Dorian Gray Quotes Flashcards
How does chapter 1 link to chapter 19?
“Open door heavy scent of the lilac” (chapter 1). “I don’t think there have been since lilac since…” (chapter 19). Cycle is complete - lilacs come back in all their past glory and Dorian is about to die. Lilacs symbol of innocence and first
Foreshadows plot twist’s Basil Howard disappearance
“Basil Hallward, whose sudden disappesarance some years ago caused, at the time, such public excitement” (chapter 1)
theme = appearance vs. reality
“He is Narcissus” (chapter 1) combines Greek perfection with romantic passion. Every implication of something more personal in attraction.
How is physical appearance shown to be a key factor in chapter 1?
“Fatality about all physical and intellectual distincrtion…faltering steps of kings… my art… Dorian Gray’s good looks” (chapter 1 Basil). Physical and intellectual excellences are often the downfall of those who posses them. Rings true throughout novel. Portrait before meeting Dorian himself - reputation for physical beauty preceeds him and is more important to his character than any other attribute. Dorian Gray’s apparent perfection is destroyed by his weakness of mind and naiiveness, which becomes the downfall of his soul as his mind is opened to sin and Hedonism by Lord Henry Wotton.
What’s hidden is more interesting than known
“I have grown to secrecy…I have shown in it the secret of my own soul” (chapter 1)
Representation of damaged flower
“Lord Henry…plucked a pink-petalled daisy from the grass” pulling daisy apart symbolises his role throught the novel as a manipulator and destroyer of beauty for his own amusement (chapter 1)
Paradox and sublime
“on the verge of a terrible crisis… strange feeling that Fate had in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows” (chapter 1 Basil)
Foreshadowment in chapter 1
“Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one” Lord Henry leaves Basil’s studio that day, carrying Dorian off with him, they are laughing “Don’t spoil him…your influence would be bad”
Irony in chapter 1
“An artist should create beautiful things, but should put nothing of his own life into them” - links to aestheticism. ironic as Wilde portrays his homosexualty in the novel
Romance between Basil and Dorian in chapter 1
“idolatry… quite a romance…the personality of Dorian Gray will dominate me”
Femine characteristic in chapter 2
“mouse…graceful wave of the hand…hellenic ideal”
Where is the key turning point for Dorian Gray in chapter 2
“How sad it is! I shall grow old…” Transgression in his nature from innocence to self-involved worldliness. Perhaps his “true-self”
Fautisan chapter 2
“If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old… I would give my soul for that” - Faust theme: sell soul to devil. Despair is the only sin unpardonable sin because it kept the sinner from asking for God’s help.
Beauty, youth, and innocence…
have a power over the worl that is almost metaphysical in its intensity “Beauty is a form of Genius - is higher than Genius… divine right of soverignty… degenerate into hideous puppets” (chapter 2)
Uncle George intodced in chapter 3
“deus ex machina” resolve difficult plot twists. Dorian’s romantic background contribute to the fairy tale motif. Provides a fountain of information of Dorian Gray
Lord Henery’s influence on Dorian (chapter 3)
“fashioned” - molding; Dorian becomes Henery’s proteige “Lord Henry, I wished you would me how to become young again…dreadfully demoralizing” Lord Henry portrayed to have all the answers/devil “But I thought you had promised Basil Hallward to go and see him”
How is doubling portrayed in chapter 3 and 4?
“Talking to him was like playing upon an exquisite violin” Lord Henry
“little flower-like face, a small Greek head..wild passion of violins” Sybil is a double of Dorian “flower-like lips” (chapter 5)
Aestheticism and decadence in chapter 4
“the study of jewels… study perfumes…ecclesiastical vestments… yellow Chinese hangings… agate of India made him eloquent.” regarding consumer culture in the Victorian Era and Orientalism. Degradation of Dorian’s activities, the facades of society and art that fill the characters’ cover up of the immorality of the streets outside and Dorian is able to keep up a double life. The dual existence of the painting and the original expands into the whole of Dorian’s world. This sense of eclecticism transformed a dull, mundane domicile into one that
represented the merging of East and West, though in the privacy of one’s home rather than on a
diplomatic scale
Gender quote chapter 4
“no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals
Foreshadowment in chapter 4
“Romeo and Juliet” - fateful, tragic story of young love, echoes loss of innocence (Lord Henry and Dorian at the gardern)
Lord Henry’s misogny
“Ordinar women never appeal to one’s imagination… one knows their minds as easily as one knows their bonnets… no mystery” (chapter 4) Lord Henry: disparagement of women - active misogny. Dorian and Sibyl’s relationship is superficial and immature illustrating a burgeoing independence.
How has Dorian and Basil’s relationship altered
“Dear Basil! I have not laid eyes on him for a week… sent me a portrait… little jealous” (chapter 4). No longer creditied eith its success. Taken beauty out of Basil, shadow of his own creation
Dorian’s display of idolatry
“Sibyl Vane is sacred…put her on a pedestal of gold and worship her…Sibyl Vane was a psychological phenomenon” (chatper 4) Dorian whole-heartedly devoted himself to artistic ideals, mistaken for reality.
Class is synonymus with race
“He was a gentlemean, and he hated him for that, hated him through some curious race-instinct for which he could not account.”
