Dorian Gray #7

            As Dorian attempts to reconcile his feelings about murdering Basil with his desire to continue life without thinking about his actions, he finds his perfect façade slipping. Dorian recalls Lord Henry’s words from the first day they met: “To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul” (135). As he knows, Dorian has a very sick soul. He has been confronted with it in Basil’s words and as well as in his portrait. However, rather than try to fix his soul, Dorian chooses to overload his senses in hopes of forgetting his sins and stifling his conscience. He decides to visit an opium den to escape the reality of his actions. The disgusting and disturbing conditions are described in detail. Wilde explains how “[u]gliness that had once been hateful to him because it made things real, became dear to him now for that very reason” (136). The intensity of the ugliness of his surroundings will, he hopes, ground him in reality and help him forget his thoughts. He wants an experience that is starkly real and unlike the art he has surrounded himself with in life so that it might create an alternate reality for him, one in which Basil’s murder cannot penetrate his thoughts. Wilde identifies the state of mind Dorian finds himself in: “There are moments, psychologists tell us, when a passion for sin, or for what the world calls sin, so dominates a nature, that every fibre of the body, as every cell of the brain, seems to be instinct with fearful impulses” (139). Dorian does not know what to do with himself; he is essentially trying to sin in order to overshadow, or at least slightly cover up, his feelings about the greater sin he committed. He is not thinking through decisions; he is acting on impulse as he did when murdering Basil. Dorian is not unique in his desire to forget his sins. Humans do not want to think of their mistakes, and some turn to drugs, as Dorian does, in order to escape them. At this point, there seems to be little hope of something triggering remorse and a change in behavior from Dorian.

Dorian Gray #5

            The relationship between Dorian and Basil changes as they express their true feelings for each other. Dorian admits that Basil is a better influence than Lord Henry: “Of course I am very fond of Harry. But I know that you are better than he is. You are not stronger—you are much too afraid of life—but you are better” (Wilde 81). Basil acts as a paternal figure for Dorian. He tries to console Dorian when Sibyl Vane dies, and, finding that Dorian has chosen to move on with his life and forget her, tells him that he is headed down a bad path. Basil tries to tell Dorian the harsh truths that Dorian has chosen not to hear. However, Basil is hindered in his attempt to change Dorian’s attitude by his love and obsession for him. Although Dorian views Basil as a parental influence, Basil views Dorian as his muse. As Dorian pressures him, Basil admits, “I was dominated, soul, brain, and power by you” (83). Basil loves Dorian too much to risk his friendship by displeasing him. Although he wishes to see the portrait, Basil agrees never to ask to see it again when Dorian gets angry at him. Dorian has always held a remarkable amount of power over Basil, and now that Basil has confirmed it, Dorian can continue to exploit his friendship. Dorian finds it interesting that “instead of having been forced to reveal his own secret, he had succeeded, almost by chance, in wrestling a secret from his friend!” (85). As the years pass, it seems as though Dorian can influence everyone around him except Harry. Dorian sits in an esteemed place in society, and although some are suspicious about his activities, no one addresses him directly about them. Basil has the power to confront Dorian and potentially change his ways, but he seems to be too afraid to do so.

"On the Sonnet" v. "Sonnet" Outline

Thesis: Although both poets believe that structure alone cannot guarantee a sonnet’s worthiness, John Keats demonstrates how a proper sonnet can express an idea within structural constraints in “On the Sonnet” while Billy Collins wryly comments on the cliché pretentiousness of some sonnets in “Sonnet.”

Structure: while Keats’s structure implies an intrinsic complexity within proper sonnets, Collins reveals that a sonnet must simply adhere to a few basic structural guidelines.  

• Keats metaphorically suggests that one listen to the lyre “and see what may be gained / By ear industrious, and attention meet” (Keats lines 8-9). Not only does Keats tell the reader that a sonnet must be “industrious[ly]” considered, but he also forces the reader to digest the structure of the sonnet by using anastrophe in these lines. By inverting the normal syntactical structure to fit into the rhyme scheme and constraints of the sonnet structure, Keats demonstrates the precision and creativity necessary for writing a good sonnet.

• Collins, in contrast, suggests that “All we need is fourteen lines, well, thirteen now, / and after this one just a dozen” (Collins 1-2). The structure of this sonnet does not seem forced at all; rather, it has a natural flow as if Collins simply moved onto the next line when he reached the necessary number of syllables. Although no specific rhyme scheme is used within the poem, the structure does fit the criteria of a sonnet just as “On the Sonnet” does.

Diction: While Collins utilizes simple diction in his sonnet, Keats incorporates very descriptive vocabulary that elevates his subject matter.

• Collins believes that writing sonnets is a simple task unless “iambic bongos must be played” (Collins line 6). The rhythmical iambic meter is compared to the beating of a bongo drum. Collins’s diction is accessible and clear, forming a distinct image in the reader’s mind. The poem is unpretentious and relatively simple, proving that the specific structure of a sonnet need not signify a complex idea within the poem. A sonnet is not admirable simply because it is a sonnet; to be satisfactory, the idea must have some merit.

• Keats refers to “Misers of sound and syllable” (Keats line 10). Like Collins, Keats believes that sonnets must present a worthy idea and not rely on the fact that they are in the structure of a sonnet. However, he uses very formal diction to eloquently express his ideas, demonstrating what a proper sonnet should be in his opinion.

Tone: Collins’s wry tone starkly contrasts the formal tone in Keats’s sonnet.

• Collins wryly suggests that a few lines in a sonnet are all that are needed to “launch a little ship on love’s storm-tossed seas” (Collins line 3). Collins deliberately incorporates the cliché comparison between a journey at sea and being in love, an idea that is repeated throughout poetry and literature. He suggests that many sonnets merely reflect an overused cliché idea in a formal structure, creating an unoriginal poem.

• Keats hopes, “Let us find, if we must be constrained, / Sandals more interwoven and complete / To fit the naked foot of Poesy” (Keats 6). Keats likewise suggests that structure can hinder creativity, and he introduces the idea that a good sonnet must carry some well-thought-out, or “interwoven and complete,” idea in order to create a worthy poem. Although both poets express the same idea, Collins uses a slightly mocking tone as he uses a line that he thinks is cliché to prove his point while Keats’s formal tone invokes a more serious and literal interpretation of what he says.  

Allusion: Although both poets incorporate allusions into their sonnets, Keats uses allusions to eloquently express his idea while Collins uses allusion to mock the pretentiousness of some poets writing sonnets.

• Keats compares the structure of the sonnet to shackles: “And like Andromeda, the sonnet sweet / Fettered” (Keats lines 2-3). Andromeda was a beautiful woman punished for her mother’s actions by being chained to a rock. A sonnet, Keats implies, can carry a beautiful idea but is often constrained by the focus placed on the structure.

• Collins says that at the end of the sonnet, “Laura will tell Petrarch to put down his pen, / take off those crazy medieval tights, / blow out the lights, and come at last to bed” (Collins 12-14). Petrarch was a famous poet who wrote sonnets, many of which were about Laura. Collins pokes fun at his work, suggesting that although a sonnet may sound extremely deep and eloquent due to the structure, the subject matter may not be as grand as it is presented as. 
  

Dorian Gray #4

            As Dorian Gray begins to succumb to corruption and cruelty, the portrait Basil painted of him reveals his true inner nature. After watching Sibyl’s abysmal performance with Basil and Harry, Dorian approaches her in the dressing room and declares that he no longer loves her. Dorian cruelly leaves his love weeping at his feet, even as she explains that the reason she can no longer act is because her love for Dorian surpasses the art she has created in the past. Back at home, Dorian notices that his portrait has “a touch of cruelty in the mouth” that had not been present in the past (Wilde 66). He immediately recalls his wish in Basil’s studio that the portrait would age while he remained young. Dorian, though still believing that he was in the right, begins to feel profound regret for the way he treated Sibyl. As he looks at the portrait, a “sense of infinite pity, not for himself, but for the painted image of himself, came over him” (67). Dorian loves his beauty more than anything, so the loss of beauty even in a picture of himself devastates him. He vows that the portrait will become his conscience, reminding him not to listen to Harry’s theories anymore. He decides that the portrait “would be a guide to him through life, would be to him what holiness is to some, and conscience is to others, and the fear of God to us all” (70). Dorian recognizes that Harry’s influence is bad for him. As he contemplates his morality, Dorian decides to make amends to Sibyl and try to repair their relationship. The portrait has the potential to positively influence Dorian and keep him on the right track. Unfortunately, Harry subsequently arrives and tells him that Sibyl has committed suicide. Dorian can no longer repair the damage, so he decides to listen to Harry and pretend that she was merely a figure in a work of art, just acting out a story. The portrait will no longer be his conscience but would “bear the burden of his shame” (77). He accepts that his soul, and the portrait, will continue to be corrupted, but he is complacent because his beauty will remain intact. Perhaps he could have turned his life around, but since Sibyl has died he has no reason to. The portrait will continue to deteriorate and his soul will as well. Already he is hiding the portrait from the world, and hopefully he does not hide it from himself as well. 

Dorian Gray #3

            The romantic relationship between Sibyl Vane and Dorian Gray is opposed by all but the two of them. Mrs. Vane cares little for her daughter’s wellbeing, and considers it an inconvenient time for Sibyl to fall in love as her brother is leaving for Australia. She tells Sibyl, “I have so much to think of, I must say that you should have shown more consideration” (Wilde 45). Mrs. Vane is a very self-focused woman, but even so, her cavalier attitude about her daughter’s potential marriage demonstrates a certain skepticism. It seems as though she does not believe that Sibyl has actually fallen in love. Mrs. Vane fills her life with theater, treating every event in her life as if it were a moment onstage. The manner in which she analyzes the benefits of the marriage shows the same superficiality. Sibyl’s brother, on the other hand, is concerned for Sibyl’s happiness and safety. When he misses Dorian pass by in the park, he tells Sibyl, “I wish I had [seen him], for as sure as there is a God in heaven, if he ever does you any wrong, I shall kill him” (50). Jim Vane is not attractive like his sister, yet his depth of emotion and his honesty are much greater than other characters in the novel. What he lacks in beauty, he makes up for in character. His apprehension about the relationship makes the reader more wary than the mother’s displeasure since he genuinely cares for Sibyl.

            Just as Sibyl’s family opposes the relationship, Basil and Harry do as well. Basil is shocked when he hears that Dorian is engaged: “But think of Dorian’s birth, and position, and wealth. It would be absurd for him to marry so far beneath him” (53). Basil genuinely seems to care about Dorian’s wellbeing, just as Jim cares for Sibyl. He thinks that Dorian is rushing into a relationship that he will never be able to undo. However, he does not tell Dorian that he disagrees with his relationship. Harry, on the other hand,  is very forthcoming as he tells Dorian the downfalls of marriage: “Women, as some witty Frenchman once put it, inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces, and always prevent us from carrying them out” (58). Harry cares less for Dorian’s happiness than he does for his own experiment. Harry enjoys influencing Dorian, and he knows that marriage will affect him. Similar to Mrs. Vane’s preoccupation with the “scene,” Harry is always focused on controlling what happens around him. Only Dorian and Sibyl see their relationship as a good idea.