The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 10
Basil has left. Dorian sends his servant, Victor, to find two men to assist him. He then gets the only key to an attic room, which was once Dorian’s schoolroom, from his housekeeper, Mrs. Leaf. Dorian then covers the portrait with a fabric that had, interestingly enough, once been used to cover coffins. He believes that this cloth will cover the changes in the portrait. He briefly wonders if he should have told Basil of the secret curse, and maybe even asked for help in overcoming Lord Henry’s influence and his own indulgent nature. However, he quickly dismisses the idea.
The two workers arrive, and move the painting to the attic. Dorian is satisfied that hidden away here, the painting’s degradation will have no meaning at all. He locks the door to the room and returns to the library, where a few things from Lord Henry have been delivered by Victor. There is a note from him, as well as a book bound in yellow, and a newspaper. The newspaper has been marked by Lord Henry to highlight an article about Sibyl’s death, to Dorian’s disgust. The article reveals that Sybil had killed herself after the show, as she had hung herself in the theatre. There was to be an inquest but no suspects had been yet identified. Dorian worries that Victor might have noticed the article, having been marked. He then turns to the book, which he immediately finds fascinating.
The book follows the exploits of one man, a Parisian, who pursues Hedonism, in much the same way that Lord Henry has been encouraging Dorian to do. Dorian thinks that the book is “poisonous,” as it blurs the lines between morality and immorality, vice and virtue. When he meets Lord Henry later that evening, he says that the book is fascinating. Lord Henry is pleased by this statement but is not at all surprised by Dorian’s comment.
Analysis
Dorian becomes nearly obsessed with ensuring that nobody figures out his secret, worrying about those who might deduce it, and taking steps to hide the portrait from all, even himself. His fear replaces any guilt he might have felt before, as he has now resolved to simply pursue this life of selfish, arrogant pleasure. He is not happy, though, as hiding the portrait’s secret, along with worry over its discovery, becomes quite consuming.
Since meeting Lord Henry, Dorian has changed significantly. Basil sees the innocent young man of a month ago becoming cynical and selfish, prepared to pursue debauchery rather than virtue. This new direction is clearly the work of Lord Henry. Even Dorian realizes that his own fate has now been sealed, with the acceptance of Lord Henry’s ways. At this point, however, Dorian feels that he is beyond redemption.
The yellow book becomes Dorian’s new bible. Now that he has implicitly chosen this way of life, the yellow book guides him in the direction that he now wants to go.
