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Re: O. Wilde and Dorian Gray (fwd) (fwd)
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------------------ Jansey,
I'm in a little bit of a rush replying to this on my way to work, but Wilde
has always been a significant figure to me so your comment caught my
attention. When Wilde was young he was in love for awhile, and even
considered marriage, to a young woman who later turned him down in favor of
another Irish suitor -- the writer Bram Stoker. I believe Stoker had
connections to the theatrical world before, as well as after, his hit gothic
novel Dracula. (I think ultimately Stoker's connection to the theater
became fairly important) Oscar's relationship with this young woman (I'm
sorry I can't look up her name just now) took place in his Oxford days, many
years before he wrote Dorian. But I'm sure these elements were in O's
unconscious mind while he wrote his own masterpiece.
I've been enjoying the List from afar these days, but hope that work will
level out soon and I'll be able to share more.
Regards,
AB
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 11:53 PM
Subject: O. Wilde and Dorian Gray (fwd)
> ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
> Date: Thursday, August 12, 2004 10:56 PM -0300
> From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello <jansy@aetern.us>
> To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Subject: O. Wilde and Dorian Gray
>
> ------------------ Dear Don,
>
> Our list is now quite far from "The Vane sisters" and "Pale Fire" (
> although we remain, as always, on themes like "the double" and "mirrors"),
> after I came across a long forgotten collection of novels by Oscar Wilde I
> began to wonder if VN could have been making some reference to Wilde´s
> unhappy character, Sybil Vane, when he chose these two names for his
> characters?
> I´m aware that both names carry associations that are much explored (
Vane,
> like a weather-vane or as in "vain"; Sybil, mythological sooth-sayer) but
> its occurrence in this particular story of Wilde may serve to broaden the
> field of hidden references and associations when employed elsewhere.
> Has anyone explored this already? Does it make sense?
>
> I googled some quick reminder: Sybil Vane: The beautiful and talented
> actress with whom Dorian falls in love. The world of the theatre is all
she
> has known, and when she falls in real love, she realizes the falsity of
the
> stage, acting very poorly on the night that Dorian brings Basil and Henry
to
> watch her. Dorian is crestfallen, and leaves her, telling her that he
loved
> her for her beautiful talent. She kills herself the night he leaves,
knowing
> that she can no longer live a false life when she has had real love.
>
> Jansy
>
>
> ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
>
>
>
> D. Barton Johnson
> NABOKV-L
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L
I'm in a little bit of a rush replying to this on my way to work, but Wilde
has always been a significant figure to me so your comment caught my
attention. When Wilde was young he was in love for awhile, and even
considered marriage, to a young woman who later turned him down in favor of
another Irish suitor -- the writer Bram Stoker. I believe Stoker had
connections to the theatrical world before, as well as after, his hit gothic
novel Dracula. (I think ultimately Stoker's connection to the theater
became fairly important) Oscar's relationship with this young woman (I'm
sorry I can't look up her name just now) took place in his Oxford days, many
years before he wrote Dorian. But I'm sure these elements were in O's
unconscious mind while he wrote his own masterpiece.
I've been enjoying the List from afar these days, but hope that work will
level out soon and I'll be able to share more.
Regards,
AB
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 11:53 PM
Subject: O. Wilde and Dorian Gray (fwd)
> ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
> Date: Thursday, August 12, 2004 10:56 PM -0300
> From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello <jansy@aetern.us>
> To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Subject: O. Wilde and Dorian Gray
>
> ------------------ Dear Don,
>
> Our list is now quite far from "The Vane sisters" and "Pale Fire" (
> although we remain, as always, on themes like "the double" and "mirrors"),
> after I came across a long forgotten collection of novels by Oscar Wilde I
> began to wonder if VN could have been making some reference to Wilde´s
> unhappy character, Sybil Vane, when he chose these two names for his
> characters?
> I´m aware that both names carry associations that are much explored (
Vane,
> like a weather-vane or as in "vain"; Sybil, mythological sooth-sayer) but
> its occurrence in this particular story of Wilde may serve to broaden the
> field of hidden references and associations when employed elsewhere.
> Has anyone explored this already? Does it make sense?
>
> I googled some quick reminder: Sybil Vane: The beautiful and talented
> actress with whom Dorian falls in love. The world of the theatre is all
she
> has known, and when she falls in real love, she realizes the falsity of
the
> stage, acting very poorly on the night that Dorian brings Basil and Henry
to
> watch her. Dorian is crestfallen, and leaves her, telling her that he
loved
> her for her beautiful talent. She kills herself the night he leaves,
knowing
> that she can no longer live a false life when she has had real love.
>
> Jansy
>
>
> ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
>
>
>
> D. Barton Johnson
> NABOKV-L
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L