Dorian Gray Chapter 4 – Discussion
Summary
TLDRIn Chapter 4 of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' Lord Henry's influence over Dorian becomes more pronounced, as he molds Dorian into a physical embodiment of his own ideals. Dorian, under Henry's guidance, pursues new experiences and sensations, leading to a swift engagement with actress Sibyl Vane. Despite his earlier reluctance to marry, Dorian's transformation under Henry's 'artistic' influence is complete, as he embraces superficiality and the pursuit of aesthetic pleasure, with little regard for true character or depth.
Takeaways
- 🎭 Lord Henry considers himself an artist, using his charm and wit to shape Dorian Gray, much like a sculptor uses a chisel.
- 🖌️ The idea of life and art being interchangeable is a central theme, with Lord Henry molding Dorian as his art piece, reflecting his own vanity and desire for influence.
- 👰 Dorian's engagement to Sibyl Vane is influenced by Lord Henry's views, showing Dorian's susceptibility to Lord Henry's persuasive charm and ideas.
- 🔄 Dorian's transformation from a shy, innocent individual to someone seeking new experiences and sensations is largely a result of Lord Henry's influence.
- 💔 The impact of Lord Henry's philosophy on Dorian's relationships is evident, as Dorian distances himself from Basil, who offers good advice that contradicts Lord Henry's views.
- 👩❤️👨 Dorian's infatuation with Sibyl is superficial, focusing on her appearance and stage presence rather than her true character, highlighting the theme of aestheticism.
- 🤔 The script raises questions about the nature of love and commitment, as Dorian quickly moves from denying the possibility of marriage to being engaged, influenced by Lord Henry's cynical views on relationships.
- 📜 The use of aphorisms and epigrams by Lord Henry to express his views on life, art, and relationships is a key stylistic feature of the novel, emphasizing his wit and the power of his words.
- 🧐 Lord Henry's pleasure in observing Dorian's changes and his disregard for the consequences of his influence reveal a lack of empathy and a self-centered perspective on life.
- 🚫 The script suggests that Lord Henry's views are not only superficial but also potentially harmful, as they encourage Dorian to pursue experiences without considering the moral implications.
- 📚 The contrast between the characters' appreciation of art and life experiences, and their understanding of love and relationships, provides a critique of the aesthetic movement and its potential pitfalls.
Q & A
How does Lord Henry view himself in relation to art in Chapter 4 of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'?
-Lord Henry considers himself to be an artist or a sculptor in the metaphorical sense, using his charm, wit, and influence to shape Dorian Gray, turning him into a more physically attractive version of himself, as if Dorian were a piece of art.
What does Lord Henry believe he is achieving by molding Dorian Gray?
-Lord Henry believes he is countering the effects of an age that he perceives as limited and vulgar by molding Dorian into a marvelous type of boy. He sees this as his form of art and hopes to take his place among the artistic masters like Michelangelo.
How does Lady Henry recognize Dorian Gray when she first encounters him?
-Lady Henry recognizes Dorian Gray through his photographs, of which her husband, Lord Henry, has collected 17, and by having seen him with her husband at the Opera.
What does Dorian Gray's engagement to Sibyl Vane signify about his character development?
-Dorian Gray's sudden engagement to Sibyl Vane signifies a significant change in his character, as he initially claimed he would never marry. This shows the influence of Lord Henry's views on Dorian and his growing desire for new experiences.
What is the difference between an aphorism and an epigram as discussed in the script?
-An aphorism is a short, clever saying intended to express a general truth, while an epigram is a witty, clever expression or remark, often put in a humorous way. Aphorisms aim to explain truths, whereas epigrams aim to sound clever.
How does Lord Henry's view on marriage reflect his character?
-Lord Henry's view on marriage as something not to be entered into lightly, due to his belief that men and women are disappointed by it, reflects his cynical and superficial nature, valuing appearance and wit over deeper connections.
What does Dorian Gray's infatuation with Sibyl Vane reveal about his changing values?
-Dorian Gray's infatuation with Sibyl Vane, based primarily on her appearance and the roles she plays on stage, reveals that his values are shifting towards aestheticism and superficial judgments under Lord Henry's influence.
How does Lord Henry's attitude towards women in Chapter 4 reflect his misogyny?
-Lord Henry's attitude towards women is revealed as misogynistic through his comments that women are decorative and have nothing to say but say it charmingly. He also dismisses the idea of loyalty and fidelity in relationships as a lack of imagination.
What does the phrase 'premature' signify in the context of Dorian Gray's transformation under Lord Henry's influence?
-The term 'premature' signifies that Dorian Gray has been exposed to experiences and influences that he might not have encountered at his age or stage of life, leading to an unnatural and potentially harmful development of his character.
How does Lord Henry's pleasure in watching Dorian change reflect his lack of empathy?
-Lord Henry's pleasure in watching Dorian change, regardless of the outcome, shows a lack of empathy and concern for Dorian's well-being. He views Dorian's life as an experiment and takes pleasure in the process without considering the potential negative consequences.
What is the significance of Sibyl Vane referring to Dorian Gray as 'Prince Charming'?
-The significance of Sibyl Vane referring to Dorian as 'Prince Charming' is that it creates a persona for Dorian that is separate from his true identity. This persona becomes important later in the novel when it is used to disguise his true identity, especially in the opium den scene.
Outlines
🎨 Lord Henry's Artistic Influence on Dorian Gray
In this paragraph, we see Lord Henry treating life as his art, using his charm and wit to shape Dorian Gray into his vision of perfection. He views his influence over Dorian as a form of art, aiming to counteract the vulgarity of his own age. The paragraph highlights Lord Henry's belief that life and art are interchangeable, and his desire to mold Dorian into a living masterpiece. It also introduces the idea that Lord Henry's influence is so strong that Dorian is willing to follow his advice, even to the point of engaging in immoral actions.
💍 Dorian's Engagement and Lord Henry's Misogyny
This paragraph delves into Dorian's sudden engagement to Sibyl Vane, a woman he barely knows, and Lord Henry's continued influence over him. It showcases Lord Henry's misogynistic views, where he devalues women as either geniuses or decorative objects. Dorian's infatuation with Sibyl is portrayed as a superficial attraction based on her appearance and talent as an actress, rather than a deep understanding of her character. The paragraph also reveals Dorian's internal conflict, as he admits that Lord Henry's views terrify him, yet he continues to be swayed by them.
🌆 Dorian's Descent into London's Underbelly
The narrative follows Dorian's journey into the grimy and immoral parts of London, driven by his desire for new sensations and experiences, as encouraged by Lord Henry. This paragraph emphasizes the danger and allure of the city's darker side, and how Dorian's pursuit of aesthetic pleasure leads him to disregard the moral implications of his actions. It also highlights the stark contrast between Dorian's initial innocence and his current state of moral decay, influenced by Lord Henry's teachings.
💔 The Consequences of Lord Henry's Manipulation
In the final paragraph, the consequences of Lord Henry's manipulation become apparent. Dorian's transformation from a shy, innocent individual to a man obsessed with new experiences and sensations is complete. The paragraph reflects on the loss of Dorian's former self and the impact of Lord Henry's influence on his relationships, particularly with Basil, who is now excluded from Dorian's life. It also touches on the theme of superficial love, as Dorian's engagement to Sibyl is based on appearance and performance rather than genuine connection.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Aestheticism
💡Influence
💡Misogyny
💡Superficiality
💡Aphorism
💡Epigram
💡Sensations
💡Engagement
💡Character
💡Transformation
Highlights
Lord Henry views himself as an artist, using his charm and influence to shape Dorian Gray.
Life and art are interchangeable in Lord Henry's mind, as he molds Dorian into a more attractive version of himself.
Lady Henry recognizes that her husband's friends, including Dorian, are influenced by Lord Henry's views.
Lord Henry's obsession with Dorian is evident through the numerous photographs he has of him.
Dorian is influenced by Lord Henry's views on marriage and relationships, leading to his engagement to Sibyl Vane.
Dorian's engagement contradicts his earlier statement of not intending to marry.
Aphorisms and epigrams are used by Lord Henry to express general truths and clever remarks, respectively.
Lord Henry's misogynistic views are highlighted through his comments on women being decorative but not geniuses.
Dorian's infatuation with Sibyl Vane is based on her appearance and the characters she plays, not her true personality.
Lord Henry's influence on Dorian is acknowledged by Dorian himself, who admits to putting Lord Henry's advice into practice.
Dorian's sudden love for Sibyl is seen as a psychological phenomenon by Lord Henry, driven by a desire for new experiences.
Lord Henry takes pleasure in watching Dorian change, regardless of the outcome of his life.
Dorian's transformation is largely a result of Lord Henry's influence, making Dorian his own creation.
Basil Hallward's absence from Dorian's life signifies the loss of a potentially positive influence and friend.
Dorian's engagement to Sibyl Vane is revealed through a telegram, showcasing his rapid change in perspective on marriage.
Transcripts
looking at chapter 4 of The Picture of
Dorian Gray um so we're at this point
now where we can see Lord Henry
considers himself to be an artist um or
a sculptor in the sense that he's using
his charm and his wit and his influence
almost metaphorically as as the
paintbrush or as the Chisel um he wants
to shape Dorian to turn him into a more
physically attractive version of himself
or sees him as an experiment in that um
he wants to make Dorian as if a piece of
art um to do things that maybe he
wouldn't do himself just to see as some
wild experiment so Lord Henry is wanting
his art which is Dorian to reveal the
artist which is himself okay which of
course goes against the first line of
the preface
so just refer back to the preface there
um and you'll see what Oscar wild says
there in Lord Henry's mind life and art
are not only uh connected but they're
interchangeable so by molding Dorian
into this marvelous type of boy he
believes that he's countering the
effects of an age so limited and vulgar
as his own so Lord Henry considers that
he's going to you know take his place
among the artistic Masters such as
Michelangelo by having Dorian as his
artwork quite a bit to discuss in
chapter 4 it's a month later and Dorian
is waiting at Lord Henry's place for
Lord Henry to arrive and then he thinks
Lord Henry arrives but it's actually um
his his wife Lord Henry's wife and uh
the the words of Victoria Lord Henry's
wife also sometimes known as lady Henry
Dorian um is you thought it was my
husband it is only his wife so that
tells me that uh she recognizes
that her husband treats her badly and
that she doesn't have the same value or
that um it's she's a disappointment to
Dorian because she knows that Lord
Henry's friends all want to see Lord
Henry not necessar his wife but anyway
um page 55 she says I know you quite
well by your photographs I think my
husband has got 17 of them that's a
little bit weird um but that just shows
how obsessed Lord Henry is with Dorian
and the second reason how she recognizes
Dorian is that she says I saw you with
my husband the other night at the Opera
lady Henry also says Ah that is one of
Harry's views isn't it um I always hear
Harry's views from his friends and what
she's referring to is about talking
during music and if you hear bad music
Dorian says You must drown it in
conversation and all that but what is
important there is to note that Dorian
isn't the first or the last to be
influenced by Lord Henry's views and his
wife recognizes that and says oh I know
a lot of the friends uh speak like Lord
Henry because he is so witty and clever
with his uh with his sayings and then
Lord Henry arrives and uh the wife
leaves page 56 Lord Henry says never
marry a woman with straw colored hair
and you think to yourself well that's
very vain you know um again and it's all
about appearance that's very superficial
isn't it how can you say something like
that where's the personality there never
marry at all Darian he goes on men marry
because they are tired women because
they are curious both are
disappointed Darian says I don't think I
am likely to Marry Harry which is not
true because by the end of the chapter
he's engaged so when basil said earlier
in the novel to Lord Henry you change
too much Lord Henry you change too much
we can see now that Dorian is actually
also going to be changing a lot because
he's going to change his ideas and his
viewpoints throughout the novel but
specifically here he says that no he
doesn't think he'll ever get married and
then suddenly yes he is getting married
he's getting engaged to Cil
vein I am too much in love what what
type of nonsense is that that is one of
your aphorisms I mentioned at the end of
chapter 3 about aphorism and I've put it
here as a definition as well um an
aphorism is a short clever saying that
is intended to express some general
truth how that differs to an epigram is
that an epigram is usually some witty
clever uh expression or remark that's
put in like a funny humorous way okay so
an aphorism is more like trying to
explain truth whereas an epigram is more
like just trying to sound
clever okay and Lord Henry makes use of
both this line I put in pink here is
important because Dorian recognizes I am
putting it into practice as I do
everything that you say so not only do
we see the the incredible influence that
Lord Henry has over Dorian not only does
Lord Henry recognize that he has that
influence over Dorian but Dorian himself
recognizes it and us as the reader
knowing that Doran is doing that and we
know of all the terrible things that
some or the bad advice and negative
advice that that
um or the immoral advice often that Lord
Henry says to Dorian and Dorian is
putting into practice everything that
Lord Henry says that's not good page 57
it's all about Dorian telling Lord Henry
how he met how Dorian tells Lord Henry
about siil ve oh yes a description of of
Cil vain um and also Lord Henry talks
about the difference between plain woman
being useful and other pretty women
being charming and all that
um and then also on page 57 Lord Henry
says my dear boy notice how he still
calls him my dear boy even though
earlier on in the novel I think it was
chapter 2 Darian said and I don't allow
people to call me
boy um but here Lord Henry couldn't give
a damn about that it keeps calling him
boy no woman is a genius woman or a
decorative sex yes how can you say that
that is quite misogynistic isn't it
almost like a hatred for women he's you
know Lord Henry is a misogynist they
never have anything to say but they say
it charmingly so that just gives me
Insight again into the type of character
that Lord Henry is and there's that bank
of information and those descriptions
that we building up over time um and how
he views women
uh page 57 Dorian says Ah Harry your
views terrify me okay yes they are quite
terrifying then uh we we learn about
that Dorian met siil ban 3 weeks ago um
at the theater and it was the third
night um after viewing her on stage that
Dorian actually went to go meet Cil page
58 Dorian uh meeting syil never would
have happened if I had not met you Lord
Henry well that's true you fill me with
a wild desire to know everything about
life blah blah blah I had a passion for
Sensations so the whole reason why
Dorian Gray went into that sorted ugly
grimy immoral area of London um was
because Lord Henry had told him you know
you must search for every sensation and
every experience and so Dorian
recognizes that and says well well you
know what I have the wild passion for
Sensations I felt that this gray
monstrous London of ours with its Myriad
many people its sworded sinners now
sorted can physically mean dirty and
squalled and shabby and grimy ugly or
sorted as an adjective can also mean you
know it involves immoral actions and or
motives
um it sorted Sinners and it splended
sins it's almost like an oxymoron there
sins being you know
not good and to put it mildly and
Splendid being fantastic so it Splendid
sins as you once phrased it so that
again reiterates that Dorian is
absorbing everything that Lord Henry
says and that's not a good idea must
have something in store for me the mere
danger gave me a sense of
delight uh it shouldn't be giving you a
sense of delight um dodgy areas of town
or or sorted areas and and experiences
and the possible danger that you can get
into should be pushing you away it
should not be attractive to you at
all page 59 Lord Henry says my dear boy
there's the boy again down condescending
downplaying uh almost belittling um the
people who love only once in their lives
are really the shallow people what they
call their loyalty and their Fidelity
are call lack of imagination
that's wrong people shouldn't um be
going around cheating on their wives and
multiple relationships and being
unfaithful and stuff I wouldn't call
that uh you know I wouldn't call being
truthful and honest and loyal to your
wife or your partner as lacking
imagination so definitely disagree with
that page 60 Dorian says that uh the
first play that he went to go and watch
at this horrible theater that this
monstrous Jew invited him into to watch
was Romeo and Juliet and then the
description of the place just you know
links into the sorted nature of it all
The Wretched ho of place there was a
dreadful Orchestra Romeo a short Old
Gentleman um but Juliet Harry imagine a
girl hardly 17 years of age with a
little flower like face notice I've put
in pink it's all description it's all
about how she looks all right all about
appearance um dark brown hair eyes that
were Violet Wells of passion lips that
were like the Petals of a rose she was
the loveliest thing I'd ever seen in my
life and so nowhere is there any mention
about her character or her personality
okay your voice and the voice of siil
veins are two things that I shall never
forget well that's probably true he's
never going to forget the voice of Lord
Henry because he's absorbing everything
and taking everything literally
and putting it into practice Cil Vain's
voice well I don't know that's debatable
but let's see as we go along in the
novel um just as a sort of sideline joke
there I said that Darian should read
Sonet 13 where where Shakespeare says
that all these famous well-known typical
descriptions that are unreal and
unrealistic um of one's lover are
ridiculous and not a true reflection of
what they look like so this is very
poetic that Dorian is talking about here
but again as I say it's all about
aestheticism and appearance and Lord
Henry has made Dorian appreciate and
enjoy his appearance so much his own
appearance so much so of course he's
going to uh regard it highly in other
people page 61 Lord Henry says you could
not have helped telling me Dorian all
through your life you will tell me
everything that you do there again
Insight Lord Henry knows the power he
has over Dorian um you will tell me
everything that you do not really true
though because uh Dorian doesn't tell
him about the painting changing and he
doesn't tell him about other things that
he does uh don't want to give any
spoilers away but other cruel acts that
he does um in the novel later on in the
story Dorian says you have a curious
influence over me if I ever did a crime
I would come and confess it to you you
would understand me not true because
when Dorian later does do a crime he
does not tell Lord Henry Lord Henry says
people like you don't commit crimes
Dorian what do you mean people like you
the fact that you're good-looking cuz
what else could Lord Henry be talking
about page 62 to 63 is all about how
Darian met Cil on the third night you
can all go read about that um page 63
though um towards the bottom of the page
Cil says after
the um the Jew old Jew they refer to um
kept calling Dorian Gray my Lord all the
time Cil says no you look more like a
prince I must call you Darian Prince
Charming and as I've said there that
becomes very important later on very
very important because James vain Only
Knows Dorian as as Prince Charming he
doesn't know that his real name is
actually Dorian Gray and
uh much later on in the novel when
Darian is in an opium den uh there's a
lady there that says oh yeah but you're
known as Prince Charming aren't you so
take note of that um page 64 Dorian says
I get hungry for cil's presence and when
I think of the wonderful soul that is
hidden away in that little Ivory body
I'm filled with
okay first of all appearance Ivory body
but secondly of all what are you talking
about wonderful Soul what do you know of
her soul all you ever know of Cil ban is
the character that she's playing on
stage whether it's Juliet or Rosland or
whatever it is so you have actually no
idea about the personality of Cil vain
so he's talking nonsense Lord Henry asks
a very pertinent question when is she
Cil Vain and Doran replies never and
that's true and so Lord Henry is saying
but hang on what do you actually know of
this woman and Darian admits well she's
never siil vain she's always some other
character so again how can you get
engaged to somebody you don't even know
what she's like page 65 Lord Henry
watched Dorian with a subtle sense of
pleasure how different he was now from
the shy frightened boy he had met in
Basel hallwood studio so Lord Henry is
lapping up he's enjoying he's finding
pleasure in watching Dorian change now
Dorian may have been shy and frightened
in basil hwood Studio but let's not
attach negative connotations to those
words um he was probably a lot more
innocent and
levelheaded and uh better off than he is
now and so when basil said that uh he
was staying with the real Dorian looking
at the painting um that was the real
Dorian initially and now poor basil has
been left out we haven't even heard of
Basil you know a month later and uh Lord
Henry and Dorian are spending time
together poor old basil who Dorian was
his close friend and we know who's
infatuated with Doran is completely out
of the picture and that's a Pity because
basil has the only chance of saving
Dorian from Lord Henry's influence dear
basil I have not laid eyes on him for a
week haven't seen him for a week I don't
want to see him
alone he says things that annoy me he
gives me good advice yes basil does give
you good advice so why is that annoying
it shouldn't be annoying but it is
annoying because for Dorian it goes
against his theories Lord Henry's
theories and his ideas of the world and
his desire and hunger to have New
Sensations and experience life fully
Basel would go against that and
therefore to Dorian that is
annoying page 67 to a large extent the
lad Dorian was his own Lord Henry's own
creation he had made Dorian premature
which you know his own creation links
into what I said at the start of the
video he has exposed Dorian to things
that Dorian would not have been exposed
to until much later or even ever so the
premature part um and that's not a good
thing page 68 it was delightful to watch
him so as I said Lord Henry is finding
immense pleasure in watching Dorian but
what's scary is that it was no matter
how it all ended or was destined to end
so to Lord Henry's Viewpoint it doesn't
matter how dorian's life ends you know
it doesn't matter what happens to Dorian
if he crumbles he has this trag
downfall Lord Henry it doesn't matter to
him because it's not his life it's
somebody else's life and he has no sense
of guilt or shame in affecting somebody
negatively and seeing their life crumble
which it will okay so again what kind of
man is Lord Henry page 69 Dorian Gray
was a subject made to Lord Henry's hand
he again Lord Henry being the artist
here sculpting Dorian his sudden
dorian's sudden mad love for syil was a
psychological
phenomenon the desire for new
experiences so he's like he's Lord
Henry's probably thinking you know this
whole thing about this infatuation with
Cil vean is silly um Lord Henry knows
that it's not really true love um
because it's only been 3 weeks and and
that Dorian doesn't even know sub Ban's
character he only knows the actresses
and the characters that she sorry that's
conf confusing Lord Henry knows that
Dorian doesn't even know anything about
Cil Vain's personality her actual nature
owning the characters that she plays on
stage but Lord Henry doesn't say
anything to Dorian about you know he
doesn't share that information or that
Insight he doesn't say I think this is a
bad idea I don't think you should get
engaged uh you don't know the girl very
well he's just happy to sit and observe
it and see H this is a very
psychologically interesting experiment
that's going on here end of the chapter
Lord Henry reads a telegram from Dorian
stating that he's engaged to be married
to Cil vain which goes against the oh I
don't think Lord Henry I'm ever going to
get married so changed very very quickly
and that ends chapter 4
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