Dorian Gray Chapter 7 – Discussion
Summary
TLDRIn this video script, the narrative from Chapter 7 of a novel is dissected, focusing on the theater performance of the character Sybil, whose acting is disastrously poor. This event leads to Dorian Gray's breakup with her and a subsequent change in his portrait, reflecting his cruel treatment of Sybil. The discussion delves into themes of aestheticism, conscience, and the influence of Lord Henry's cynical philosophy on Dorian's actions. The script concludes with Dorian's realization of his own cruelty and a decision to hide the portrait, symbolizing his inability to face his conscience.
Takeaways
- 🎭 The script discusses Chapter 7 of a novel where Lord Henry, Basil, and Dorian attend a theater performance featuring Sibyl, who performs poorly.
- 💔 Dorian breaks up with Sibyl after the performance due to her acting, showing a shift in his feelings and priorities.
- 🔍 Basil warns Dorian about the influence of Lord Henry, indicating a concern for Dorian's well-being and the decisions he is making.
- 🎨 The novel explores the theme of appearance versus reality, with Dorian's focus on Sibyl's beauty and talent overshadowing her actual performance.
- 😖 Dorian's reaction to Sibyl's poor acting reveals his self-centeredness and the influence of Lord Henry's cynical worldview.
- 📖 The script mentions the importance of art in the novel, with references to the preface discussing the role and purpose of art.
- 👥 The characters' reactions to the theater performance reflect their personal values and attitudes, particularly Lord Henry's superficiality.
- 😡 Dorian's cruel treatment of Sibyl after the play shows his transformation from a naive character to one driven by vanity and self-interest.
- 🖼️ The portrait in Dorian's home changes to reflect his actions and inner state, serving as a physical representation of his soul and conscience.
- 🚫 Dorian attempts to avoid confronting his actions by hiding the portrait, symbolizing his inability to face the consequences of his deeds.
- 🔮 The script suggests a moral lesson about the importance of reflecting on one's actions and the inevitability of facing one's conscience.
Q & A
What are the three main plot points in Chapter 7 of the novel?
-The three main plot points are: 1) Lord Henry, Basil, and Dorian go to the theater to watch Sibyl perform; 2) Sibyl's poor performance leads to Dorian breaking up with her; 3) Upon returning home, Dorian notices that his portrait has changed to reflect his actions.
Why does Dorian Gray break up with Sibyl after the theater performance?
-Dorian breaks up with Sibyl because she performed very poorly in the play, which embarrassed him in front of his friends, and he felt her acting was dreadful and unreal.
What does Dorian Gray's reaction to Sibyl's performance reveal about his character?
-Dorian's reaction shows his vanity and self-centeredness, as he is more concerned about his own embarrassment and the disappointment of his friends than Sibyl's feelings or the reasons behind her poor performance.
What is the significance of the portrait changing in the novel?
-The changing portrait is a physical manifestation of Dorian's soul, reflecting his moral decay and the consequences of his actions. It serves as a visible emblem of his conscience and the burden of his sins.
How does Lord Henry's influence on Dorian manifest in Chapter 7?
-Lord Henry's cynical and superficial views on life and beauty begin to affect Dorian, leading him to value appearances over substance and to become more self-centered and cruel, as seen in his treatment of Sibyl.
What does Basil Hallward warn Dorian about regarding Lord Henry?
-Basil warns Dorian not to pay attention to Lord Henry's cynical views and poisonous theories, as they could negatively influence Dorian's decisions and moral compass.
How does Sibyl's acting performance affect the perception of her by Dorian and his friends?
-Sibyl's poor acting performance leads to her being seen as a failure, not only disappointing Dorian but also causing Basil and Lord Henry to question her abilities and the wisdom of Dorian's decision to marry her.
What is the connection between Dorian's wish and the changes in the portrait?
-Dorian's wish for the portrait to age and bear the burden of his sins and passions while he remains young and beautiful directly leads to the portrait reflecting his moral deterioration and the consequences of his actions.
How does Dorian attempt to deal with the guilt and shame associated with his actions towards Sibyl?
-Dorian tries to avoid confronting his guilt and shame by drawing a large screen in front of the portrait, symbolically attempting to hide from his conscience and the consequences of his actions.
What does the end of Chapter 7 suggest about Dorian's future actions and character development?
-The end of Chapter 7 suggests that Dorian may attempt to distance himself from Lord Henry's influence, make amends with Sibyl, and possibly reevaluate his values and actions, indicating potential character growth and redemption.
Outlines
🎭 The Theater and the Transformation of Dorian's Love
In this segment, the narrative focuses on the pivotal moment in Chapter 7 of the novel where Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, and Basil attend a theater performance featuring Sybil Vane. Sybil's poor acting leads to Dorian's disillusionment and eventual rejection of her. The summary details the dynamics between the characters, highlighting Dorian's initial infatuation with Sybil's acting and eventual disappointment. It also underscores the influence of Lord Henry's cynical worldview on Dorian and the latter's growing self-absorption. The paragraph ends with Dorian's realization of the painting's change, symbolizing his inner turmoil and the beginning of his moral decay.
💔 The Shattering of Illusion and Dorian's Cruel Rejection
This paragraph delves into the aftermath of Sybil's failed performance and Dorian's subsequent emotional detachment from her. It explores Dorian's self-centered reaction to her acting failure, his cruel dismissal of their relationship, and his inability to empathize with Sybil's feelings. The summary captures the depth of Dorian's transformation from a naive admirer to a heartless individual, influenced by Lord Henry's teachings. It also discusses the philosophical implications of art and reality, as well as the audience's reaction to the play, reflecting Dorian's own internal conflict and the beginning of his moral downfall.
🌗 Dorian's Self-Reflection and the Portrait's Accusatory Silence
The third paragraph examines Dorian's introspection upon returning home and his contemplation of the portrait that bears the burden of his sins. The summary describes Dorian's realization of the portrait's role as a physical manifestation of his soul and conscience. It details his attempt to rationalize his cruelty towards Sybil and his denial of responsibility for the emotional pain he has caused. The paragraph concludes with Dorian drawing a screen in front of the portrait, symbolizing his futile attempt to hide from his conscience and the consequences of his actions.
🔮 The Wish and Its Dire Consequences
This segment of the script revisits the pivotal wish Dorian made for eternal youth and beauty, with the portrait bearing the marks of his aging and sins. The summary explains the dual nature of the wish, affecting both Dorian's physical appearance and the state of his soul. It discusses the implications of the portrait as a tangible emblem of conscience and the internal struggle Dorian faces as he recognizes the portrait's reflection of his deteriorating moral character.
🚫 Dorian's Denial and the Inevitability of Confronting One's Actions
The final paragraph in the script addresses Dorian's decision to distance himself from Lord Henry's influence and his contemplation of making amends with Sybil. The summary highlights Dorian's recognition of the need to confront his actions and the impossibility of escaping the consequences of his deeds. It concludes with Dorian's metaphorical attempt to shield himself from the portrait, representing his reluctance to face the reality of his actions and the internal turmoil that follows.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Aestheticism
💡Self-centeredness
💡Conscience
💡Cynicism
💡Appearance
💡Naivety
💡Cruelty
💡Romance
💡Theater
💡Transformation
Highlights
The novel's chapter 7 explores the dynamics between Lord Henry, Basil, and Dorian at the theater.
Sibyl's poor acting performance leads to a significant plot development.
Dorian's relationship with Sibyl deteriorates after her theater performance.
Basil warns Dorian about Lord Henry's influence, indicating a turning point in their friendship.
Dorian's perception of Sibyl changes drastically after her failed performance.
Lord Henry's cynical view on life and art influences Dorian's actions and feelings.
The audience's reaction to Sibyl's acting mirrors Dorian's own disappointment.
Dorian's self-centeredness is revealed through his reaction to Sibyl's performance.
Sibyl's realization of the difference between acting and real-life emotions is a pivotal moment.
Dorian's cruelty towards Sibyl unveils his transformation under Lord Henry's influence.
The portrait's change reflects Dorian's actions and internal turmoil.
Dorian's wish for eternal youth and the portrait to bear his aging and sins is a key theme.
The portrait serves as a physical representation of Dorian's soul and conscience.
Dorian's attempt to distance himself from Lord Henry and his teachings signifies a moment of self-reflection.
The idea that one cannot escape their conscience, symbolized by Dorian hiding the portrait, is a central message.
Transcripts
we're looking at chapter 7 of the novel
and the three main plot points that
occur throughout the novel is that Lord
Henry basil and Dorian all go to the
theater and watch syil perform uh she
performs very badly Darian breaks up
with her and then when he gets home he
sees that the painting has altered so
starting with page 96 basil says now
they're at the theater don't pay any
attention to Lord Henry Dorian I
understand understand what you mean and
I believe in this girl so Dorian trying
to explain um his love for Cil and why
he's you know why she's so perfect and
why he's going to marry her and all that
and um we get yet another instance of
Basil giving Dorian a warning about Lord
Henry don't pay any attention to what he
says unfortunately it's too late because
dorian's already doing exactly that um
basil says this marriage is quite right
I didn't think so at first but I admit
it now I'm sure you know
uh whoever you chose must be perfect
okay Dorian says thanks basil I knew
that you would understand me Harry is so
cynical he terrifies me deep down Dorian
knows that um basil is looking out for
Dorian and we we we've spoken before
about how Dorian says that Basel gives
him good advice and all that so he knows
that he can trust basil um and he knows
that basil will listen and understand
understand him and he not so critical he
says that Lord Henry is cynical you know
you always find the negative in
everything and uh he terrifies me well
yes he does terrify you and we can see
why but unfortunately doesn't deter
Dorian from following his poisonous
theories um around page 97 um Cil is
acting on stage in the production of
Romeo Juliet and she's Juliet and she is
horrific um she doesn't act like she has
been acting it's not that oh now that
Lord Henry and basil are watching dorin
is being more critical of her it's not
that she literally is not acting well so
um I've pinpointed a few descriptions
here but she was curiously listless okay
so she like no enthusiasm she showed no
sign of Joy when her eyes rested on
Romeo you know she says that she
realized that Romeo was this old ugly
looking man for the first time
the few words she had to speak were
spoke in a thoroughly artificial manner
it was bad acting uh her tone was
absolutely false uh Dorian Gray grew
pale as he watched her he's so
embarrassed now by having his two
friends there watching this awful acting
and of course watching her who he's been
boasting about this whole time to them
she sent to them um to be absolutely
incompetent it's quite a harsh word they
were horribly disappointed of course
basil and Lord Henry having heard all
this great stuff about syil knowing that
Daren is going to marry her were
incredibly disappointed but again
there's also a sense of
self-centeredness there in that they
were disappointed it's you know it's all
about me I came all the way to the
theater and I'm disappointed page 98 it
was simply bad art um and maybe just go
and read the preface again about um the
role of Art and what art should be and
all art is meaningless the last line of
the preface all art is quite useless um
we can have a debate about that but uh
again it's all about not reality it's
about theater it's about art she was a
complete failure complete failure wow
that's a bit
extreme page 99 Lord Henry you know he's
had enough of this now I think it's
after act one of the play Lord Henry
says she's quite beautiful Dorian but
she can't act let us go you know basil
Lord Henry they go they're getting out
of there they've had enough Dorian
insists that um he's going to stay and
watch the whole play right page 99 Lord
Henry says Cil is very lovely and if she
knows as little about life as she does
about acting which is obviously very
little would seem she will be a
delightful
experience now I've put that in pink
because a delightful experience for
Dorian Oh you mean like Dorian is a
delightful experience for you Lord Henry
that's not how you view people and
that's not why you should get involved
with somebody so that it's an experience
for you Lord Henry remain cynical the
secret to remaining young is never to
have an emotion that is Unbecoming in
other words you know if you experience
negative emotions such as um you have to
deal with death in the family or uh
disappointment or sorrow or anything
like that it it hasn't effect on a
person um and that outwardly makes you
older physically and so Lord Henry is
saying You must only ever experience
wonderful uh experiences and and joys in
life and you must uh lap up anything
that's going to bring you excitement and
happiness and that
um but really you know she is beautiful
what more can you want you know that's
his final thing that he says but you
know what at the end of the day she's
beautiful looks appearance what more can
you want um there's a hell of a lot more
that one should want okay so that's
incredibly Vain and shallow and that's
all linking into aestheticism there um
but remember Darian is so focused now on
on appearances because basil and uh Lord
Henry have and subil vean actually have
all made Darian realize just how
important appearance is Page 100 talks
about how the play dragged on and then
half the audience left and then by the
time the last act came there was hardly
anybody left in the theater even the
audience in this poor slum of a theater
realized that it was bad acting and left
Dorian Gray it was Dreadful are you ill
so he goes behind at the end of the play
he goes behind the stage to find Cil
vain he confronts her and she says oh
how terribly I acted tonight but she's
like gleaming right cuz she's in love so
like who cares you know she's aware of
the fact that she didn't act very well
but she's very excited to see Dorian in
that and Dorian says yes your acting was
Dreadful or you like sick or something
you have no idea what I suffered there's
the self-centeredness again it's what I
suffered what did you suffer actually
sitting in the audience watching your
fiance who you're supposed to be in love
with
just not be at her best is that RAR
suffering then he goes on to say my
friends were bored I was bored
self-centered I was bored and how can
you be bored how can you admit to
somebody that you supposedly love to
such an extent that you're going to
marry her that you were bored watching
her page 101 we can really see the
cruelty in Dorian now and he you know we
think about the Dorian in chapter 1 that
Dorian would not have acted this way
syil says Dorian Dorian before I knew
you acting was the one reality of my
life and we can you know dissect that
and say well that's interesting acting
was my one reality those are two
different ideas um acting is not reality
and uh that's why Dorian fell in love
with you for your acting not your
reality but um what she's trying to say
is that because she didn't have any
experience in the real world
of falling in love or being in love with
somebody somebody said to her you know
this is how you act when you are in love
and so she went you know textbook that's
okay fine I'll react that way now that
she has experienced love herself she
knows what it's like she can't
differentiate she can't
pretend something when she actually
feels it in a different way so she can't
pretend to be in love and I know it
sounds contradictory you think once
you've experienced being in love you
could act better being in love but what
she's saying is that because she knows
how what real love is she can no longer
pretend what real love is and act as
according to what's on the
script you came and you freed my soul
from prison well I don't know about that
but you taught me what reality really is
no no not really because Dory this whole
thing has been about you acting as a
character there's been very little
reality happening here but on her side
she feels like she now has experienced
what love is but she's also only 17
years old so she doesn't know about true
love what Love Actually is either so
you've got these two young naive people
although Dorian is not so naive anymore
um falling supposedly in love with each
other tonight I became conscious that
the words I had to speak says syil were
unreal were not my words were not what I
wanted to say she's saying that because
I have now experienced true love I would
know what I would naturally say to the
person that I'm in love with but now I
can't do that I have to read what's on
the page I have to read the script and
that makes my acting
terrible I might mimic a passion that I
do not feel in other words I can act
something that I've never experienced or
feel but I cannot mimic one that burns
me like fire and that's what I've just
has been explaining Dorian says you have
killed my love now if you really loved
your fiance if you really loved her that
much one night of acting would not kill
your
love notice how quickly Dorian has
changed as well just like basil said to
Lord Henry you change too
often um page 102 103 dorian's cruy
going to reject Cil now page 102 Doren
says you used to stir my imagination now
you don't even stir my Cur curiosity
notice there's that um weighing of two
things almost like an antithesis almost
like the nature of an epigraph which
Lord Henry uses often so you can even
see the dialect or sorry not the dialog
the dialogue or the or the diction that
Dorian is using is mimicking Lord Henry
there's definitely influence
there um he continues to say you are
shallow and stupid well I think the only
person who's shallow is you Dorian but
anyway you are nothing to me now I will
never see you again I will never think
of you that is Savage and Incredibly
cruel as for the I will never think of
you we'll see about that um you might
not have a choice you have spoiled the
romance of my life the romance definite
article the romance as if it's the only
one he's ever going to
have and remember Lord Henry first said
you shouldn't call it the the romance of
your life you should call call it a
romance because it's just
one without your art you are nothing
page 103 siil vain to him sent to be
absurdly melodramatic over the
top her tears and sobs annoyed him wow
can you imagine upsetting your fiance so
badly like that this woman that you love
and because she starts crying because of
your cruel treatment
the tears and sobs from her annoy you
and there it is again the self-centered
narcissistic nature of Dorian Gray that
it's all about him he is annoyed by her
suffering
actually page 104 Dorian arrives home
okay um so he leaves the theater and he
goes wandering around um this sort of uh
horrible part of London um and it tells
us all about what he saw um how the
grotesque children and uh drunkards and
all you know women with horse voices and
all sorts of things that and leaving the
theater the fact that the surroundings
of him of him the surroundings that he
finds himself in are so sorted so run
down so horrid so ugly and grotesque and
just dirty and it's just a horrible
environment is um relating to Dorian
Gray's character at that time it's it's
almost fitting because Dorian and his
soul as it were um and this cruel
treatment of Cil it's fitting that
Dorian is in that environment in that
area because that is what Dorian has
become he almost as if he belongs there
because that is how ugly his character
his Persona his soul theoretically is
becoming he gets home and um he looks at
the portrait that's in his house um he
examines it and then is important he's
looking at this and the he sees that the
expression on the face in the portrait
looks different one would have said that
there was a touch of Cruelty in the
mouth it's as if the mouth has changed
change slightly in the portrait almost
as if it's downturned a little bit that
would make sense because if the if the
portrait is going to be dorian's Soul
then Dorian used his mouth to belittle
and degrade and reject siil be really
cruel to her so it would make sense that
the mouth would be affected sunlight
showed him the lines of Cruelty around
the mouth as clearly as if he had been
looking into a mirror after he had done
some Dreadful thing he has done some
Dreadful thing and something even worse
as a result of that has happened that he
doesn't even know about yet but his
terrible treatment of
Cil is what or is or should I say has
caused this change in the portrait it's
not as if he's done something terrible
he has done something
terrible page 105 suddenly the flashed
across his mind what he had said in
basil Studio the day the picture had
been finished yes he remembered it
perfectly now he had uttered a mad wish
that he himself might remain young this
is the wish that Dorian made and the
portrait grow old that his own Beauty
might be untarnished and the face on the
canvas bear the burden of his passions
and his sins so there's two aspects here
at play and a lot of guys get this wrong
there's the physical aspect the fact
that the painting is going to age
appearance-wise and dorian's going to
remain young that's the one part the
other part is that the face the
appearance is also bearing the sins it's
like his conscience it's his soul as
well okay so the uglier dorian's Soul
gets and the soul is usually not a
tangible thing the uglier his soul gets
the uglier the the portrait will get so
it's not just going to age naturally
with age it's going to depict his soul
so if we if we had a physical
manifestation of our soul then we could
see exactly what it looked like and when
we did good things you know it would
look good and when we did Terrible
Things it would look bad and all that
okay so the portrait is a physical
representation of dorian's Soul page 106
cruelty he thinks had it been cruel it
was the girl's fault not his he's
thinking to himself surely you know this
mouth hasn't altered because I was cruel
I wasn't cruel uh yes you were actually
very cruel but you know placing the
blame someone else somebody else always
somebody else uh it was her fault he had
suffered also he had lived centuries of
pain look at that hyperbole centuries of
pain that's ridiculous what nonsense why
because you had to sit through uh the
theater play production and it was
boring you were bored and disappointed
wow uh she was nothing to him now but
the picture what would he think of that
it held the secret of his life and told
his story that's true it had taught him
to love his own Beauty that's also true
would it teach him to loath his own soul
absolutely yes it will you know um
there's a sense of oh well the portrait
will carry all my sins so and my
conscience so I don't have to worry
about it but we see much later in the
novel that actually what he does what
Dorian does does work on his conscience
that he actually cannot let go of his
conscience uh final page page 107 and
I've put this in bold because this
really is if you had to look for um a
description of what the portrait is you
had to use text from the novel itself it
would be this for every sin that Dorian
committed a stain would Flex and wreck
its fairness Fleck affect it change it
uh mark
it but he would not sin the picture
would be to him the visible emblem of
conscience that is what it is physical
tangible touchable I can see it
conscience then he says he would not see
Lord Henry anymore would not at any rate
listen to those subtle poisonous
theories which they are that in Hood's
Garden had first stirred within him the
passion for impossible things he would
go back to siil vean make her amends say
I'm sorry marry her try to love her
again um if you love somebody you love
them or you don't to try to love her
again so that means that you went from
being totally in love with her at the
start of the production before the
production started while you were in the
theater already and then you went to
having no love for her hours
later um clearly you are not in love
with her so to try and love her again
you don't know what you're talking about
Dorian finally at the end of the chapter
Dorian got up from his chair and Drew a
large screen right in front of the
portrait shuddering as he glanced at it
how horrible he murmured to himself yes
it is horrible it is but you see you and
I we can't run away from our conscience
or put a big screen in front of it
Dorian reckons now he can right he
doesn't even want to look at what he's
done um and that's the whole point of
human nature that we should reflect on
what we've done make amends when
necessary learn from it um feel what we
need to feel you know the remorse the
guilt shame whatever and then you know
move on um not just quickly draw a
screen in front of it and and that be
that and then lastly the kind of eristic
Viewpoint there of how horrible in other
words I don't want to have something
around me or have to look at something
that's unpleasant that's going to make
me feel uncomfortable or shameful or
whatever so it's easy I'll just put a
big screen in front of it and that's
that
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)