Chapter 11 (part 1) analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Mrs. Long delves into Chapter 11 of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' exploring Dorian's deepening obsession with the book that mirrors his life. Years have passed since the last chapter, and Dorian's portrait shows signs of decay, reflecting his corrupted soul. Rumors swirl about his life, yet his charm and innocence remain untarnished in the eyes of society. The chapter examines themes of appearance versus reality, hedonism, and the superficiality of perception. Dorian's paranoia about his secret is palpable, and his mental stability is tested by the portrait's power over him.
Takeaways
- 🕰️ Chapter 11 of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' takes place years after Chapter 10, showing significant changes in Dorian's life and the state of his portrait.
- 📚 Dorian becomes obsessed with the book given to him by Lord Henry, which he believes reflects his own life and influences his actions.
- 🎨 Dorian's portrait decays over time, reflecting his moral decline and the effects of his hedonistic lifestyle.
- 📖 He procures nine copies of the book's first edition, bound in different colors to match his moods, indicating his deep connection to its content.
- 🤔 The chapter explores themes of appearance versus reality, showing society's superficial judgment based on Dorian's youthful and innocent appearance.
- 😈 Dorian takes a cruel joy in the portrait's ugliness, contrasting it with his own unblemished reflection, revealing his twisted sense of self-satisfaction.
- 🌙 Dorian's mental stability is affected by his actions, as he experiences moments of pity and regret, especially during sleepless nights.
- 🔍 He develops paranoia about the painting being discovered, which adds to his unease and fear.
- 🌐 Dorian's life is filled with various interests and indulgences, from perfumes to music, as he seeks to escape the burden of his portrait.
- 🏰 He cannot bear to be away from England for long, fearing separation from the portrait, which has become an integral part of his identity.
- 💭 The portrait serves as both a source of pleasure and pain for Dorian, affecting his emotions and actions depending on his mood.
Q & A
What significant change occurs in Dorian Gray's life between the end of Chapter 10 and the beginning of Chapter 11?
-A considerable amount of time has passed, during which Dorian's life has significantly decayed, as evidenced by the deterioration of his portrait and the rumors about his life and reputation.
How does Dorian Gray's relationship with the book given to him by Lord Henry evolve over time?
-Dorian becomes obsessed with the book, recognizing it as a reflection of his own life and a symbol of himself. He procures nine large paper copies of the first edition, bound in different colors to suit his varying moods.
What does Dorian Gray perceive as the influence of the book on his life?
-Dorian sees the book as having a major influence, acknowledging that it is poisonous and that it has led him to indulge in his carnal desires without experiencing the external effects.
How does Dorian Gray's appearance contrast with the reality of his actions and life?
-Despite being involved in many evil deeds, Dorian maintains a youthful and innocent appearance that leads people to believe in his purity and goodness, showcasing the superficiality of society's judgment based on appearance.
What does Dorian Gray experience when he compares his reflection to the portrait?
-Dorian experiences a cruel joy and a sense of triumph, as he sees the portrait bearing all the signs of sin and a life of pleasure, while his own reflection remains unstained.
How does Dorian Gray's mental stability fare amidst his hedonistic lifestyle?
-Dorian's mental stability is compromised, as he experiences moments of self-pity and fear, especially at night, when he contemplates the damage he has done to his soul.
What are some of the interests that Dorian Gray explores in his pursuit of hedonistic pleasure?
-Dorian delves into various interests such as perfumes, music, jewels and precious stones, and embroideries, indulging in each to the fullest extent when he becomes absorbed in them.
Why does Dorian Gray fear being away from the portrait for too long?
-Dorian fears that someone might discover the painting during his absences, which could potentially reveal the truth about his soul and the nature of his life.
How does Dorian Gray's obsession with the book affect his perception of himself and the world?
-His obsession with the book intensifies his self-absorption and the belief that he is living a life that was written before he had experienced it, further isolating him from the world.
What role does the portrait play in Dorian Gray's life as he indulges in hedonistic pleasures?
-The portrait serves as both a source of pleasure and pain for Dorian. It brings him joy when he contemplates his unaged beauty, but also causes him torment when he is reminded of the sins and degradation it represents.
How does Dorian Gray's experience with the portrait reflect his inner conflict?
-Dorian's relationship with the portrait is a manifestation of his inner conflict between the desire for eternal youth and beauty and the guilt and fear of the moral decay he has caused.
Outlines
📚 The Portrait's Influence on Dorian Gray
This paragraph delves into the impact of the book 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' on its protagonist, Dorian. It discusses the passage of time from the end of Chapter 10, highlighting Dorian's growing obsession with the book, which he sees as a reflection of his own life. The chapter also touches on the decay of the portrait, rumors of Dorian's scandalous life, and his superficial charm that masks his true nature. The summary emphasizes Dorian's fascination with the book, his hedonistic lifestyle, and the societal superficiality that fails to recognize his true character.
😈 Dorian's Cruel Joy and Paranoia
In this paragraph, the focus shifts to Dorian's private moments of cruel joy, where he contrasts his own youthful appearance with the monstrous portrait that bears the marks of his sins. The text describes his sense of triumph over nature and the unease that stems from his paranoia about the painting being discovered. It also touches on Dorian's intellectual pursuits and his rejection of any life theory in favor of pure hedonism. The summary captures Dorian's complex relationship with the portrait, his fear of exposure, and his exploration of various interests as a means to escape his inner turmoil.
🎭 Dorian's Hedonistic Pursuits and the Portrait's Grip
The final paragraph explores Dorian's relentless pursuit of hedonistic pleasures and the dual role the portrait plays in his life—sometimes a source of pride, other times a burden. It details his various obsessions, from gemstones to music, and his ability to immerse himself fully in each new interest. The summary also addresses Dorian's fear of being separated from the portrait and his constant worry about it being discovered, revealing the deep psychological hold the painting has over him.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hedonism
💡Appearance vs. Reality
💡Obsession
💡Sensual Pleasure
💡Degradation
💡Paranoia
💡Innocence
💡Superficiality
💡Carnal Desires
💡Moral Decay
💡Self-Indulgence
Highlights
Chapter 11 of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' picks up years after the end of Chapter 10, showing the decay of Dorian's portrait and rumors of his life.
Dorian's growing obsession with the book that Lord Henry introduced him to is evident through his collection of nine large paper copies bound in different colors.
Dorian sees the story of the young Parisian in the book as a reflection of his own life, written before he lived it.
The book is described as having a poisonous influence on Dorian, who recognizes it as such but is unable to free himself from its allure.
Dorian indulges in his desires without experiencing the external effects, influenced by Lord Henry's philosophy.
The contrast between Dorian's outward beauty and the monstrous portrait is a central theme of appearance versus reality.
Society's superficiality is critiqued through their inability to see past Dorian's charming appearance to the evil rumors about him.
Dorian takes a cruel joy in observing the portrait's hideousness, contrasting it with his own unblemished reflection.
Dorian's mental stability is affected by his actions, as he experiences moments of pity for the soul he has corrupted.
Dorian's paranoia about the painting being discovered is a constant source of unease.
Dorian's exploration of various interests, such as perfumes, music, and gemstones, is a manifestation of his hedonistic lifestyle.
His fear of the consequences of his actions leads Dorian to a life of 'huge new hedonism' as prophesied by Lord Henry.
Dorian's belief that life itself is more important than any theory of life reflects his commitment to hedonistic living.
Dorian's collection of treasures serves as a means of forgetfulness, allowing him to escape the fear associated with the portrait.
The portrait's role in Dorian's life fluctuates between a source of pleasure and a burden, depending on his mood.
Dorian's reluctance to be long out of England is tied to his fear of being separated from the portrait.
The portrait's significance to Dorian is akin to a part of him, despite the fear and torment it brings.
Transcripts
hi and welcome to mrs long's video
lesson on the picture of dorian gray
today we're looking at chapter 11.
um so chapter 11 picks up quite a few
years after the end of chapter 10.
much has gone on in dorian's life in the
inter-intermediary time between this
chapter and the previous chapter
and we see evidence of that in
the decay of the portrait that is
described and
in the um description of rumors
of dorian's life and reputation
and it also describes his growing
obsession with the book
and also the sorts of things he's been
occupying himself with
um in the the you know years between
um that's not covered specifically in
the book
okay um so the end of chapter 10 it pick
dealt with um dorian's saying to lord
henry
that he's fascinated by the book but
that doesn't mean he likes it
and um lord henry says oh you have have
you
you know the difference now um which
kind of suggests that
it might also be lord henry um sort of
hinting at
his fascination with dorian
and sort of hinting at dorian's morbid
fascination with this book
now says he can't free himself from the
influence
or perhaps it would be accurate to say
he never sought to free himself he
procured from paris no
less than nine large paper copies of the
first edition and had them bound in
different colors
and he has them bound in different
colours to suit his different moods
depending on when how he's feeling when
he wants to read it again
so this young parisian the hero of this
book becomes
almost like a symbol of himself to
dorian
and it's he says he seems as if the
whole story contained his own life
written before he had lived it
so you can see he's he's definitely
grown an obsession with this
this book and the story um and he
himself
um recognizes that it's a poisonous book
okay so you can look at the book as
having a major influence on
dorian lord henry and of course he's the
one who gave him the book and
um that was not by accident and of
course dorian
just giving into his carnal innermost
desires
as a result of realizing that he can um
indulge in these without experiencing
the external effects of it
so this description here
is describing the cruel joy
that he used to read the letter part of
the book which is tragic
if somewhat or with its tragic if
somewhat overemphasized account of the
sorrow despair one who had himself lost
what in others in the world he had most
dearly valued so he takes a sort of
sick pleasure in reading the end of this
book and it's almost the kind of sick
pleasure he takes in
in observing the painting as well for
the wonderful beauty that had fascinated
basil and many others seemed never to
leave him
even those who had heard the most evil
things against him
even the strange rumors that people
heard
they couldn't believe anything to
dishonor when they saw him he always had
the look of one who'd kept himself
unspotted from the world
they wondered how so charming graceful
how once a chummy and graceful
could have escaped the stain of an age
that was as once
sordid and essential so
sorry for that freedom slip there so
um what's what this is dealing with here
is
this idea of appearance versus reality
and also how
superficial the people in our own
society are
in thinking well if he looks beautiful
and innocent then he must be those
things
and then not being able to believe the
rumors about him because he seems to be
so pure and um and young and beautiful
looking
which of course is a complete fallacy
like you can
you know be up to all sorts of horrible
things
behind the scenes and
still look innocent on the surface
and the fact that people have their
inability to
sip separate the two and realize that he
could still
be doing these horrible things shows us
the the sort of superficiality of their
society
so this describes now this kind of cruel
joy
the sick pleasure he takes in creeping
upstairs to the locker room
opening it because he's the only one
with the key and then
standing with the mirror in front of the
portrait and comparing the fair young
face that laughed back at him from the
polished glass
to um this terrible
monstrous thing um it's described as
having hideous lines
um the seared full forehead the heavy
sensual mouth
he would place his white hands beside
the coarse bloated hands of the picture
and smile
he mocked the misshapen body and failed
england
you can imagine his sense of triumph
over
nature standing looking at this hideous
aging portrait
and with all the visible signs of sin
and a life of pleasure
and then looking at his own unstained
reflection and just you know
congratulating himself on having escaped
all of that
however the portraits
all of the benefit that affords dorian
it doesn't leave him
unscathed in terms of his mental
stability
and it describes how in moments at night
when lying sleepless in his own
delicately centered chamber
or in some sorted room of an ill-famed
tavern
reference say to his reputation um
where he was under an assumed name and a
disguise
he would think of the rune he'd bought
upon his soul with a pity
that was more poignant because it was
selfish
and so he isn't
unaware of what he's done to his own
soul
and what also manifests for dorian
is his
complete paranoia that someone is going
to discover the painting
which also brings him a sense of unease
another sort of aspect sort of the
reason
that people found chapter 11 to be so
odorous to read
is because all the um the long
descriptions about the things in which
dorian involved himself
so he became quite sort of circumspect
and it's it's
describes here as he looked back upon
man moving through history
he was haunted by a feeling of loss so
much had been surrendered into such
little purpose
there had been mad willful rejections
monstrous forms of self torture and
denial
whose origin was fear and his result was
a degradation
infinitely more terrible than that fancy
degradation from which
in their ignorance he had sought to
escape so he looks back
at everything that man had given up in
the fear of
the consequences and this kind of
confirmed to him that his way of living
as lord henry had prophesied was it as a
huge new hedonism
was to save um
himself from having a life of puritanism
and
a life of denial instead of the life of
just purely pleasure
so he he explores
catholicism um darwinism
and um but it says that he never fell
into the air of arresting his
intellectual development by any form of
acceptance of a creative system
now you can imagine how
dorian's beliefs and his um
his behavior would clash with the ideals
of a
system particularly one of catholicism
yet as has been said of him before no
theory of life seemed to him to be
any importance compared with life itself
so again we go back to this idea of
hedonistic living he knew that the
senses no less the soul
have their spiritual mysteries and so in
his search
to express his love for sensual pleasure
he studies perfumes he devotes himself
to music
he studies jewels and precious stones
and embroideries and every time he
comes across an interest he kind of
throws himself completely into it and
because there's no
sort of um
top but nothing to stop him from
spending money
because he's just got the sort of
seemingly endless um
well of money he just whenever he
becomes absorbed in something he would
completely
um indulge in everything so
when he was interested in gemstones he
would travel
and um bar all sorts of beautiful stones
and bars
of beautiful embroideries okay so he
really was
taking lord henry's idea of um
curing the soul with the senses
literally
he always had an extraordinary faculty
of becoming absolutely absorbed for the
moment and whatever he took
up he was almost saddened by the
reflection of the ruin that tom bought
on beautiful and wonderful things he at
any rate had escaped that
so even when he's looking at beautiful
things um
he in the back of his mind he's
comparing them to himself
and being sad that everything that's
beautiful has to age and decay
and then thanking his lucky stars that
he doesn't
that he's escaped that fate no one to
marry his face or stand his flower like
bloom again comparing him to a flower
so he didn't have to suffer the fate of
all material things
right so here this extract talks about
the treasures and everything he
collected
were to him to be a means of
forgetfulness modes by which he could
escape for a season from the fear that
seemed to him at times to be almost
too great to be born okay so
at night he's like the previous extract
talks about how he used to lie awake at
night and think about
or mourn the loss of his soul and
now what it addresses is this
um the sort of heaviness that surrounds
him
to do with this painting um he hung with
his own hands a terrible portrait his
changing features showed him the real
degradation for weeks he would not go
there would forget the hideous painted
thing and get back his light heart his
wonderful joyousness
his passionate absorption
and he would go away and forget all
about it now at the end of
chapter 10 he mentioned that he need
never look on it again
obviously he couldn't resist that
temptation
sometimes to gaze on it and just
congratulate himself for
escaping the fate that the portrait has
um has had to bear
and other other times um he'd sit in
front of the picture
loathing it and himself filled at other
times with pride
of individual vigilism that is half the
the fascination of sin and smiling with
secret pleasure than the shape and
shadow
that had to bear the burden so it wasn't
always with pleasure
it wasn't always with loathing um
this portrait kind of had us this jewel
a role in his life depending on his mood
at the time
and so after a few years it says he
could not enjoy to be long out of
england gave up the villa that he'd
shared a true will with lord henry
as well as the little white walls in
house at old jers where they had more
than once spent the winter he hated to
be separated from the picture
separated from the picture there was
such a part of his life and was also
afraid that during his absences someone
might gain access to the room
so at the back of his mind always is
this connection
that he has to the picture remember that
formed from the very beginning where
basil wanted to destroy it and he said
mode would be murder
so it's almost as if the picture is
actually a part of him
although i mean realistically if anybody
says it's true the portrait is preserved
under all the fathers and ugliness
it's marked like this to himself but
what could they learn from that
so even if he told them would they
believe it so
logically he knows that the painting
isn't so much dangerous to him
but he still has this fear that if
somebody sees it they might discover his
truth
and the sphere was something that he
couldn't quite shake so much so that he
couldn't bear to be away from the
painting for too long
so what we're gathering now is this
this picture of um dorian who has
really thrown himself into a life of
hedonistic pleasures
um but at the back of his mind
is always this little
little worry of this portrait and
sometimes it brings in pleasure
sometimes it brings in pain and torture
and we'll continue with this analysis in
the next video
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