The Picture of Dorian
Gray- Oscar Wilde, chapters 1-2
111163 Sung
Jiyun
In the first two chapters of this
book the Picture of Dorian Gray, three people appear: Basil Hallward,
Lord Henry, and Dorian Gray. Lord Henry is a mysterious, ironical, antagonistic
figure. He talks unethical nonsense, yet he seems to have a point. He is so
charming but poisonous, like the fruit of the tree of knowledge. He signifies
the rotten corruption the Victorian Era, and he is bound to have critical
influence on others, especially innocent ones. On the other hand, Basil
Hallward is a poor but talented painter who has an insight. He himself is able
to resist the temptation of Lord Henry. And charmed by the beautiful young man,
Basil tries to protect Dorian Gray from Lord Henry’s influence as well.
Just
as Basil predicted, Lord Henry’s immediate influence on Dorian Gray was almost
fascinating. Dorian Gray clang to his every word, staring at him fixedly with
an insoluble expression- Lord Henry later described it as ‘playing an exquisite
violin that aswers to every touch and thrill of the bow.’ Once he started
working, Basil Hallward wass busy portraying the strange expression on Dorian’s
face that he could not stop the misfortune. It was even more fascinating how
Dorian Gray himself does not notice his outright difference in his personality.
‘…Yet they seemed to him to come really from himself…. The few rods had touched
some secret chord that had never been touched before, but that he felt was now
vibrating and throbbing to curious pulses.’ Lord Henry just talked about how
all influence is ‘bad’ because it corrupts the soul, the true self, yet he
tried to influence him for fun. Meanwhile, Dorian Gray thought that the
unfamiliar sensation was coming from inside him; Lord Henry’s words only
brought up his inside. Is that really so?
When
we encounter the part where Basil accidentally lets Lord Henry know his muse’s
name, we anticipate what is to come- corruption of the innocent, beautiful lad.
Now we are bound to watch the hedonistic culture spoil Dorian Gray. Basil
Hallward is too late now. Dorian Gray will not come to dine with him; it is the
end between the two, and it is the end of the sweet, innocent days for Dorian
Gray. From the frantic response he shows to his friends, we know that his
future will be unfortunate, full of obsession of his beauty.
I fear the monster Dorian Gray will
become- although he is a simple-minded naïve person, he was charming. It did
not just come from his outward beautiful looks; it came from his inner self.
Lord Henry knows it- ‘Genius lasts longer than Beauty’- yet he manipulates
Dorian Gray to acknowledge the ‘importance’ of youth. And poor little lad
completely takes in his words like enchantments of the bible. The unusually
obsession with his beauty he demonstrates later in the second chapter foretell
the misfortune he will face since, as we all know, beatify is but an evanescent
matter. It comes and goes. And maybe, since the title is ‘the Picture’ of
Dorian Gray, the eternity of the beauty depicted in the portrait is what is at
stake here. Basil should have been more careful if he had wanted to protect his
dear friend from the outside world.
Still, the nonsense Lord Henry said
did contain a unique philosophy in it. When I concentrate on those natural,
accidental words, I find myself drawn to those words. I guess that is the
excellence of Oscar Wilde, one of the greatest writers of all times- able to
persuade the readers borrowing some else’s lips! Listening to him as if he
stands right in front of me, I was nothing but a captive of his words. I felt a
strange stimulation to do what I want, enjoy life full of pose- no wonder
Dorian Gray is so affected. I think Dorian Gray might represent the
not-quite-innocent crowd of the Victorian Era, and Lord Henry the culture and
effects of the period itself. People are getting more and more corrupted by
something ephemeral, and they are not aware- they cannot do anything but fall
into the trap. Basil Hallward, unaffected by his long-run friend- an
irresistible allurement, is aloof, like someone outside the society; perhaps
that is why we feel empathy towards him.
