Explanation: Hallward is expressing that he does not want to unveil his new piece of Dorian Gray in the quote above, saying that "there is too much of myself in the thing" (13). He does not clearly state what part of himself is in the piece but it is eluded that he is not portraying Dorian per say but is actually protraying his love or envy for Dorian Gray for "it is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the colored canvas, reveals himself" (7).
Quote: "He had never felt it before. Basil Hallward's compliments had seemed to hime to be merely the charming exaggerations of friendship. He had listened to them, laughed at them, forgotten them. They had not influenced his nature. Then had come Lord Henry Wotton with his strange panegyric on youth, his terrible warning of it brevity. That had stirred him at the time, and now, as he stood gazing at the shadow of his loveliness, the full reality of the descpription flashed across him. Yes, there would be a day when face would be wrinkled and wizen" (27).
Explanation: The narrator is explaining a shift in Dorian Gray, a new realization or awareness has arisen: "there would be a day when face would be wrinkled and wizen" (27). This change outlines that this character was a once a stable and partially normal character with great beauty but has now become a paranoid lunatic about his ever dying beauty. This shift results in a jealousy of the painting "whose beauty does not die... [yet] every moment that passes takes something from me" (29). This paranoia of his dying beauty and jealousy of his immortal painting may lead him to being infatuated with his painting.
Vocab:
Caprice: a sudden desire
"The only difference between a caprice and a life long passion is that the caprice lasts a little bit longer" (26).
Panegyric: formerly expressing praise
"Then had come Lord Henry with his strange panegyric on youth" (27).
No comments:
Post a Comment