In chapter fifteen Dorian heads to a party hosted by Lady Narborough. It speaks volumes that he is able to go out and socialize after the crime he has committed. Dorian even marvels as this fact, at first it concerns him then he is states that he "felt keenly the terrible pleasure of a double life." page 191. Dorian slowly begins to regret coming to the party and considers leaving. That is until he learns that Lord Henry arrives. However, even Lord Henry's presence is not enough to completely shake the mode he is in. He scarcely eats and when Lord Henry asks him what is the matter, Lady Narborough suggests that he is in love. This gets the whole party on the subject of marriage and distracts from Dorian's strange behavior.
Later during the party Lord Henry causally inquires about Dorian's whereabouts the night before. Dorian's guilty conscious clearly shines through when he answers defensively and gets angered by the question. Dorian apologizes for getting angry but still insists on leaving the party early. Dorian goes home and destroys Basil's belongings by burning them in the fire. Feeling restless after having destroyed the evidence Dorian leaves his home and heads to an opium den stating "To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul." page 201. This basically means that if he can not deal with is guilty conscious, the only other option is to forget his sins. And at the opium dens "one could buy oblivion." page 201.
While at the opium den Dorian runs across Sybil's brother James; however he is not aware of this fact. He is busy reflecting on whether or not it was truly his fault for how Adrian Singleton ended up but then comes to the conclusion that he can not be responsible for others sins. Instead decides that "Destiny never [closes] her accounts." page 207. This statement is extremely ironic coming from Dorian, since destiny seems to be ready to catch up with him. James confronts Dorian but Dorian is able to talk his way out of the confrontation by stating there is no way he could be the person he's looking for since it has been eighteen years and he still looks youthful. James lets Dorian go and is immediately confronted by a woman he informs him that Dorian has been coming there for eighteen years and his appearance has changed in all of that time. James goes in search of Dorian but he has disappeared.
No comments:
Post a Comment