1Blackburn

A Poisoned PerfectionB. Kyle Blackburn

B. Kyle BlackburnMrs. CarpenterAP English Lit.24 May 2013A Poisoned PerfectionSince the dawn of modern civilization, mankind has pushed the limits of their minds and bodies to achieve a status beyond reach. From ancient texts in Egypt and Samaria, one can see the attempt to mimic the gods they worshipped, who were, essentially, perfect. This drive seems to be a timeless facet of humanity, as it has transferred from one society to another. However, what if those who have been worshipped as perfect beings wished to be more human? In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the reader sees Dorian fight to be anything but perfect. Through this corruption and ultimate demise of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wildes portrayal of the loss of perfection earns its place among the literary classics, with timelessness akin to Dorians portrait.Temptation asserts itself as a corruptive force throughout both generations and individual lifetimes. While religions attempt to identify temptation as the work of a foil to the deity or deities in question, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, it is solely the work of man. Lord Henry Wotton, a close friend of Basil Hallward, is introduced to Dorian. Reflecting on the ideas of philosophy and major religion, the creation of something perfect is balanced by the creation of something negative within the novel. While the painting in its perfection is being created, Lord Henry begins to serve the purpose for which evil forces exist; finding something perfect in nature, in this case Dorian Gray, Lord Henry attempts to act as a catalyst for Dorians corruption. At that critical point, Dorian has the choice of either accepting Lord Henrys proposal of change, or continuing his existence as if nothing has happened. An interesting notion is the concept of music shaping the path of Dorian Gray. In the second chapter, Dorian is found flipping through a copy of Schumanns Waldscenen, Op. 82. This seemingly insignificant detail, however, presents the reader with a foreshadowing of events to come. Commonly referred to as the Forest Scenes, the opus is composed of nine separate sections, each representing a different aspect of the forest. The opus, through its use of alternating major and minor movements, correlates directly to the events within the life of Dorian Gray. The first movement, titled Eintritt, is developed between B-flat major and G minor, mirroring the beginnings of corruption within Dorian. With a light, soaring melody at the beginning, Schumann creates a peaceful, yet vibrant atmosphere. The light feeling of the first eight measures is gradually transformed into a depressing and mysterious basic variation in G minor (Schumann 2). This transition, like the introduction of Lord Henry into Dorians life, alters the movements feel, representing a change in tone. With a return to B-flat major at the end of the movement, we see the return of happiness in the piece, though it is still affected by the minor variation. Dorian, like this movement, finds happiness, though it now stems from his living life solely for emotional value. The next three movements foreshadow, to a great deal of accuracy, the love affair of Sybil Vane and Dorian Gray. Using a minor-major-minor pattern, Schumann creates a period of mourning around a moment of happiness. Dorian first mourns the lack of love in his life, reminiscent of the minor Jager auf der Lauer. This shorter movement, however, is eclipsed by a movement twice its length. Einsame Blumen, with its major key and lighter, more heartfelt nature, correlates to the time in which Dorian is smitten with Sybil Vane. The light variations, accompanying the dissonance and release of the movement, personify the push and pull of the blossoming relationship between Sybil and Dorian. As it progresses, the movement creates a sense of longing, as strong as Dorians longing for Sybil. This sense of longing drives the movement forward, constantly feeling refreshed through slight variations, just as Dorian sees Sybil portraying different aspects of her personality in different Shakespearean roles each night. This constant development solidifies both the connection between Dorian and Sybil, along with the readers attention to the short-lived love within the pages of the novel. Just as Dorian mourns the loss of Sybil Vane for an extended period, the emotions are reflected in Verrefune Stelle, the fourth movement of the opus. One and a half times longer than the third movement, Verrefune Stelle accurately represents the amount of time Dorian spends mourning both Sybils suicide and Dorians own mistakes. In contrast, the fifth and sixth movements, though shorter, are in major keys, linking the Forest Scenes to the joy Dorian finds in not following societal standards. The fifth and sixth movements both contain melodic lines from the minor fourth movement, weaving sadness into even the seemingly happiest time of Dorians life. What this music shows is that, just like Dorian Gray, the timelessness of the opus is not exempt from the evils of the world. The seventh movement, Vogel als Prophet, correlates to an important point in Dorians story. As Dorian became increasingly paranoid with each passing day, we see the resurgence of James Vane, who had vowed to kill whatever man hurt his sister Sybil. Vogel als Prophet, translated from German as The Prophet Bird, is a fitting name for the movement in relation to The Picture of Dorian Gray, as James Vanes return at a time of paranoia for Dorian could only be seen from an outside source, privy to all information. In this case, the reader, whose close examination of the text would reveal the foreshadowing elements, replaces the bird and its ability to predict major plot points. Following Vogel als Prophet, we see a return to E-flat major in the eighth movement, reminiscent of the sixth movement (Schumann 13). Following the death of James Vane, Dorian once again returns to his deviant activities, now introducing opium addiction to the list of actions unbecoming of the man Dorian once was.The final movement, for the fourth time in the opus, returns to B-flat major. This key signature, marked by lighter melodic themes throughout the opus, corresponds to points of happiness not tainted by the corruption of Lord Henry. For this final act, we see the happiness personified in the final image of Dorians portrait, restored through the death of Dorian to its perfect nature. With its lilting phrases, the movement creates a peaceful, yet powerful ending to the opus whose emotional journey, like that of Dorians life, seeks to define both tragedy and comedy. Despite what the reader considers better judgment, Dorian Gray chooses to acquire a life far different from his own. While potentially caused by a lack of personal involvement within the world, the ever-inquisitive nature of man played a role in driving Dorian over the edge of decency. Lord Henry, now free of the awe he once had for Dorian, begins to take advantage of Dorians undeveloped mind. In response, Dorian places blind faith in Lord Henry, becoming an apostle to the negative figure of the novel. Using highly confusing phrases such as, I consider that for any man of culture to accept the standard of his age is a form of the grossest immorality (Wilde 79), Lord Henry captivates and ensnares Dorians mind, creating a cage forged from corruption for Dorian to endure. Trapped within the confines of Lord Henrys control, Dorian succumbs to temptation, thereby allowing his emotions to control his actions. Control of the human mind by others is not a dated concept. One of the most famous attempts would be Project MKULTRA. Started by the American government as an experiment to control the minds of captured Soviet spies, MKULTRAs ultimate goal was to exert complete control over a subject, using a project that, studied the use of biological and chemical materials in altering human behavior (United States 73). While these attempts yielded negligible results, it begs the question as to what made the control of Dorian Gray by Lord Henry different. While it may simply be a work of literary magic, one must wonder how much truth lies in the pages of the novel. After having lived so long as an object of adoration, it becomes clear that Dorian Gray wished to once again become human in his image. His life, though not as much extended, as its potential would allow, had given him eternal youth at the cost of his portrait showing his true self. The need for humanity is ingrained within the human psyche throughout life, and the individual reader will realize that the story of wanting to become human is nothing new to them. Since childhood, many readers will have read the story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. After saving a prince, the mermaid finds herself longing for humanity, going so far as to say I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars (Andersen 140). With this view, the mermaid eventually makes a deal with a powerful sea witch, which, at the cost of her voice and horrible pain whenever she walks, grants the mermaid legs. Sadly, just as in The Picture of Dorian Gray, the transformation ultimately leads to the mermaids death. Having lost the love of his life, Dorian suffers endlessly with both his lost love and his newfound immortality. The little mermaid is similarly tortured by her decision to become human, as well as the shorter lifespan that accompanies the decision. What binds these two stories so closely together, though, is the longing for a pure, immortal soul. While the mermaid looks for a human who loves her for this soul, Dorian, near the end of his life, looks for a way to reverse the aging between him and the portrait, immortalizing his soul in his perfect portrait through his death. As Markus Zusak wrote in The Book Thief, Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die (Zusak 332). It is with this knowledge of mortality that mankind continues on its journey, accepting death as fate. Thanks to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde presents the reader with a unique vantage point to the opposite of our condition. With the immortality of his painting, Dorian Gray knits together the thoughts and desires of countless generations, all seeking to become everlasting in beauty and influence. What is commonly lost within the dreams of men and women, however, is the idea of consequences to immortality. To achieve such a feat, a candidate for immortality must not have the burden of knowledge to bear. For Dorian Gray, the childish navet and inquisitive nature of his former self was a tabula rasa, wielded by Wilde to create a timeless work about a timeless man. Just as important in the formula for immortality is a single, abiding rule which, when broken, curses the immortal being. In the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent tempted Eve to consume the forbidden fruit. What we see in the life of Dorian Gray is not a serpent, but a snake of a man, offering a life of emotional fulfillment to Dorian. The expectation is for Dorian to remain innocent in nature until the last possible moment, with no known consequences until he defies expectations. Once the standards have been broken, it is discovered that the consequence of Dorians actions is a hijacking of his brain. This control eventually leads to Dorians death, similar to that of certain Brazilian ants infected with a fungus. Studied at length, it was found that, The fungus species can infect anant, take over its brain, and then kill the insect once it moves to a location ideal for the fungi to grow and spread their spores (Kaplan). Like the ants, once Dorian was placed in a state of vulnerability, he was killed through the manipulation of outside forces. As ends any human story, the third requirement for a tale of immortality is death. While many tales end with the protagonist unable to acquire an immortal soul, Dorian Gray presents an exception to the standard. The death of Dorian Gray presents the reader with a cathartic ending to a quest for immortality without consequence. While the reader sees Dorians soul returned to its perfection within the portrait, the reader realizes that the consequence for that is death of the physical form. Within many of the world religions, it is believed that the soul is immortal to begin with. Bearing that in mind, the quest for immortality becomes one of physical measures. By presenting the reader with the physical death of Dorian Gray, it can be deduced that the immortality of soul is the sole timelessness mankind will receive. Classic literature is commonly considered by the modern generation to be the works of authors long passed, whose works were chosen at random to remain in the curriculum of the education system. This idea, however, does not properly define a classic. According to Italo Calvino, The classics are books that exert a particular influence, both when they refuse to be eradicated from the mind and when they conceal themselves in the folds of memory, camouflaging themselves as the collective or individual unconscious (Calvino 2). With that in mind, it should be said that it is a combination of these aspects that creates a classic. Through telling a story with major elements that have withstood societal change, Oscar Wilde, by nature, created the perfect classic in The Picture of Dorian Gray. As Michael Crichton wrote in The Lost World, If you gamble long enough, youll always lose the gambler is always ruined (Crichton 250). The truth behind this statement is seen every day in the world. While Dorian Gray may have suffered the negative consequences to a harsher extent, the reader connects to The Picture of Dorian Gray from the experiences he or she has had. This bond between the reader and the read fortifies its position throughout time as a cornerstone of truth, where a work stretches beyond the realm of merely a classic and touches the lives of those who are exposed to the work. To one reader, a work may be a classic, but to everyone who discovers a piece of their lives in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a classic becomes another brush stroke on the painting of their lives.

Works CitedAndersen, Hans C. "The Little Mermaid."The Complete Hans Christian Andersen FairyTales. Ed. Lily Owens. New York: Gramercy, 1984. 134-48. Print.Calvino, Italo. Trans. Patrick Creagh. Why Read the Classics? The New York Review of Books. October 9,1986. Print.Crichton, Michael.The Lost World. New York: Knopf, 1995. Print.Kaplan, Matt. "Photos: "Zombie" Ants Found With New Mind-Control Fungi."National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 03 Mar. 2011. Web. 07 May 2013.Schumann, Robert. Waldscenen, Op. 82 Leipzig: Breitkopf, 1887. Print.United States. Cong. Senate. Select Committee on Intelligence and the Subcommittee onHealth and Scientific Research of the Committee on Human Resources. 95th Congress, 1st sess. Washington: GPO, 1977. Print.Wilde, Oscar.The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Signet Classic, 2007. Print.Zusak, Markus.The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. Print.

BibliographyCalvino, Italo. Trans. Patrick Creagh. Why Read the Classics? The New York Review of Books. October 9, 1986. Print. The author of this essay uses a combination of listing qualities and definitions to provide an interpretation as to why we read classic literature. Particular detail is given to the definition of a classic, which may be used to identify the primary novel in as such. Development of ideas within the essay further correspond to the connection between a literary classic and the novel in question.Crichton, Michael.The Lost World. New York: Knopf, 1995. Print. The source presentsa unique interpretation of the idea presented within the novel in question. The source dictates that nature, when manipulated, becomes a dangerous entity. This idea is used to support the major concepts of the finished essay. The source also creates a point of reference for many of the remaining points in other sources. Kaplan, Matt. "Photos: "Zombie" Ants Found With New Mind-Control Fungi."National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 03 Mar. 2011. Web. 07 May 2013. The source discusses a case where a natural factor affects the behavior of a species. This is a direct correlation to the control of the protagonist in the novel in question. The ideas in this source further the ideas from the previous article.Schumann, Robert. Waldscenen, Op. 82 Leipzig: Breitkopf, 1887. Print. This source is presented in order to articulate the inquisitive nature of the protagonist. The source also provides contrast to the other sources, as this does not deal with manipulation, but the events of the protagonists life. Through the study of the work and its movements, one finds the foreshadowing of events within the novel in question. United States. Cong. Senate. Select Committee on Intelligence and the Subcommittee onHealth and Scientific Research of the Committee on Human Resources. 95th Congress, 1st sess. Washington: GPO, 1977. Print. This government report studies the work in the MKULTRA project, which attempted to use biological, radiological, and physical factors to manipulate the human mind. This relates to the novel in question, as the mind of the protagonist is manipulated through biological and physical factors. Wilde, Oscar.The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Signet Classic, 2007. Print. As thenovel in question, this source will be used to support claims and theses regarding the events contained within the work. The source will also provide a basic foundation for the other sources and their findings. All of the other sources will be used to both contrast and support the statements made regarding this source.