Blog Question 7-8
After reading chapters 7-8, what do you think the significance of Sibyl's death is? How is her death symbolic? How will it affect or foreshadow coming events in the book? How does her death relate to Dorian's picture and what does the change in the picture symbolize?
posted by jeffg at 11:23 AM
19 Comments:
I believe the significance of Sibyl's death in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is the show the drastic changes Dorian is making as a character. Becoming more and more like Lord Hennery not caring about others just using them as tools all while being controlled by the painting. Her death is the symbolic turning point of Dorian’s Character, now being fully emerged into his true heartless self centered character. It foreshadows the fall of Dorian as a kind innocent naive character and into his heartless character. The pictures change shows the satisfaction he has from affecting her so drastically.
I agree with Andy. The death of Sibyl shows the control Lord Henry has. I think this death will lead to the death of Dorian. Lord Henry will make him believe in something so much that Dorian will see no reason to live. He won't be able to cope with the painting. The painting changing symbolizes the change in Dorian's feelings for Sibyl. When she died a part of Dorian died as well.
I think the death affects Dorian beacuse it makes him more like Lord Henry, which he wants to be more like. Lord Henry greatly affected him and now he greatly affected Sybil, but in another way causing the death of her. I think after a while Dorian will recognize that she died and he will be greatly depressed and he will see that Lord Henry has affected his life and he will end up not wanting to be friends with him.
The significance of the death of Sibyl is that Dorian actually had impact on her life and he had no idea. He has started acting like Lord Henry by mistreating others and not knowing it. I agree with Nick on how it foreshadows by maybe the next person who dies or is seriously hurt is Dorian. He hurts himself, by turning into something he is not. Therefore he suffers because he is unsure of what to do. He becomes weak. The death of Sibyl relates to the picture by Dorian becoming like Lord Henry and when Sibyl died she brougth part of DOrian with her.
The death of Sibyl is caused by Dorian and his abililty to intrigue others with his beauty. Sibyl is so caught up in her love for Dorian that when Dorian shows one sign of being different than what she first thought, she kills herself. I agree with Andy and Zach that Dorian now feels content with Sibyl's death. Lord Henry has instilled in Dorian a philosophy of living for life's pleasures and forgetting and not dwelling on the past. Once Sibyl dies, I think the stage is set for Dorian's downfall. Dorian does not care that she died and says that her death was pitiful. This carefree outlook Dorian now possesses shows that there is no turning back for him. He has chosen a way of living and now he will pay the consequences for it. I believe he has lost his innocence and the painting will not bear all of his burden. He wants the painting to take all of his aging and pain, but eventually life will hit Dorian hard for the corruption that has set in.
I think that Sibyl's death is a reflection of Wilde's views of the great plays of his time. I think the entire relationship between Dorian and Sibyl was simply a mockery of plays such as Romeo and Juliet. I do believe however that Sibyl's death signifies the loss of all inocence in Dorian. Sibyl stood for purity and truth and her death, which has already caused a change to the painting, signifies Dorian decending into "darkness" if you will. Upon her death, Dorian seems to surrender to evil and to sins. He resolves to basically not care about his actions and to only care about his image and how he is percieved. In this same way, I think that Sibyl's death foreshadows a evil future for Dorian which will be filled with sin and a corrupt nature.
I also agree with Andy. With Lord Henry's influence, Dorian no longer dwells in the past. This shows when Sibyl dies and Dorian does not think much of it and has a kind of passive attitude. I agree with Katie when she says that this could be foreshadowing that Dorian will realize that Sibyl has taken her own life because of him and he will see that his attitude is much like Lord Henrys. I dont think he will like that and will change his ways.
I think Sibyl's death completely symbolizes the path Dorian chooses to take from this point forward. He seemed torn in trying to find himself in the midst of Basil and Lord Henry and now I think he has made his decision to live for the beauty and the romantic side of life like Lord Henry. It's interesting because at first he shows remorse about treating her so poorly, but once Lord Henry comes in and tells him what to think he becomes a different version of himself. I think this scene in the book shows Lord Henry's FULL control over Dorian after he had been swaying. I agree that the changes Dorian sees in the painting are the wrongs he has done. I don't understand why he doesn't feel badly about them though. He hides the painting because he is ashamed. He'd rather be beautiful in person and have the painting take the punishment for his wrongdoing. He doesn't seem concerned with anything but his appearance to others. It's all downhill from here.
I think I almost completely agree with Jess. Sibyl's death was a turning point in Dorian's life, and is what I think signifies his final turn to evil. Though I think that Dorian started this turn before her death, it's just that I think that her death is what symbolizes this turn however. I think that the change in the picture is, in a way, Dorian accepting his descent into evil. I think, though he feels guilty at first, he eventually realizes that the portrait will take on all of his burdens. This makes him feel less guilty, and also makes him realize he has nothing to fear should he decide to do other deeds. As far as foreshadowing, I once again agree with Jess, I think it really just alludes to further evil deeds that are to be committed by Dorian. I think that we will see Dorian become even more evil, which will eventually lead to his downfall.
I also agree that Sibyl's death symbolizes the control Lord Henry has on Dorian and Dorian's change in character since Basil painted him. I agree with Amy that "it is all downhill from here." Where else could it go? We have read so many stories and plays that begin a lot like the Picture of Dorian Grey. There is some tension between friends/lovers and then all of a sudden a character dies just as Sibyl has. They die based on a mistake of another character. After the death, the rest of the story is downhill for the main character and other people die(Think: Hamlet, Oedipus, Macbeth, A Midsummer Nights' Dream). I think this is why Lord Henry compares Sibyl to Ophelia.
As for the picture changing, I agree that he sees his wrongs, but I do not think is shows Dorian's satisfaction or contentment. I think that Dorian feels an incredible amount of guilt over the picture and that is why he hides it.
I find it very interesting that his picture changes everytime he commits I guess you could say a sinful act. I related sibyls death to The Great Gatsby when Mertyl killed that one mans wife and then her husband tried to cover it up. I think that Dorian killed Sibyl and doesn't remember it because he blacked out. I think Lord Henry and Basil kind of know and are trying to cover for him. I don't know its just what I think is REALLY going on.
I think that the most significant part of Sibyl’s death is how it changed Dorian. It is also symbolic in the way that it really shows how Sibyl viewed her life, as one big play. Like I said I think the death of Sibyl is a huge turning point in the novel for Dorian. After her death he seems to take a sudden turn towards “manhood” and he seems to try to leave all of his childish ways behind him. He starts to try to think for himself and trying to almost be like Lord Henry in the way he analyzes his situation. The picture is simply a conformation to Dorian as to how he really feels. This is also the first time he realizes that he has sin, but he thinks he can be bigger then sin since he has his good looks so he doesn’t really heed the warning of the painting.
I think that Sibyl's death was a wake up call for Dorian. I think that is kind of sent him the message the he is becoming too much like lord henry, kind of like katie said. I think that hopefully now Dorian will start to care more about the people and not just treat them as thought he is the "king" if you will. the changes in the picture demonstrates this as well.
I think that Sibyl's death signifies the power that Dorian exudes on others and think that she was his first victim of manipulation. I agree with Andy that it is something that shows his transformation in to Lord Henry, it shows his non-sympathetic nature coming through and it shows his disreguard for others around him. I think that her death foreshadows the ultimate destruction of Dorian Gray, I think that it shows his steps towards the maniplulation and the space that he is creating between him and Basil.
I agree with Leanne that Sybil's death shows the power that Dorian has over others, specifically through his beauty. Her death, I think, will be the first of many as Dorian becomes more and more detached from his conscience and soul. His pursuit of pleasure without regard for how it affects him or others will eventually catch up with him and destroy him.
Personally i dont think that Sybil's death is really anything symbolic. I think it is more of just a tool to show how Dorian will react no that he has been influenced by Harry and to emphasize that point. As far as the picture is concerned, the changes just symbolize how dorian has sold himself to it. He lives his life through the picture and has the picture take all of his aging and imperfections. I don't think that the picture actaully physicaly changes tho, its not enchanted, the changes are all in dorians head they are all mental.
I think that sybils death represents a part of Dorian that is dead now. I think that to an extent, Sybil was the societal "correctness" that Dorian might have felt he needed. After she dies (and after Lord Henry manipulatively consoles him) he says he will lead a life of “eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasures subtle and secret, wild joy and wilder sins,”. Even though he is visibly shaken, I would agree with numerous people that this is also an exercise of lord henry's control over Dorian and his emotions.
I agree with Nathan. But I think that not only does it stand as proof that Dorian has power over others, but her death also is the realization that everyone can abuse power over others. I believe this is foreshadowing to show that Lord Henry's power may become overwhelming to Dorian. What if Lord henry finds Dorian has become bland and uninteresting. Will Dorian then kill himself?
i think the fact that sybil has killed herself shows that dorian's beauty is being lost in his lust for all that is beautiful. He is just a piece of artwork with no soul at all
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