoped he will forever be free and have fun without having to bear the brunt of his actions because the painting was the one who will bear it.

I see there are two factors which initiated the fall of Dorian Gray's soul. First, the excessive worshipping of Basil Hallward towards Dorian Gray, that is the starting point; then coupled with the influence which Lord Henry has injected into Dorian’s mind, led Dorian to worship his own beauty and made ​​a prayer to barter his soul with the youthfulness of his picture. It is also interesting that, as one slumped deeper into his sin, his conscience being increasingly unbearable to him. When his soul was beginning to corrupt, Dorian could encourage himself to make repentance, the picture could act as his soul barometer, but when he has drawn deeper in the mud of sin, he refused to see the picture and chose to cover and hide it, both from his own eyes and from other’s. However, it is not easy to run away from one’s conscience; Dorian tried to please himself in hedonism. He plunged himself deeper in sin, so that when the last effort of ‘the representative of his conscience’ tried to take him away from the darkness, he could not bear it and killed him. At the end…this is the question for us all:

“What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

Oscar Wilde has fascinated me with his paradoxes and artistic style in writing Dorian Gray. Just as Basil Hallward had left something of himself in the picture of Dorian Gray, I believe Wilde had also left his flamboyant personality and passion of aestheticism in his writing. As I already mentioned in one of my posts, if book was a drink, Dorian Gray were a cup of coffee; instead of drinking it in gulps, I took it sip by sip, while savouring the bitter-sweet taste, feeling the warmth liquid flowing through your throat and inhaling the sweet fragrance that come into my nostrils. There are many aspects in this particular ‘cup of coffee’ that I can enjoy, which, if I drink it in a hurry, I will certainly lose the sensation! That is how I have savoured The Picture of Dorian Gray in about ten days, having been busy with reading and posting chapter posts, but in the end it ‘s worth all the efforts J. I enjoyed Dorian Gray till the last drop.

Five whole stars for this book!

Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Publisher: Penguin Popular Classics

Published: 1994

Pages: 256

The Revenge Is Approaching: Dorian Gray Chapter XVI-XVII

(p. 212-228)

What interested me...

"It was a marvellous spotted thing, as effective as the seven deadly sins."

It's a fine specimen of orchid called Robinsoniana. Lord Henry had cut it to be placed in his buttonhole.

What it's all about...

With a burdened soul, Dorian took a hansom to the slum area of London, where people like him found 'heaven' in opium dens. There a woman recognized him as the 'Prince Charming', the nickname Sibyl Vane used to call him. Unfortunately James Vane—who at the same time was somewhere near the den—heard it and tried to kill Dorian to take revenge for his sister. However Dorian used his immortal youthfulness as an alibi (as Sibyl’s death was already 18 years ago but Dorian’s appearance was seemed to be in the twenties), and escaped the murder attempt.

Dorian held a tea party and invited several dukes, duchess, including Lord Henry. Oscar Wilde offered smart and interesting debate here, especially between Lord Henry and his cousin Gladys. And at the end of this chapter Dorian fainted at his own conservatory, because to his horror, he had seen the pale face of James Vane behind the window...

My random thoughts...

Several interesting quotes from Lord Henry, that after thinking about it, there’s truth there…

"Like all good reputations, every effect that one produces gives one an enemy. To be popular one must be a mediocrity."

"Scepticism is the beginning of Faith."

"We can have in life but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible."

Note:

This would be my last chapter post for The Picture of Dorian Gray, I would conclude all after finishing the third last chapters, and will post my review as a wrap-up post.

Basil Hallward on The Picture of Dorian Gray: Character Thursday (18)

Basil Hallward

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Basil is a young talented and well known artist who was fascinated by a rich beautiful young man called Dorian Gray. After they become friends, Basil painted a picture of Dorian. His passion towards Dorian reflected to the picture—which later become Basil’s masterpiece. After seeing his own picture, Dorian Gray wished to keep his youthfulness immortal, while the picture must bear all his corruption in flesh as well as in sins. The altered Dorian was now enthralled by the poisonous-mind Lord Henry, and neglected Basil. However, Basil kept taking good care of his friend. From the first time Dorian met Lord Henry, it was Basil who warned Lord Henry to not poisoning Dorian’s innocent mind.

I see Basil as a man with a strong morality. Every time Lord Henry or Dorian said of something cynical or immoral, Basil would say something like, ‘you know you don’t mean that!’, as if he trusted that his friends would not think such an awful idea. In many occasion Basil tried to prevent Dorian from moral degradation in the society, however he never forced his will to Dorian. No matter how Dorian has neglected him as a friend, Basil would always be patient to him. When Dorian did not let Basil see his own painting, Basil sadly accepted Dorian’s decision without arguing.

which one is Basil, do you think?...

When negative rumors about Dorian began to spread within the society, Basil always stood for Dorian. And after Basil knew that Dorian had changed completely and had done all the evils everyone had rumored about, Basil did not accused him nor said hard things in anger. Basil only asked Dorian to pray together with him, to ask for repentance from God. He did not mention about Dorian’s sins, but only wish him to be relieved from them. How lucky anyone who has a friend like Basil!

If there was any negative point in Basil’s character, it was perhaps his idolatry to Dorian. I mean, it’s normal to love and adore someone, but I think Basil had been over-worshipping Dorian, that had a bad influence to Dorian in the end. But overall, I like Basil Hallward, he is a friend who will always be there for us, no matter how bad we treated him sometime… Don’t you just love to have a friend like that?

The Cold Blooded Dorian - Dorian Gray Chapter XIV-XV

(p. 186-211)

What I like…

A cup of hot chocolate! I like to sip thick and sweet hot chocolate; and a cup of chocolate had also opened chapter XIV, when Dorian sipped it calmly from the cup his valet gave him in the morning after he killed somebody in his house!

What it's all about...

After committing the murder the night before, Dorian would like to make the corpse vanished, to scrap all evidence. He asked a chemist help, one of his ex intimate friends. Allan--the chemist--rejected to help Dorian at first, but Dorian blackmailed him to do what he wanted, so that he was forced to do it.

Dorian did not feel anything towards the dead man who once his dear friend. And 24 hours after that tragedy, he appeared in a party as elegant and calm as usual. Inside he was in a terrible horror, but outside he was polite and charming. He hardly touched his dinner, and when Lord Henry occasionally asked him where he were last night, Dorian began to feel nervous. He went home and destroyed the coat and bag of the dead man--the last evidence left, then made a night travel by hansom to unknown destination...

My random thoughts...

It was always like that when a man's soul corrupted. At first he did a sin and struggled with it, wondered how can he had done it. After a while he could convince himself that he had not done something wrong by doing a sin. After that, he had a strong need to silence his conscience, and he would kill if it is necessary. After that he would live a double life, always worried that others might see his sin. Those were the stages, and let's just see where it will all end for Dorian Gray. A very interesting psychological study that have suddenly reminded me of Emile Zola's Therese Raquin...

What made me still curious...

What was Dorian found in the Florentine cabinet that made him shuddered?

What was Dorian’s threat on Allan that the victim got so scared and finally agreed to help the murderer vanishing the corpse? Had it been one of his secret?

Poor Basil… - Dorian Gray Chapter XII-XIII

(p. 169-185)

What I like…

The more I digest this story, the more I like the character of Basil Hallward, the talented painter. He is a kind-hearted man, it’s for sure. From chapter XII-XIII it became clearly how he dearly loved Dorian Gray. Although Dorian had avoided him, Basil still cared about his dear friend’s reputation and his soul. When Basil finally saw the truth, how his friend soul was corrupted, Basil did not leave him. He did not look at Dorian with disgust, he asked him to pray together with him, to try to ask God for repentance. That’s what I call a true friendship!

can you guess which one is Basil? :)

What it's all about...

At one foggy night Dorian walked passed Basil on the way home. The latter had wanted to see Dorian for a serious matter. Basil had heard lately from his friends about Dorian’s bad reputation; that many of his intimate friends ended up in bad scandals; that many noblemen avoided him at the club. To all of them Basil had always stood up for his dear friend, for how a man with such beautiful innocent face could possibly did all the evil things they had accused him for? Basil then said that he must see Dorian’s soul before able to provide any answer. Here Dorian challenged Basil to really look into the depth of his soul, which Basil—I think out of curiosity—accepted.

Upstairs they went, to the old study room where Dorian kept the painting. And for the first time other people looked at the corrupted-painting of Dorian Gray. In such a horror, Basil asked Dorian to pray with him, asking repentance from God, in a desperate try to release his dear friend’s soul from evil’s trap. Then what Dorian did? It was so terrible, that I won’t spoil it here…

My random thoughts...

It’s all started from idolatry

I kept thinking of what had started Dorian’s soul corrupting. Was that Lord Henry? Or was it Basil? At first I think it was Lord Henry, for it was he who had first influenced the innocent Dorian. But after reading this chapter, I have another thought. Was it not the painting that had begun all of it? It was the painting who intrigued Lord Henry to the soul of Dorian Gray (after seeing it in Basil’s studio – chapter 1). It was the same painting that at first planted the idea of immortal beauty and youth to Dorian’s mind. And that painting had been produced from a man’s idolatry to his model. I think it’s because Basil adored Dorian, that he could paint him in a perfect beauty. Idolatry is often dangerous because it persuades the idol to worship mortal things, and with that, he is very susceptible to negative influences and temptations.

Did Basil deserve the punishment?

“I worshipped you too much. I am punished for it. You worshipped yourself too much. We are both punished.”

I think so (although what Wilde did to him was rather too cruel…or not? At least Basil didn’t have to bear the pain any longer..). No living creature deserves worshipping besides God.

What Were You Looking For, Dorian? - Dorian Gray Chapter XI

(p. 147-168)

Interesting fact…

I’m quite interested in a word Oscar Wilde used here: ‘Dandyism’ (I shouldn’t explain the meaning, should I? J). On searching in the internet about Victorian dandy style, I came across the photo of….Oscar Wilde himself! Don’t you think he is dandy too?

And the image caption said: “Oscar Wilde had the image of a dandy in Victorian times. He dressed to impress. Here he is wearing a carnation in his buttonhole.”

And these are what people called dandy in Victorian era… Seems that flower in button hole and brocade waistcoat were fashion items for dandy men at that era.

I’m also interested in his style in describing colors. I think, being a fashionable man, Oscar Wilde was familiar with unique colors, such as: copper-green, mauve, sulphur-yellow, vermillion and gold, olive-green, etc.

What it's all about...

Dorian got fascinated with the ‘yellow book’ Lord Henry had lent him. He found the story was similar to his life, and soon got poisoned by the book’s idea.

Meanwhile, for eighteen years the painting grew older and more evil, while Dorian’s beautiful and innocence appearance was remain the same, that many of his friends could not believe rumors of his evil behavior. During those years Dorian Gray tried to satisfy his Life with fascinating things, from fashion, perfumes, embroideries, music, to religion. He also became more obsessed to beauty, not only his own, but in others too, and even in his ancestor's pictures. You can say that his soul was corrupted more and more.

My random thoughts...

Dorian’s wandering mind

I was overwhelmed through this chapter. There are a lot of philosophies in long sentences, using ‘strange’ words that I can’t really follow. From what I gather—hopefully I’m not lost, because Dorian himself is kind of lost in the unreal worlds in search of the true meaning of life—at first he adored fashions (became one of London’s dandy trendsetter), then he was drawn to mysticism, before attracted to Roman Catholic communion, then Darwinismus doctrine, then perfumes. Perfumes? Yes, Dorian really studied about perfumes—about the relation between smells and soul. After that he had drawn himself in exotic music all over the world before getting crazy of jewels, embroideries and tapestries. I can’t really follow his mind...

The more he knew, the more he desired to know

Isn’t the biggest cause of sin comes from knowledge? Isn’t that why God forbade Adam and Eve to eat apples from the knowledge tree? Because the more man knows, the more he will desire to know, until he drawn himself to the sin.

What I didn’t quite get…

Page 153 on Hedonism, etc., what was Oscar Wilde tried to say? That hedonism was an unreal world where Dorian Gray had been hidden from his sins?

“In was the creation of such worlds as these that seemed to Dorian Gray to be the true object, or amongst the true objects of life; and in his search for sensations that would be at once new and delightful and possess the element of strangeness that is so essential to romance…etc.etc..”

I have no idea. I’m lost! L I think I can see the general idea, but I can’t follow Oscar Wilde’s mind.

Hiding The Picture: Dorian Gray Chapter IX - X

 (p. 125-146)

What I like…

I’m still enjoying vivid images Oscar Wilde used to describe nature’s scenes, like this one…

“Cloudless, and pierced by one solitary star,…”

“….a copper-green sky gleamed through the windows...”

[source]

Honestly, I have never thought sky would be related with the color of green!

What it's all about...

Basil visited Dorian because he was worried about his friend's grieve on Sibyl's death. However he was startled by Dorian's ignorance by going to Opera with Lord Henry only one day after the tragedy, which Basil took as a negative change in his character. Meanwhile, Basil intended to exhibit his painting of Dorian Gray's picture in Paris, which frightened Dorian.

When Basil would like to see his own painting, Dorian—of course—rejected. This lead to Basil's confession on his feeling towards Dorian that was reflected in the painting, which was the reason he rejected to exhibit it. After the painting went to Dorian's residence, however, Basil decided to exhibit it anyway. Dorian strongly rejected the idea and Basil kindly accepted his decision. That conversation then encouraged Dorian to hide the painting for good in an old room where he used to be in his childhood and youth days. At the end of chapter X, Lord Henry lent a ‘mind poisoning’ novel to Dorian.

My random thoughts...

Hiding the dark side

Just as sinners like to hide their sins in the darkest ‘room’ of their souls, Dorian securely hide the continuously-corrupted-painting into a dark old-dusty room where he kept the key and ensured that not a single soul should ever see it.

Let the painting bear his sin

It’s interesting to observe how at first Dorian looked at the cruel expression in the painting still with amazement and observation. He had observed that the source of that cruel expression was his cruel treatment to Sibyl Vane. He knew and admitted that he had done something bad. He wished to apologize to Sibyl and marry her to repentant his wrongs, for who knows, his expression in the painting might return to its original state then? But Lord Henry didn’t let him swim in his regret, and soon influenced him to just forget it, that it was not his fault anyway. And now, after Lord Henry ‘lifted’ his moral obligation, Dorian felt burden with his conscience (the corrupting-painting), and finally decided to hide it forever and let it rotten, letting him freely committing more and more sins. Now that the conscience had been muted, nothing would prevent him from falling deeper down…

I'm curious to know...

How deep Dorian will fall?

A Tragedy..Or, Is It? - Dorian Gray Chapter VIII

(p. 109-125)

What I like...

"It was an exquisite day. The warm air seemed laden with spices. A bee flew in, and buzzed round the blue-dragon bowl that, filled with sulphur-yellow roses, stood before him."

What it's all about...

When Dorian woke up, he remembered about his cruelness to Sibyl after looking at the altered painting. He decided to write a letter to ask for her apology, and to propose that they should marry as they have planned. However, soon after the letter finished, Lord Henry came to bring dreadful news: Sibyl had been found dead last night after she committed suicide.

It should be a blow for Dorian, for he had caused a girl to end her own life; and that's what he felt at first, before--as usual--Lord Henry injected his ideas about forgetting his past with a woman and that Dorian should continue his life.

Once again Dorian struggled with his mind about how the painting could have altered, but in the end buried all his fears deep in his heart, and tried to follow Lord Henry's advice, to re-live his life, and went to the Opera with Lord Henry.

My random thoughts...

Painting = reflection of soul

I think the painting to Dorian Gray equal to our soul to us. Dorian Gray might pretended that Sibyl's death meant nothing to him, however every time he looked at the painting, he would be reminded to his sin. The painting became barometer of his life; the consequences of what he did would be reflected by the painting. No matter how hard he pretended, or how well he'd hidden his sin, the painting would always be there to disturb his consciousness. Man can never runaway from his conscience...

I don't know what I should feel about...

What Lord Henry said about Sibyl, what she was for Dorian:

"The girl never really lived, and so she has never really died. To you at least she was always a dream, a phantom that flitted through Shakespeare's plays and left them lovelier for its presence, a reed through which Shakespeare's music sounded richer and more full of joy."

That quote sounds beautiful, and perhaps that's what happened, but to me it's thrilling. It's as if we can ignore other people's life because they are 'only dream' to us; a mere fiction character of a play. Listen people!.. Sibyl was as real as we are. Being young and naïve doesn't mean to be 'empty'.

Just entered my mind...

Lord Henry had taken two souls

He had taken and altered Dorian's soul, and because of that, Dorian had caused Sibyl's death.

The Cruel Reflection: Dorian Gray Chapter VII

(p. 95-108)

What I like…

It's the last scene from this chapter...

"The fresh morning air seemed to drive away all his sombre passions. He thought only of Sibyl. A faint echo of his love comes back to him. He repeated her name over and over again. The birds that were singing in the dew-drenched garden seemed to be telling the flowers about her."

[source]

Have I mentioned before that I LOVE nature scene like this? I love flowers and birds, and love Wilde's idea about the birds telling the flowers about the woman one loves. Oh, if only it were for a romantic love story...

What it's all about...

That night Sibyl would play Juliet, and Dorian had proudly invited Basil and Lord Henry to watch the genius actress who would become his wife. However, Sibyl's performance that night was surprisingly very bad. Dorian became very angry to her, although Sibyl had explained that it is because of her great love to Dorian, that she could no longer acted as somebody else. In Dorian had she found herself, her life, her happiness.

Dorian could not accept that, he coldly broke their engagement in a cruel manner, despite of Sibyl's cry and weep. Then that night, at his bedroom, Dorian found that his picture--painted by Basil--has changed! There was a cruelty on his expression. Could that be possible, that the picture reflected the soul of its subject? Dorian directly realised that the picture reflected what he had done to Sibyl! He would apologize to her the next day, and before that, he put a screen in front of the picture to hide it.

My random thoughts...

Her acting, not herself

To whom Dorian had fell in love? To Sibyl? NO. He fell in love to what she performed, to her acting. This is pathetic!

Fear, not love

I doubt that Dorian really felt sorry for what he had done to Sibyl. I mean, he was sorry, but not for Sibyl; Dorian felt sorry because he was scared that his soul would change just like the painting. Why? Read next...

Battle between good and evil

I think the painting alteration was representing the moment when the evil begin to creep into our soul. We are basically good, because God has made us good. When evil is penetrating our soul, it's just as when Lord Henry began poisoning Dorian. We know we had done sin, we know we shouldn't do that, we can see the dark evil that came in our way, and we are scared that evil will take us away from where we were supposed to belong from the beginning (God). At this point, we are struggling, just as Dorian was at that night. We can see it clearly from his mind wandering:

"Cruelty! Had he been cruel? It was the girl's fault, not his..."

"...And, yet, a feeling of infinite regret came over him... He remembered with what callousness he watched her. Why had he been made like that?.."

"...Lord Henry knew what women were. Why should he trouble about Sibyl Vane? She was nothing to him now..."

"...He would not see Lord Henry any more.. He would go back to Sibyl Vane, marry her, try to love her again... Poor child! He had been selfish and cruel to her..."

That's what happened when we committed a crime or sin, our soul are always struggling and weighing, we can never be at peace; and which part is gonna win? It depends on us; and in this story, it depends on where Oscar Wilde will take us next...

I'm curious to know...

...where Oscar Wilde will take us next... J

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…”

[source]

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

[source]

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.

Life Is Art: Dorian Gray Chapter IV

(p. 55-71)

What I like...

The first scene to open this chapter is in Lord Henry's study room with a small library, something I've been longing to own.

"It was a very charming room, with its high-panelled wainscoating of olive-stained oak, its cream-coloured frieze and ceiling of raised plaster-work, and its brickdust felt carpet strewn with silk long-fringed Persian rugs."

Of course I can't find a picture exactly like what was described in the book, but this image can quite satisfy me...

[source]

What it's all about...

Dorian came to tell Lord Henry about a theatre girl with whom he fell madly in love. Sibyl Vane is a beautiful girl and a good actress. Dorian told Henry how he met her, and this chapter was closed with a telegram announcing that Dorian would soon marry Sibyl.

My random thoughts...

Cynical thoughts about women and marriage

This chapter only strengthens my idea of how 19th century society thought about women. Lord Henry had also mentioned something cynical about marriage in chapter II. Quoted from Lord Henry:

"Men marry because they are tired; women, because they are curious; both are disappointed."

"No woman is genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of mind over morals."

And that's all because women were uneducated at that time! It really annoying me to read it, and I think this is the point where I began to dislike Lord Henry. A lot.

Unromantic

Not only detested marriage, Lord Henry also saw love and romance in a negative point of view.

"When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others."

After reading Dickens with his Romantic style, it's quite striking to find how shallow Wilde has described about love.

I also think Dorian's love was just false passion; he adored Sibyl for her beauty, not for herself. Again here, Dorian worshipped something mortal, the flesh instead of the soul.

The psychological study object

It became clearer that Lord Henry was interested in Dorian Gray as an object of observation on human psychological.

“It was delightful to watch him. With his beautiful face, and his beautiful soul, he was a thing to wonder at. It was no matter how it all ended, or was destined to end.”

Paradox

I just realized how Oscar Wilde loved paradox! There are many throughout the book, but I will quote one of them,

"A great poet, a really great poet, is the most unpoetical of all creatures."

Life is art

Lord Henry looked at life as we looked at art. For him, life was the real work of art. From this I began to see the flickering light of what this book is all about; I think I have found the red thread between what Lord Henry did to Dorian and its relation with the picture. It's only a flickering light, though, but I hope to see the full shining at the end...

What I still don't get it...

"To note the curious hard logic of passion, and the emotional coloured life of the intellect--to observe where they met, where they separated, at what point they were in unison, and at what point they were at discord."

“He was like one of those gracious figures in a pageant or a play, whose joys seem to be remote from one, but whose sorrows stir one’s sense of beauty, and whose wounds are like red roses.”

The characters development...

There's nothing much to say about this, I better keep it for next chapters...

The Devil's Identity Revealed: Dorian Gray Chapter III

(p. 40-54)

The third chapter of The Picture of Dorian Gray turned out to be not so full of idea as the first two chapters. Yet, it's still interesting!

What I like…

Nothing impressed me in this chapter, but I kept imagining Lord Henry’s appearance through this chapter. So, I browsed the internet and found one of the actors who had been performing Lord Henry, do you think he reflected his character? I haven’t watched the movie…

What it's all about...

It's mainly contained of conversations from the part of Lord Henry. From his interview with his uncle, it's revealed that Dorian Gray was the grandson of a wealthy Lord Kelso, who had a very beautiful daughter—Dorian's mother—Margaret. The young woman strangely picked a poor man as her husband. Her father detested his son-in-law, he then paid someone to make his son-in-law killed. One year later little Dorian Gray entered the world as beautiful as his late mother who soon died. Dorian grew up under the power of his grandfather.

The second conversation took place in Lady Agatha's, Lord Henry's aunt, where Dorian Gray became one of her 'golden son'. As usual Lord Henry attracted some of his listener with his immoral ideas. Dorian Gray became more fascinated to Lord Henry that he began neglecting Basil, to be with Lord Henry.

My random thoughts...

The devil's identity revealed!

On chapter III, Lord Henry purpose of influencing Dorian became transparent. He deliberately dominated Dorian's mind and soul. I think he was the real devil who was happy to capture a poor soul he could reshape for his own pleasure. L

Between Basil, Dorian Gray and Lord Henry

I just realized one thing. Basil had surrendered himself in the domination of Dorian Gray, without any consciousness from the latter; while at the same time Lord Henry had also captivated Dorian Gray into his power without the victim's consciousness. Isn't that interesting?

Are you wiser?

At the lunch at Lady Agatha's, Lord Henry also talked about the secret of being young (again). It is by making the same follies as we did when we were young; a dangerous suggestion which, of course, fascinated young Dorian just more. I think Wilde would like to remind those who praised youthfulness, that life has its own stages, and that is the most natural process. We made mistakes, and learned from them to be better in the next stage. Only stupid and unwise people who wants to get back to their past, doing things that they know was a mistake. And to me, people who keep doing the same mistakes are they who never grow old (maybe older in age, but not in mind). So, again, people who worship beauty and youthfulness are brainless (just like Lord Henry said before).

What I don't quite get it...

The conversation about American people—especially women—whom they believed had endangered the 'territory' of English women (in the context of marriages). I don't get what Wilde wanted to speak to us in this conversation. Was it really the common social problem at that era? It was certain however, that English people seemed to underrate American.

The characters development

Here the characters were not developed so much, so I will skip this to next chapter!

I Would Give My Soul For That: Dorian Gray Chapter II

(p. 22-39)

What I like...

I always like when a book is revealing the beauty of nature. And Oscar Wilde spoiled his readers with many of it throughout this book...

"They rose up, and sauntered down the walk together. Two green-and-white butterflies fluttered past them,..."  

Two butterflies fluttered together..

"...and in the pear-tree at the corner of the garden..."

....a thrush began to sing."

What it's all about...

Despite of Basil's reluctance to introduce Lord Henry to Dorian, faith had interfered that the two of them must meet each other and befriended. Just as Basil afraid of, Lord Henry took no time to influence Dorian's mind about youth, about how terrible it is for human when they became old.

At that time Basil's painting has nearly finished, and when Dorian saw it, he envy it that the picture could stay young while he would grow older. He wished that he could change places with the portrait, and will give everything to make it possible

"How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June..." == (how interesting it is that Dorian Gray’s setting is on the same month when I am reading it! J)

"I would give my soul for that"

At last Lord Henry invited Dorian and Basil to the theatre. And despite of Basil's objection, Dorian insisted to go with Lord Henry.

My random thoughts...

Taking advantage of one's purity

I think both Basil and Lord Henry had somehow taken advantage of Dorian's purity and innocence. Lord Henry, using his language skill, has manipulated Dorian's soul to overly worshiping youthfulness. On the other hand Basil, who became obsessed (somehow related to the art) to Dorian, wished to protect the lad from altering for his own (Basil's) good. It's revealed from what Basil asked Lord Henry at the end of chapter I: "Don't take away from me the one person who gives to my art whatever charm it possesses; my life as an artist depends on him".

Pure beauty = innocence = stupidity

In chapter I Lord Henry has mentioned that beauty = brainless. Perhaps he was right. Don't get me wrong, I think 'beauty' here had little to do with just appearance, but more with innocence or purity. Innocent person is easier to get influenced by others, and the impact of bad influence is often stronger than the good one.

"All influence is immoral"

"Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts (...). He becomes an echo of someone else's music, an actor of a part that has not been writen for him."

Here Wilde began to emphasize how powerful an influence is to man's soul. We never know how we had said randomly to others will bring impact upon them. On the other hand, it is almost frightening how we could easily be influenced by society out of our consciousness.

I'm curious to know...

What is Lord Henry's real purpose to plant the idea of youthfulness in Dorian's mind? Merely personal satisfaction to ruin one's purity, or is it jealousy to the Dorian's beauty?

The characters development...

Lord Henry -- was not just indifferent to other's feeling, he became wicked too. He purposely influenced Dorian's mind. When Basil asked him (rather) politely to go, he insisted to stay by challenging Dorian: "Am I to go, Mr. Gray?" with (I imagine) a devilish smile.

Dorian Gray -- it's interesting that Dorian's character altered in just one chapter. From his first encounter with Lord Henry, I can see the shy Dorian Gray with his cheek blushing and his shy manner. But after Lord Henry influenced him in one (one!) conversation, his cheek was flushed, not by shyness but by anger, when he thought Basil loved art better than his friend.

It only showed the power of influence in our life!