The Picture of Dorian Gray
Retold by Catrin Morris
eliGreenwich
Illustrated by Giacomo Agnello Modica
Legenda INVALSI
Esame di Stato
Agenda 2030
21st Century Skills
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Sign of the Four
E. Gaskell, K. Chopin, K. Mansfield, V. Woolf, E.Wharton Portraits of Women
Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice
Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland
Oscar Wilde The Canterville Ghost
H.G. Wells, G. Orwell, E.A. Poe, S.O. Jewett, V. Woolf One Planet, One Goal
Mary Shelley Frankenstein
George Orwell Animal Farm
K. Mansfield, J. Joyce, O. Wilde, R. Tagore, M. Twain Tales of Friendship
Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
H.G. Wells The Time Machine
Series Editors Paola Accattoli, Grazia Ancillani
Art Director Daniele Garbuglia
Graphic Design Emilia Coari
Production Manager Francesco Capitano
Photo Credits Shutterstock, Alamy
© 2023 ELi, Gruppo editoriale ELi
22.83.266.0
ENG015-01
ISBN 978-88-536-3979-0
www.gruppoeli.it
Glossario Drama
Printed in Italy by Tecnostampa - Pigini Group Printing Division, Loreto-Trevi
FCE
Costituzione e Cittadinanza
6 Dossier 1 Oscar Wilde: Life and Work 10 Characters 12 Pre-reading Activities 16 Preface 17 Chapter 1 The Picture 26 Activities 30 Chapter 2 Dorian Gray 40 Activities 44 Chapter 3 Sibyl Vane 54 Activities 58 Dossier 2 Oscar Wilde and Victorian Society 62 Chapter 4 The First Sign 72 Activities 76 Chapter 5 Sibyl’s Death 86 Activities 90 Chapter 6 A Life of Sin 100 Activities 104 Chapter 7 Basil Disappears 114 Activities 118 Dossier 3 The Picture of Dorian Gray on Screen and Stage 122 Chapter 8 The Fall 132 Activities 136 Final Test 142 Drama 144 My Book Contents
Oscar Wilde: Life and Work
Quick facts
Name: Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie
Wills Wilde
Born: Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854
Died: in Paris, France on November 30, 1900 (aged 46)
Nationality: Irish
Married to: Constance Lloyd
Children: two sons - Cyril and Vyvyan
Education: Classics* at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford
Key works: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
classics (n.pl.) the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and history
Early Life
Born at 21 Westland Row in Dublin', he was the second child of William Wilde, an important ear and eye surgeon* and writer, and Jane Francesca Elgee, a journalist and poet, who wrote under the name ‘Speranza’. Their large and frequent parties attracted important people from Dublin society. There were plenty of opportunities to learn, but Oscar’s parents’ relationship made home life difficult. His father was often depressed, and had frequent extra-marital* affairs. This eventually led to a public scandal and a court case against him. His wife supported him throughout the trial, while he refused to speak in his own defence, making people think he was a coward.
Education
Despite being good at languages, Oscar didn’t learn to speak Irish like his father. He was home-schooled, before being sent away to study at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen with his elder brother Willie. An excellent student, Oscar got a scholarship* to study classics at Trinity College, Dublin, and another to Magdalen College, Oxford.
He did well at Oxford University, winning many prizes like the Newdigate Prize for his long poem, Ravenna (1878). He also became involved in the Aesthetic Movement, developing his character as a poseur* and a wit*. He grew his hair long, wore flamboyant* clothes, surrounded himself with beautiful things, constantly entertained his friends and made witty epigrams*.
These included W.B.Yeats’s father and grandfather, and George Bernard Shaw’s father.
This was around the time of his father’s trial, and history would later repeat itself in Oscar’s own life.
The Aesthetic Movement in 1880s England believed in ‘art for art's sake’ not art to teach us right from wrong.
surgeon (n.) a doctor who operates on people in hospital extra-marital outside marriage scholarship (n.) money given to a clever student to study poseur (n.) person who shows he thinks a lot of himself wit (n.) someone who uses words in a funny and clever way flamboyant (adj.) attracting attention usually in a bright, colourful way that you notice epigram (n.) expressing ideas in a short, clever and amusing way
7
You can never be overdressed or overeducated.
Now the Oscar Wilde Centre, at Trinity College, Dublin, where students study Irish and creative writing.
It is thought that Constance actually helped Oscar write these stories.
Work and Personal Life
Poems, Wilde's first collection of poetry, was published* in 1881. After two lecture* trips on art and beauty to North America, he gave lectures in Britain about his travel experiences.
On May 29, 1884, Oscar married Constance Lloyd, daughter of a rich lawyer, and herself an author and a political activist*. They had two sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886). During this period Wilde worked as a newspaper journalist, as the editor* of Woman's World magazine, and published three collections of short stories, including The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888). The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), Wilde’s only novel*, was attacked because of its ideas. Among his most successful work were four society comedies* for the theatre: Lady Windermere's Fan (1892), A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
People were shocked by the Faustian character Dorian Gray, who sells his soul to the devil for youth and beauty.
publish (v.) write and sell something that people want to read, watch or play lecture (n.) talking about something in front of an audience activist (n.) a person who tries to bring about political or social change editor (n.) a person who corrects a book, newspaper or magazine novel (n.) a long, invented story comedy (n.) a film, play, or TV programme, which is supposed to make an audience laugh
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell the truth.
Scandal, Prison and Death
At the height of his success, Wilde was having secret relationships with men. When he met Bosie, Lord Alfred Douglas, his father, the Marquis of Queensberry, accused him of homosexuality*, which was illegal at the time. Wilde lost a libel case* against him and was sent to prison for two years of hard labour. There, he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), about his terrible life in prison and a long letter to Bosie, published posthumously as De Profundis in 1905. He died penniless* in Paris on 30 November 1900.
Homosexuality was only made legal in 1967 in England and Wales, for men over the age of 21.
The title comes from Latin and means ‘from the depths’. It is a kind of love letter.
homosexuality (n.) being attracted to someone of the same sex libel case (n.) when court decides if something written about someone is true or not penniless (n.) without any money
9
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.
Sibyl Vane is a beautiful actress, who Dorian falls in love with when he sees her on stage.
Characters
Dorian Gray is a beautiful young man who would do anything to always stay the same.
James Vane is Sibyl’s younger, rougher brother, who becomes a sailor. Basil Hallward is an artist who paints the picture of Dorian Gray, his best ever work.
Alan Campbell is a young scientist who is forced to help Dorian Gray although he doesn’t want to.
Lady Agatha is Lord Henry’s rich aristocratic aunt.
Lord George Fermor is Lord Henry’s rich, bad-tempered uncle.
Lady Victoria Wotton is Lord Henry’s wife, with whom he seems to spend very little time.
Lord Henry (Harry) Wotton is a young aristocrat who shows a lot of interest in Dorian Gray.
Writing
1 What do you know about The Picture of Dorian Gray?
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a book by Oscar Wilde. It was written in The story is set in ____________________________
It is a story about ___________________________________________ .
The people in the story are ____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ .
It is a _________________________________________________________ book.
2 Match these words with their opposites.
g artificial a wrinkled 1 attractive
b vulgar 2 bright c vain
12 PRE-READING ACTIVITIES
– Opposite Adjectives
Vocabulary
4
6
7 polite
interesting 8 smooth
hideous 9 refined
dim
3 deep d shabby
dull e shallow 5 elegant f rough-mannered
humble g real
h
i
j
Reading – Gap-Fill
3 Use the words and expressions in the box to help complete the character profiles.
actress aristocrat x 2 artist attractive blond dark elegant heavy intelligent lovely pale sailor scientist serious seventeen short sixteen strong twenty twenty-five x 3 young
1 Name: _____________________
Job: ________________________
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
2 Name: _____________________
Job: ________________________
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
3 Name: _____________________
Job:
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
4 Name: _____________________
Job:
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
5 Name: _____________________
Job: ________________________
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
6 Name: _____________________
Job: ________________________
Age: about _________________
Appearance: _______________ and _________________________
13
Writing – Describing
4 Write sentences about the characters in exercise 3. Use the adjectives from exercise 2 to help you.
Lexical Groups
5 Put these words in the correct group. Some can go in more than one group.
act audience box cast canvas clap costume comedy dressing-room easel exhibit opera make-up musician paint portrait play scene sitter stage studio scenery song spectator studio theatre tragedy
14
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES
1 2 3 4 5 6
DRAMA
MUSIC ART
Reading Comprehension
6 Put these events from the story in the correct order. (1-8)
a James Vane tries to kill Dorian.
b Dorian tries to destroy the painting.
c Dorian meets and falls in love with Sibyl Vane.
d Dorian makes a wish to remain always young and beautiful.
e Dorian falls under the influence of Lord Henry.
f Dorian breaks Sibyl’s heart.
g 1 Basil Hallwell paints a portrait of Dorian Gray.
h Basil goes to visit Dorian and then disappears.
Speaking – Critical Thinking
7 What would you give up to stay young forever? Discuss your ideas in pairs or small groups.
Online Research
8 Do some research online into what the Faustian bargain with the devil is.
15
Wilde explains his ideas about art, artists, critics, and audience through a series of epigrams.
Preface
Artists create beautiful things, while staying hidden. Critics give impressions of beautiful things like autobiographies*. It is a fault to find ugly meaning in beautiful things. But there is hope for the chosen, educated few to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
It is as if Wilde were trying to justify his book, which would probably have shocked Victorian Society.
Shakespeare’s monster-character
Caliban from ‘The Tempest’ copies the way other characters behave.
Books are not moral or immoral; they are just written well or badly. The nineteenth century dislike of Realism* is Caliban’s anger at seeing himself in a mirror. Its dislike of Romanticism* is Caliban’s anger at not seeing himself in a mirror.
Wilde’s teacher, Walter Pater saw music as the perfect art, as form and content cannot be separated.
Artists study man’s moral life, but art is the perfect way to express things imperfectly. No artist wants to prove anything. No artist shows false moral sympathies. No artist is ever morbid*. Artists can express everything. Their tools are thought and language; their materials good and bad. Music is the ideal form for art. Acting is the ideal art for feelings.
He goes on to explain that art itself is not supposed to teach the audience anything.
Here Wilde is giving us his own ideas about ‘art for art’s sake’ rather than for any purpose.
Art is surface and symbol. Look under the surface to read the symbol at your own risk. Art copies its spectators*, not life. Differences in opinion about work means it is new, complex* and important. When critics disagree, the artist agrees with himself. We can forgive a man for making a useful thing he does not admire. We can only forgive him for making a useless thing he admires greatly. All art is quite useless.
autobiography (n.) a book about yourself Realism (n.) an art movement or style which shows people or things as they actually are Romanticism (n.) an art movement which uses imagination and emotions to see the world morbid (adj.) to look at things in a dark or negative way spectator (n.) someone who looks at or watches art complex (adj.) not easy to understand
16
The Picture
The studio* was filled with the perfume* of roses. A light summer wind blew in from the garden. Lord Henry Wotton lay on the divan*, smoking endless cigarettes as usual. He could just see the golden flowers of a laburnum tree and the fantastic shadows of birds flying like Japanese art across the long silk curtains. The low, angry sound of the bees circling the flowers in the long grass made the atmosphere even heavier. London was like a distant music.
On an easel* in the centre of the room stood the full-length portrait of a young man of extraordinary beauty. In front of it sat the artist himself, Basil Hallward. As he looked at the elegant and attractive figure he had so cleverly captured in his art, a smile of pleasure passed across his face.
Suddenly the artist stood up, placing his fingers over his eyes, as if to trap a strange dream inside his brain before he awoke.
Wilde sets the scene through the eyes of Lord Henry, observing the artist’s studio.
We get a clear picture of the type of person Lord Henry Wotton is here.
It is a small, beautiful but poisonous, European tree. It is sometimes called the golden chain or golden rain.
He starts by focusing on the work of art, seen through the eyes of the artist.
studio (n.) a room where an artist works perfume (n.) a lovely smell, natural or in a bottle in liquid form divan (n.) a long, low sofa without a back or arms easel (n.) a wooden frame for holding an artist's work while it is being painted or drawn
17
2 3
‘It is the best thing you have ever done, Basil!’
‘It is the best thing you have ever done, Basil! You must send it to the Grosvenor next year. The Academy is so big that you can’t see the pictures for people, which is dreadful; or there are so many pictures that you can’t see the people, which is worse.’
‘I won’t send it anywhere,’ replied Hallward.
Lord Henry raised his eyebrows and looked at him in amazement through the thin curly blue lines of smoke from his cigarette.
‘Not send it anywhere? My dear fellow*, why? What odd chaps* you painters are! You do anything in the world for a reputation*. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away. It is silly, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like this would put you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.’
‘I know you will laugh at me, but I really can’t exhibit* it. I have put too much of myself into it.’
Lord Henry laughed. ‘Too much of yourself in it!
Upon my word*, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain*. I really can’t see how you and this young Adonis are similar. He is a Narcissus, and you look intelligent and
fellow (n.) an old-fashioned word for a man or a boy chap (n.) an old-fashioned word for a man or a boy reputation (n.) beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something exhibit (v.) to show art in a gallery or museum upon my word (exp.) an old-fashioned expression of surprise vain (adj.) having or showing a very high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth
London Art institutions founded in 1877 and 1768.
This is one of Wilde’s famous epigrams suggesting that Victorians only went to galleries to people-watch.
Lord Henry is really surprised that his friend won’t show his best work of art at a gallery.
This is another famous epigram about the importance Wilde gives to being well-known.
Basil explains why he doesn’t want to show his true self to the world, but Henry can’t understand.
He was a beautiful young man loved and argued over by the goddess of beauty and the queen of hell.
A beautiful and vain youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, died and turned into a flower.
19 Chapter 1 The Picture
Lord Henry is often called just Harry by his family and friends.
Basil explains why he wants to keep Dorian to himself.
A Wildean epigram suggesting you can only be happy in life without position, intelligence, ability or beauty.
all that, but intelligence destroys the harmony* of any face. It makes one all nose, or all forehead.’
‘You don’t understand me, Harry. I know that I am not like him. Indeed, I should be truly sorry to look like him…The ugly and the stupid have the best of it in this world. Your rank and wealth, Harry; my brains, such as they are — my art, whatever it may be worth; Dorian Gray’s good looks—we shall all suffer terribly for what the gods have given us.’
‘Dorian Gray? Is that his name?’ asked Lord Henry eagerly.
‘Yes, I didn’t intend to tell it to you.’
‘But why not?’
A Wildean epigram about modern life holding no secrets for us.
A Wildean epigram about the lies couples tell within marriage, may be close to his own experiences.
Lord Henry tells Basil what he thinks of marriage and his marriage in particular.
‘Oh, I can’t explain. When I like people a lot I never tell their names to anyone. It is like giving away a part of them. It seems that only secrets can make modern life mysterious or wonderful to us. The commonest thing is charming if one only hides it. When I leave town now I never tell my people where I am going. If I did, I would lose all my pleasure. It is a silly habit, I daresay*, but somehow it seems to bring a great deal* of romance into one’s life. I suppose you think me awfully foolish about it?’
‘Not at all, my dear Basil. You seem to forget that I am married, and the one charm of marriage is that
harmony (n.) things that come together well I daresay (exp.) an old-fashioned expression for probably a great deal (exp.) a lot
20
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
it makes a life of lies absolutely necessary for both parties. I never know where my wife is, and my wife never knows what I am doing. When we meet, we tell each other the most absurd* stories with the most serious faces.’
‘I hate the way you talk about your married life, Harry,’ said Basil, walking into the garden. ‘I believe that you are ashamed of being a very good husband. You never say a moral thing, and you never do a wrong thing. Your cynicism* is simply a pose*.’
Once sitting in the shade, Lord Henry said, ‘Basil, I want you to explain to me the real reason why you won’t exhibit Dorian Gray’s picture.’
Looking him straight in the eyes Basil said, ‘Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter*, who is just an accident. It is not he who is revealed* by the painter; it is rather the painter who reveals himself on the painted canvas*. I am afraid that I have shown the secret of my own soul in that portrait.’
‘And what is that?’
‘When I first saw Dorian Gray I knew that he could absorb* my whole soul, my very art.’
‘I thought you would never care for anything but your art.’
absurd (adj.) strange or not easy to believe cynicism (n.) a belief that people are only doing things for their own good pose (n.) a way of behaving to make someone believe something about you that might not be true sitter (n.) the subject of the artist reveal (v.) show something that was hidden or secret canvas (n.) the traditional material to paint pictures on absorb (v.) take in
Basil complains that he doesn’t like the way Harry talks badly about things but behaves well.
This epigram shows the difference in Victorian society between what people say and what they do.
This contrasts with the job of an artists which Wilde described in the preface.
Basil thinks his soul can be seen in the portrait.
21
1 The Picture
Chapter
‘He is all my art to me now.’
‘Basil, this is extraordinary! I must see Dorian Gray.’
‘I don’t want you to meet him.’
‘You don’t?’
‘Mr Dorian Gray is in the studio, sir,’ said the servant, coming into the garden at that moment.
‘Dorian Gray has a simple and a beautiful nature. Don’t spoil him. Don’t try to influence him. Don’t take him away from me!’
‘What nonsense!’ said Lord Henry as they entered the studio.
‘I am tired of sitting,’ said Dorian. ‘Oh, I beg your pardon*. I didn’t know you had anyone with you, Basil.’
‘This is Lord Henry Wotton, my old Oxford friend. I have been telling him what a capital* sitter you were, and now you have spoiled everything.’
‘ You have not spoiled my pleasure in meeting you, Mr Gray,’ said Lord Henry, offering his hand. ‘You are a favourite with my aunt.’
‘I am in Lady Agatha’s black books* at present. I promised to go to a club with her last Tuesday, and I forgot all about it,’ Dorian said guiltily.
Lord Henry looked at the wonderfully handsome young man. His face made one trust him at once. No wonder* Basil Hallward adored him.
I beg your pardon (exp.) an old-fashioned expression for saying sorry capital (adj.) an old-fashioned word for good to be in sb’s black book (exp.) to do sth. to annoy sb. no wonder (exp.) it’s not a surprise
22
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
Lord Henry repeats the word ‘spoiled’ used by Basil, but uses it in a positive sense.
This is Lord Henry’s first meeting with Dorian Gray.
‘Harry, I want to finish this picture today. Would you think it awfully rude of me if I asked you to go away?’
‘Am I to go, Mr Gray?’ he asked.
‘Oh, please don’t. I see that Basil is in one of his sulky* moods.’
‘Stay, Harry, to oblige Dorian and me.’ said Hallward. ‘But don’t pay any attention to Lord Henry. He has a very bad influence over all his friends, apart from myself.’
‘Have you really a bad influence, Lord Henry?’
‘ There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr Gray, because to influence a person is to give them one’s soul. The aim of life is to realize one’s nature perfectly. That is what each of us is here for. We have forgotten the highest of all duties, to ourselves. Our souls are hungry and empty. We are afraid of the moral judgments that govern us: God and Society. And yet—
‘Just turn your head a little more to the right, Dorian, like a good boy,’ said the painter, deep in his work and conscious only of a look on the young man’s face that he had never seen before.
‘And yet,’ continued Lord Henry, in his low, musical voice, with a graceful wave of the hand. ‘I believe that if one man were to live out his life fully
sulky (adj.) refusing to work together or to be cheerful
23
Chapter 1 The Picture
The conversation between Dorian and Lord Henry shows the beginning of their close friendship.
Lord Henry explains his ideas about sin and shame
This epigram goes to the heart of how WIlde lived his own life.
The two things most important to Victorians.
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
and completely, were to give shape to every feeling, expression to every thought, reality to every dream— I believe that he would become joyful and forget all the evils of the world. But the bravest man among us is afraid of himself. We sin* once and are cured by the action. Nothing remains but the memory of a pleasure, or the luxury* of a regret. If you don’t sin the soul grows sick wanting forbidden things. You, Mr Gray, with your rose-red youth have already had passions that have made you afraid, thoughts that have filled you with terror, dreams that have left you ashamed.’
‘Stop! Stop! You are confusing me. Let me think,’ begged Dorian. His eyes were strangely bright and he was conscious of totally new influences working inside him.
is
Hallward thinks only of his art, and Dorian thinks only of Lord Henry’s words. Both are blind to anything else.
Lord Henry watched with a slight smile and much interest. Then, finally, he said, ‘You have the one thing worth having: youth. You don’t feel it now, but when you are old and wrinkled* and ugly, you will feel it terribly. Wherever you go now, the world finds you charming. Will it always be so? Your face is beautiful and needs no explanation. It is of the great facts of the world, like sunlight, spring-time, or the silver reflection of the moon on dark water. It cannot be questioned.’
Dorian Gray listened, open-eyed, while Hallward’s brush worked furiously on the canvas. Then, suddenly, he stopped painting and declared, “It is quite finished.”
sin (n.) very bad things people do luxury (n.) something not everyone can enjoy wrinkled (adj.) with lines from age on your face and skin
24
It is as if Lord Henry is giving Dorian Gray a picture of his future life.
Lord Henry
sitting back and watching his words take effect on Dorian.
‘If only I could be always young, and the picture grow old!’
‘Congratulations, my dear fellow. Mr Gray, come over and look at yourself,’ said Lord Henry. When Dorian saw the picture he drew back*, blushing* with pleasure. A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself and his beauty for the first time.
‘ How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, but this picture will remain always young… If only I could be always young, and the picture grow old! For that I would give everything! I would give my soul for that!’
draw back (v.) move away in a backwards direction, sometimes because you are afraid or surprised blush (v.) go red in the face because you are happy, angry or embarrassed
This is the Faustian conceit, or artistic effect, on which the novel is based, as Dorian gets his wish.
We see the reaction of Dorian Gray to his portrait.
25
Chapter 1 The Picture
Reading Comprehension – Identifying a Character
1 Who said this? Write Basil, Dorian or Henry next to these sentences.
‘I beg your pardon. I didn’t know you had anyone with you,’ said
Dorian
1 ‘I believe that you are ashamed of being a very good husband’, said .
2 ‘It is the best thing you have ever done,’ said .
3 ‘I really can’t exhibit it. I have put too much of myself into it,’ said
4 ‘I really can’t see how you and this young Adonis are similar,’ said .
5 ‘How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, but this picture will remain always young,’ said .
Listening for Mistakes
2 Read an extract from Chapter 1. There are six mistakes. Listen to track 2 and find the mistakes.
The studio was filled with the perfume of roses. A heavy autumn rain (light summer wind) blew in from the garden. Lord Henry Wotton sat at a desk, smoking endless cigarettes as usual. He could just see the golden flowers of a laburnum tree and the fantastic shadows of cats climbing like Japanese art across the long silk curtains. The high, happy sound of the bees circling the flowers in the long grass made the atmosphere even heavier. London was like a distant music.
On an easel at the far end of the room stood the full-length portrait of a young man of extraordinary beauty. In front of it sat the artist himself, Basil Hallward. As he looked at the elegant and attractive figure he had so cleverly captured in his art, a frown of irritation passed across his face.
26 CHECK IT OUT
2
Sentence Matching
1 Match the two parts of the sentences.
f As soon as you have a reputation,
1 There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,
2 A portrait like this would make the old men quite jealous,
3 It seems that only secrets
4 The one charm of marriage is that
5 There is no such thing as a good influence
a and that is not being talked about.
b because to influence a person is to give them one’s soul.
c can make modern life mysterious or wonderful to us.
d it makes a life of lies absolutely necessary for both parties.
e if they are ever capable of any emotion.
f you seem to want to throw it away.
Vocabulary – Forming Adverbs from Adjectives
2 Form adverbs with the adjectives in the box and complete the sentences.
absolute awful clever perfect real sudden terrible wonderful
He looked at the elegant and attractive figure he had so captured in his art.
cleverly
1 the artist stood up, placing his fingers over his eyes.
2 ‘I can’t see how you and this young Adonis are similar.’
3 ‘We shall all suffer
for what the gods have given us.’
4 ‘It makes a life of lies necessary for both parties.’
5 Lord Henry looked at the handsome young man.
6 ‘Would you think it rude of me if I asked you to go away?’
7 The aim of life is to realize one's nature
27 SPOT ON GRAMMAR
Reading – Multiple Choice
Read the text about Faust and choose the correct heading for each paragraph. There are two extra.
A Crime and punishment
B Fame at last
C Faust on film
D Faust on stage
E Politics
F Popular culture
G The arts
H The original Faust
28 FOCUS ON YOUR EXAMS
0 1 2 3 4 5
INVALSI
Fonte: BBC
The original Faust
Discuss – Pair Work
Writing a List
Century Skills he says.
1 Read Oscar Wilde’s preface to the book, where he explains his ideas about art. List all the different forms of art he talks about and what
2 Work in pairs. Decide which ideas you agree with and which you don’t. Give reasons why.
Analyse a Work
3 Consider one of the different art forms from your list in exercise 1 and think of a specific example (a play, a film, a picture, a piece of music, a book, a review). Analyse the work.
• Can anyone enjoy it? Why? / Why not?
• Does it express something on the surface or do you have to look deeper for a symbol?
• What does it tell you about the person that created it?
• What does it tell you about yourself?
• Does it try to teach you anything?
• Is it useless, and if so, why?
Class Presentation
4 Present your ideas to the rest of the class.
29 THINK ON!
Analytical thinking 21st
Apartments for important bachelors, including poet Lord Byron and Prime Minister Gladstone.
A Wildean epigram about being useless to the world but useful to the friends he bought dinner for.
Isabella II, Queen of Spain from 1833 - 1868.
Juan Prim was a military leader in Spain, important in removing Isabella from her position.
Dorian Gray Chapter 2
At half-past twelve the next day, Lord Henry Wotton walked from Curzon Street to the Albany to visit his uncle, Lord Fermor, a friendly if rough-mannered* old bachelor*. He seemed selfish because he did no particular good in the world, but generous as he fed the people who amused him. His father had been British ambassador* in Madrid when Isabella was young and Prim not yet important. But he had retired as a diplomat, annoyed at not being offered the job of ambassador in Paris. It was a post which he thought he should have because of his birth, his laziness, the good English of his official reports, and his enormous passion for pleasure.
The son, who had been his father’s secretary, had resigned* along with him, foolishly it was thought at the time. And on himself becoming Lord some months later, had started to seriously study the aristocratic art of doing absolutely nothing.
rough-mannered (adj.) not behaving in a very polite way bachelor (n.) an unmarried man ambassador (n.) the most important person sent by one government to live and work in another country resign (v.) stop working somewhere through choice
30
4
Lord Henry’s uncle Lord Fermor, is introduced to us with humour.
Despite having two large town houses, he lived in rooms and took most of his meals at his club, as it was less trouble. In politics he was a Tory*, except when they were in power. Then, he accused them of being Radicals*. He was a hero to his servant, who bullied him, and a terror to most of his relatives, who he bullied. Only England could have produced him, and he always said that the country was going to the dogs*. His beliefs were out of date, but there was a lot to be said for his prejudices*.
When Lord Henry entered, he found his uncle sitting in a coat he wore for shooting, smoking a cigar, reading The Times newspaper and muttering* to himself.
‘Well, Harry, what brings you out so early? I thought you dandies* never got up till two, and were not seen till five.’
‘Pure family affection, I assure you, Uncle George. I want to get something out of you.’
‘Money, I suppose. Well, sit down and tell me all about it. Young people, nowadays, imagine that money is everything.’
‘Yes, and when they grow older they know it. But I don’t want money. It is only people who pay their bills who want that, Uncle George, and I never pay mine.
Tory (n.) a member of the Conservative political party, often unwilling to accept change and new ideas Radical (n.) a person that wants total political and social change go to the dogs (exp.) to get worse physically or morally prejudiced (adj.) having a negative opinion about sb or sth. without any real experience mutter (v.) to talk to yourself often to complain dandy (n.) a man who is too concerned with his appearance and clothes
This is a description of how many aristocratic bachelor gentleman lived in Victorian times.
Lord Fermor and his nephew give their different views on the importance of money.
A private social club for men from Britain’s upper classes, started in the 18th century but still going today. A Wildean epigram about the relationship between people of different ages and money.
A Wildean epigram about money only being important if you needed it to pay bills, so not for aristocrats.
31
Chapter 2 Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
What I want is information: not useful information, of course; useless information.’
An official British government book, with a blue cover, with a list of who is who.
‘Well, I can tell you anything that is in an English Blue Book, Harry.’
‘Mr Dorian Gray does not belong in Blue Books, Uncle George,’ said Lord Henry.
‘Mr Dorian Gray? Who is he?’ asked Lord Fermor, frowning*.
Henry has come to ask his uncle about Dorian Gray’s family.
‘That is what I have come to learn. Or rather, I know who he is. He is the last Lord Kelso’s grandson. His mother was Lady Margaret Devereux. Did you know her? Who did she marry?’
frown (v.) to bring your eyebrows together in a sign that you are unhappy or angry
‘I remember the whole thing as if it happened yesterday.’
‘Kelso’s grandson! Of course .... I knew his mother well. She was an extraordinarily beautiful girl, and made all the men frantic* by running away with a penniless young fellow. I remember the whole thing as if it happened yesterday.’
‘The poor chap was killed in a duel* a few months after the marriage. It was an ugly story. They said Kelso paid some rascal* to insult his son-in-law in public and then kill him. The thing was hushed up*, but, egad*, Kelso ate alone at the club for some time afterwards. It was a bad business. The girl died too within a year. So she left a son, did she? What sort of boy is he? If he is like his mother, he must be a good-looking chap.’
‘He is very good-looking,’ agreed Lord Henry.
‘He should have a pot of money waiting for him if Kelso did the right thing by him. His mother had money, too. All the Selby estate came to her, through her grandfather, who hated Kelso, thought him a mean dog. He was, too.’
‘I think that the boy will be wealthy, but he has not come of age* yet. He has Selby, I know. He told me so. And ... his mother was very beautiful?’ repeated Lord Henry.
‘Margaret Devereux was one of the loveliest creatures I ever saw, Harry. Why on earth did she
frantic (adj.) emotional, upset duel (n.) a competition until death between two people because of a question of honour rascal (n.) somebody who behaves badly hush up (v.) make sure nobody talks about something often because it is a scandal egad (exp.) an old-fashioned expression of anger or surprise come of age (exp.) when you legally became an adult, at 21 at the time
We have a suggestion of scandal in Dorian Gray’s family with his mother marrying someone without money.
Lord Fermor tells Henry what happened to Dorian’s parents.
This is an example of British understatement, showing something to be less important than it really is. Meaning treated his grandson correctly by leaving him money.
He shows his admiration for Margaret Devereux.
33 Chapter 2 Dorian
Gray
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray behaved as she did? She could have married anybody she chose. She was romantic, though. All the women of that family were. The men were a poor lot, but, egad! The women were wonderful! Where are you lunching Harry?’
‘At Aunt Agatha’s,’ replied Lord Henry rising to go. ‘I have asked myself and Mr Gray. He is a favourite of hers.’
Lord Henry arrives late to his aunt’s house and takes his time observing the other guests.
We can already see the power that Lord Henry has over Dorian.
We see the guests at Lady Agatha’s lunch party through the critical eyes of Lord Henry and of Wilde himself.
When Lord Henry entered his aunt’s dining room she cried, ‘Late as usual, Harry,’ shaking her head at him. He made a quick excuse, sat down next to her and looked round to see who was there. Dorian bowed* to him shyly from the end of the table, blushing with pleasure. Opposite was the Duchess of Harley, a lady of admirable* good-nature and good temper, much liked by everyone who knew her. On her right sat Sir Thomas Burdon, a Radical member of Parliament, who followed his leader in public life and in private life dined* with the Tories and thought with the Liberals*. The place on her left was filled by Mr Erskine of Treadley, a charming old gentleman, who had sadly fallen silent, having said everything that he had to say before he was thirty. His own neighbour was Mrs Vandeleur, one of his aunt’s oldest friends, a perfect saint* amongst women, but so dreadfully dull.
bow (v.) bend the head down to show respect admirable (adj.) sb. or sth. you should respect dine (v.) have dinner Liberal (n.) a member of the Liberal party, who believe you should be free to decide how to behave and think saint (n.) somebody very good and religious
34
***
Lord Henry excuses himself for arriving late, as usual.
They discuss the American woman and the possibility that she will ask Dartmoor to marry her.
Fortunately for him she had on the other side Lord Faudel, a most boring but intelligent middle-aged man, with whom she was talking in that very serious way which all really good people do, and from which none of them ever quite escapes.
‘We are talking about your poor brother Dartmoor, Lord Henry,’ cried the duchess, nodding pleasantly to him across the table. ‘Do you think he will really marry that fascinating young person?’
‘I believe she has made up her mind to propose* to him, Duchess.’
‘How dreadful!’ exclaimed* Lady Agatha. ‘Really, someone should interfere.’
‘I am told, on excellent authority, that her father keeps an American dry-goods store*,’ said Sir Thomas Burdon, sounding arrogant
‘My uncle has already suggested pork-packing*, Sir Thomas.’
‘Dry-goods! What are American dry-goods?’asked the duchess, raising her large hands in amazement.
This is a pun or a play on words meaning that American novels are dry goods, i.e. dull.
‘American novels,’ answered Lord Henry, helping himself to some quail*.
The duchess looked puzzled.
‘Don’t mind him, my dear,’ whispered Lady Agatha. ‘He never means anything that he says.’
propose (v.) ask sb to marry you exclaim (v.) say in surprise dry-goods store (n.) an American shop selling things in packets and tins pork-packing (n.) packing and transporting pig meat (exp.) taking money dishonestly quail (n.) a small, expensive bird eaten by people with a lot of money
36
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
Lady Agatha introduces the subject of Lord Henry’s older brother Dartmoor’s marriage.
‘When America was discovered,’ said the Radical member—and he began to give some boring facts. Like all people who try to exhaust a subject, he exhausted his listeners. The duchess sighed and interrupted him.
‘I wish it had never been discovered at all! Really, our girls have no chance nowadays. It is most unfair.’
‘Perhaps, after all, America never has been discovered,’ said Mr. Erskine; ‘I myself would say that it had just been detected*.’
‘Oh, but most of them are extremely pretty. And they dress well, too. They get all their dresses in Paris. I wish I could afford to do the same,’ disagreed the duchess.
‘They say that when good Americans die they go to Paris,’ laughed Sir Thomas.
‘And where do bad Americans go to when they die?’ asked the duchess.
‘To America,’ replied Lord Henry.
Sir Thomas frowned. ‘Your nephew is prejudiced against that great country, Lady Agatha. I have travelled all over it and it is an education to visit it.’
‘But must we really see Chicago to be educated?’ asked Mr Erskine.
‘Dear me! How you men argue!’ interrupted Lady Agatha. ‘I am sure I never know what you are talking about. Harry, I am quite vexed* with you. Why did you persuade Mr Dorian Gray to stop playing piano in Whitechapel?’
detect (v.) discover or identify vexed (adj.) angry or annoyed
they know a lot often appearing boring to others.
They talk about how Americans women have better clothes to attract men with than English ones.
There is a bit of arguing about America and Americans until Lady Agatha changes the subject.
37
Chapter 2 Dorian Gray
A Wildean epigram about people who like to show
‘I want him to play to me,’ smiled Lord Henry.
‘But they are so unhappy,’ insisted Lady Agatha.
‘I can sympathize with everything except suffering, it is too ugly, too horrible, too distressing.’
‘You really make me feel better,’ cried the duchess.
‘I have always felt rather guilty when I came to see your dear aunt, for I take no interest at all in the East End. In future I shall be able to look her in the face without blushing.’
‘Blushing is very attractive, Duchess,’ replied Lord Henry.
‘Only when one is young,’ she answered. ‘When an old woman like myself blushes, it is a very bad sign. Ah! Lord Henry, I wish you would tell me how to become young again.’
He thought for a moment and then, looking at her across the table asked, ‘Can you remember any great mistake that you made in your early days, Duchess?’
‘A great many, I fear,’ she cried.
‘Then, make them over again,’ he said seriously. ‘To get back one’s youth, one has just to repeat one’s foolish acts.’
‘A delightful idea!’ she exclaimed. ‘I must put it into practice.’
‘A dangerous idea!’ commented Sir Thomas through tight lips. Lady Agatha shook her head, but could not help being amused. Mr Erskine listened.
38
Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
Lord Henry tries to explain the secret of youth.
This is a Wildean epigram about people needing sympathy for their suffering.
We have the contrast between Wilde’s view and the Victorian view.
Lord Henry continued, ‘Yes, that is one of the great secrets of life. Nowadays most people die of common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things they never regret are their mistakes.’
A laugh ran around the table.
He played with the idea, threw it into the air, changing it, let it escape and caught it again. It was an extraordinary show. He was brilliant, fantastic, irresponsible. His listeners thought him charming and followed him laughing.
Dorian never took his eyes off him, but sat like one under a spell* and Lord Henry was conscious that he wished to make an impression on him.
As the guests left Lady Agatha’s house one by one to return to their everyday lives, finally Lord Henry rose saying, ‘I am going to the park.’
‘Let me come with you,’ murmured* Dorian, touching him on the arm as he was passing out of the room.
‘But I thought you had promised Basil Hallward to go and see him,’ answered Lord Henry.
‘I would rather come with you. I feel I must come with you. Do let me. And will you promise to talk to me all the time? No one talks as wonderfully as you do.’
‘Ah! I have talked enough for today,’ smiled Lord Henry, ‘All I want now is to look at life. You may come and look at it with me, if you would like to.’
to be under a spell (exp.) affected by something magic murmur (v.) to speak very quietly
39
Chapter 2 Dorian Gray
Dorian is fascinated by Lord Henry.
Lord Henry and Dorian leave Lady Agatha’s house together.
Wilde describes Lord Henry’s power with words like a visual game, almost like watching an acrobat.
Listening for detail – Reporting Verbs
1 Listen to track 4 and match the sentences with the reporting verbs.
i ‘He is very good-looking,’
1 ‘And ... his mother was very beautiful?’
2 ‘We are talking about your poor brother Dartmoor, Lord Henry,’
3 ‘How dreadful!’
4 ‘Don’t mind him, my dear,’
5 ‘Oh, but most of them are extremely pretty. And they dress well, too.’
6 ‘Dear me! How you men argue!’
7 ‘But they are so unhappy,’
8 ‘Let me come with you,’
Writing and Describing a Picture
2 Look at the picture and write a description of the scene at Lady Agatha’s House as if you were Dorian Gray.
a whispered Lady Agatha.
b repeated Lord Henry.
c murmured Dorian.
d interrupted Lady Agatha.
e insisted Lady Agatha.
f exclaimed Lady Agatha.
g disagreed the duchess.
h cried the duchess.
i agreed Lord Henry.
40 CHECK IT OUT 4
Vocabulary – Matching Words and Definitions
1 Match the words and definitions.
d ambassador
1 bachelor
2 dandy
3 duel
4 rascal
5 saint
Expressions
a a competition until death between two people because of a question of honour
b a man who is too concerned with his appearance and clothes
c an unmarried man
d the most important person sent by one government to work in another country
e somebody very good and religious
f somebody who behaves badly
2 Rewrite the sentences replacing the underlined parts with the expressions in the box in the correct tense.
come of age do the right thing get something out of go to the dogs hush up make up your mind to
He always said that the country was getting worse.
He always said that the country was going to the dogs.
1 ‘I want to have some information from you.’
2 ‘The thing was not talked about, but, egad, Kelso ate alone at the club for some time afterwards.’
3 ‘He should have a pot of money waiting for him if Kelso treated him properly.’
4 ‘I think that the boy will be wealthy, but he has not become an adult yet.
5 ‘I believe she has decided to propose to him, Duchess.’
41 SPOT ON GRAMMAR
Comprehension and Completion
Read the text about the Foreign Office and complete the gaps (1-5) with the correct sentence (A-G). There is one extra sentence that you do not need to use.
The Foreign Office
The part of the government that sends diplomats like Lord Fermor abroad, the Foreign Office, was created in 1782. (0) America was well into its revolution (1775–83), and the French Revolution was about to begin in 1789. So, Britain decided it needed more organisation and direction abroad. Unlike America and France, Britain didn’t have a class revolution. But this did not prevent the ruling aristocrats from worrying about how the working classes might try to improve their social position. (1)
The 18th and 19th century novels of Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope showed such a world. In it, a small number of aristocratic families held most of the wealth and all of the political power. Meanwhile in the real world, the power of aristocrats was being questioned by the new political ideas of Radicals and Liberals. When the Foreign Office was developing, social class was all important. (2)
In 1832, a new law in Britain called the Reform Act gave the vote to people in industrial cities in the north. However, this was only to men with estates worth £10 or more. Working class people still had little or no power.
There was a new approach to finding employees to work for the State too. They could no longer get the job just because they were born into the right class, as Lord Fermor’s father seemed to think in Wilde’s novel. (3) The introduction of a competitive exam for such jobs in 1870 made this idea work quite well.
However, the Foreign Office managed to avoid this, by insisting that people owned a private estate and knew the right people. It was hardly surprising as people working for the Foreign Office were not paid for the first two years. (4)
By the early 1910s, the world and diplomats’ work had changed. (5) Finally it was agreed that Britain needed diplomats, who really knew what they were doing and not just ones born as aristocrats.
A Any sign of trouble was stopped immediately.
B A world war was about to start.
C But it was now a world in which class was beginning to disappear.
D Diplomats were also expected to have links with important people in other countries.
E It was a time of great change in the world.
F It was hard to imagine a worse time to be a diplomat.
G People should have been working for the State because they were clever enough to do it.
42 FOCUS ON YOUR EXAMS FIRST Part 6
E
Online Research
1 Work in small groups of four. Each one of you should do some online research into one of these different groups of people in Victorian society.
Consider:
children
• How were they supposed to behave?
• How were they treated?
• Were people prejudiced against them?
• Did they have power and is so, what kind?
• Were there laws protecting them?
working class people
women
Victorian society foreigners
• What happened to them if they did not do what society expected of them?
Multimedia Presentation
2 Bring your research back to the group and together prepare a multimedia presentation. Use the notes below to help you.
• Plan your presentation by doing a mind map to link all your ideas
• Decide which media will best link your ideas (powerpoint presentation, short film, video conference, social media presentation etc.)
• Make the presentation interesting and informative
• Involve your audience in the presentation in some way (maybe with a quiz or a question at the start)
• Allow people time to view and absorb the information
• Think of questions and answers for after the presentation.
Receiving a Feedback
3 Give and receive class feedback on the presentation. This can be in the following areas:
• Was there lots of new information?
• Was it easy to understand?
• Was technology used well?
• How interesting was it?
• Were ideas well linked?
43 THINK ON! Technology Skills 21st Century Skills
The 2030 Agenda Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions.
Writing Notes
1 In chapter 7 there have been two crimes that we know about. There has been a murder and there has been blackmail (when someone threatens to tell a secret about you if you don’t do what they want). Write notes about these two events.
a Who was the victim?
Basil Hallward
b What was the crime? _______________ _______________
c Who was the criminal? _______________ _______________
d When did it happen? _______________ _______________
e Where did it happen? _______________ _______________
f How did it happen? _______________ _______________
g Why did it happen?
h Is it possible to catch the criminal? Why? Why not? _______________ _______________
Discussion – Pair Work
2 Work in pairs and discuss your answers to exercise 1. What do you think should be the punishment for the two crimes? What about other crimes that Dorian is supposed to have committed? What are they and what should be the consequences?
Small Groups Discussion
1/3 of the world’s population (mostly women) are afraid of walking alone in their neighbourhood at night.
The world murder rate fell by 5.2% between 2015 and 2020, but it still has a long way to go.
Corruption is in every part of the world. Almost 1 in 6 businesses have been asked to take money to do favours for public officials. source: United Nations
3 Discuss the facts about violence in today’s society. To meet Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, what must change in Society?
117 THINK ON!
1
2
This is a technique that Shakespeare used very often in his plays, for example in Hamlet.
