Foreshadowing by Richa Bisht
At the opening of the book, Dorian is an innocent, naïve young man who is unaware of his own beauty. While at the studio of his friend Basil, he meets the cynical Lord Henry, who plants the seeds of narcissism and vanity into the impressionable boy’s mind. Dorian is inexplicably drawn to the notions of hedonism and beauty that Henry so eloquently speaks of. Yet his strange fascination with the allure of youth also brings about a hideous fear of growing old. Subsequently, Dorian begins to dread the day when his physique will no longer be flawless. Caught up in his emotions, he suddenly wishes that he would stay forever young while his picture becomes old. He frantically states, “there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” (19). Over the course of the novel, this fateful promise is soon fulfilled. Dorian manages to destroy everything he touches, causing the downfall of all those who dare to love him. However, the young man is too close-minded to understand the far-reaching implications of his statement: by giving away his soul, he has virtually trapped himself into a life of unhappiness. This event also foreshadows Dorian’s vain, self-centered nature, along with his tendency to value beauty above everything.
Later in the book, Sibyl Vane has a heartfelt conversation with her younger brother James, who will sail to Australia a few hours later. When Sibyl describes the love she feels for Dorian, James experiences jealousy and a deep hatred for the boy who came between him and his sister. Convinced that all gentlemen are scoundrels, he believes that Dorian will shatter Sibyl’s delicate heart and ultimately cast her aside without so much as a second glance. As a result, James takes an unnerving pledge that hints at future events: “…for as sure as there is God in heaven, if [Dorian] ever does you any wrong, I shall kill him” (50). Unfortunately, James’s worst nightmare comes true when Dorian causes Sibyl to commit suicide after he renounces his love for her. Consequently, James spends years tracking down Sibyl’s “Prince Charming” with the intent of avenging his sister’s death by killing her lover.
The same evening, Dorian invites his friends to the theater in order to watch Sibyl perform as Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. Sibyl’s depiction of Juliet in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy foreshadows the inevitable disaster that will befall her and Dorian’s relationship. Like Juliet, Sibyl eventually dies as a result of her love for Dorian. Similar to Romeo and Juliet’s fleeting romance, Dorian and Juliet’s ephemeral affair finishes just as quickly as it had started.
Later in the book, Sibyl Vane has a heartfelt conversation with her younger brother James, who will sail to Australia a few hours later. When Sibyl describes the love she feels for Dorian, James experiences jealousy and a deep hatred for the boy who came between him and his sister. Convinced that all gentlemen are scoundrels, he believes that Dorian will shatter Sibyl’s delicate heart and ultimately cast her aside without so much as a second glance. As a result, James takes an unnerving pledge that hints at future events: “…for as sure as there is God in heaven, if [Dorian] ever does you any wrong, I shall kill him” (50). Unfortunately, James’s worst nightmare comes true when Dorian causes Sibyl to commit suicide after he renounces his love for her. Consequently, James spends years tracking down Sibyl’s “Prince Charming” with the intent of avenging his sister’s death by killing her lover.
The same evening, Dorian invites his friends to the theater in order to watch Sibyl perform as Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. Sibyl’s depiction of Juliet in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy foreshadows the inevitable disaster that will befall her and Dorian’s relationship. Like Juliet, Sibyl eventually dies as a result of her love for Dorian. Similar to Romeo and Juliet’s fleeting romance, Dorian and Juliet’s ephemeral affair finishes just as quickly as it had started.