Summary chapters 16-20
Chapter 16
As the carriage makes its way to the opium den Dorian reflects on something Lord Henry once told him. Dorian realizes that since his sins cannot be forgiven he is better off to forget them. The carriage arrives and Dorian enters an opium den finding a man he once knew named Adrian Singleton. Rumor had it that Dorian had corrupted the young man. As Dorian prepares to leave the den a women calls him “the devil’s bargain” and “Prince Charming”. The last of which causes a sailor sitting at a table to follow Dorian out onto the street.
When Dorian gets further along the street he is grabbed and held at gunpoint by the sailor. The sailor reveals himself to be James Vane, Sibyl’s brother. He tells Dorian he has been searching for the man who wronged his sister for years now. Dorian however, uses his power and tells the man to look at his face and see that he has the face of a twenty-year-old and that the man who hurt his sister eighteen years ago would be nearing his forties. James apologizes and releases him, returning to the den. An old woman tells him that she has seen Dorian many times over the last eighteen years and that his face has not aged since she first saw him. James, angry that his prey got away, vows to hunt him down again.
As the carriage makes its way to the opium den Dorian reflects on something Lord Henry once told him. Dorian realizes that since his sins cannot be forgiven he is better off to forget them. The carriage arrives and Dorian enters an opium den finding a man he once knew named Adrian Singleton. Rumor had it that Dorian had corrupted the young man. As Dorian prepares to leave the den a women calls him “the devil’s bargain” and “Prince Charming”. The last of which causes a sailor sitting at a table to follow Dorian out onto the street.
When Dorian gets further along the street he is grabbed and held at gunpoint by the sailor. The sailor reveals himself to be James Vane, Sibyl’s brother. He tells Dorian he has been searching for the man who wronged his sister for years now. Dorian however, uses his power and tells the man to look at his face and see that he has the face of a twenty-year-old and that the man who hurt his sister eighteen years ago would be nearing his forties. James apologizes and releases him, returning to the den. An old woman tells him that she has seen Dorian many times over the last eighteen years and that his face has not aged since she first saw him. James, angry that his prey got away, vows to hunt him down again.
Chapter 17
A week has passed since the incident and Dorian is entertaining guests over at his home, including Lord Henry. Dorian and his guests converse on the topic of beauty and its importance as well as love. Lord Henry claims that love is like life and depends on repeating the same experiences over and over, Dorian agrees and excuses himself from the group. Shortly after, Lord Henry hears a groan come from the direction Dorian had departed in and rushes over with some other guests. They find that Dorian has fainted and is laying face first in the ground. When Dorian awakes he is terrified as he recalls seeing the face of James Vane pressed against the window before fainting.
A week has passed since the incident and Dorian is entertaining guests over at his home, including Lord Henry. Dorian and his guests converse on the topic of beauty and its importance as well as love. Lord Henry claims that love is like life and depends on repeating the same experiences over and over, Dorian agrees and excuses himself from the group. Shortly after, Lord Henry hears a groan come from the direction Dorian had departed in and rushes over with some other guests. They find that Dorian has fainted and is laying face first in the ground. When Dorian awakes he is terrified as he recalls seeing the face of James Vane pressed against the window before fainting.
Chapter 18
The following day Dorian stays locked up in his home out of fear after seeing James the previous night. He begins to wonder if he simply imagined the face, but doubts it.
Three days after having fainted Dorian feels reinvigorated and joins a hunting party of friends in the park. As the hunters make their way through the park, Dorian notices a hare and is entranced by its beauty asking his companions not to shoot it. They all laugh at Dorian’s silly comment and one of the hunters takes a shot. The cries of a man in pain are heard from the bushes and the hunting party rushes to the source of the noise to find that a man took the entirety of the shot to the chest, killing him instantly. The hunters return to the estate shaken up by the incident.
Later that night, the head keeper speaks to Dorian who inquires about the identity of the man who was killed earlier. The keeper informs Dorian that no one recognizes the man who was shot, but that he appeared to be a sailor. Hearing this, Dorian demands to see the body immediately. Dorian makes his way to the barn where the body is being kept and identifies the man as James Vane. That night he returns to the estate with tears of joy for he now feels safe.
The following day Dorian stays locked up in his home out of fear after seeing James the previous night. He begins to wonder if he simply imagined the face, but doubts it.
Three days after having fainted Dorian feels reinvigorated and joins a hunting party of friends in the park. As the hunters make their way through the park, Dorian notices a hare and is entranced by its beauty asking his companions not to shoot it. They all laugh at Dorian’s silly comment and one of the hunters takes a shot. The cries of a man in pain are heard from the bushes and the hunting party rushes to the source of the noise to find that a man took the entirety of the shot to the chest, killing him instantly. The hunters return to the estate shaken up by the incident.
Later that night, the head keeper speaks to Dorian who inquires about the identity of the man who was killed earlier. The keeper informs Dorian that no one recognizes the man who was shot, but that he appeared to be a sailor. Hearing this, Dorian demands to see the body immediately. Dorian makes his way to the barn where the body is being kept and identifies the man as James Vane. That night he returns to the estate with tears of joy for he now feels safe.
Chapter 19
Several weeks have passed and Dorian is visiting Lord Henry. Dorian exclaims that he wishes to change and become virtuous. As proof Dorian recounts a recent trip to a small village where he passed up the chance to seduce the daughter of an innocent innkeeper. Lord Henry scoffs at Dorian’s claim and turns the conversation towards the recent suicide of Alan Campbell and the disappearance of Basil. Dorian asks Lord Henry what he would think if Dorian had murdered Basil. Lord Henry laughs claiming that Dorian is not capable of such an act. He wonders how Dorian has managed to avoid aging for all these years and wishes he knew Dorian’s secret to staying young. Dorian asks Lord Henry to never lend that “poisonous” book to anyone else as he knows the corrupting effect it can have. Lord Henry ignores the request and invites Dorian to have dinner with him the following day.
Several weeks have passed and Dorian is visiting Lord Henry. Dorian exclaims that he wishes to change and become virtuous. As proof Dorian recounts a recent trip to a small village where he passed up the chance to seduce the daughter of an innocent innkeeper. Lord Henry scoffs at Dorian’s claim and turns the conversation towards the recent suicide of Alan Campbell and the disappearance of Basil. Dorian asks Lord Henry what he would think if Dorian had murdered Basil. Lord Henry laughs claiming that Dorian is not capable of such an act. He wonders how Dorian has managed to avoid aging for all these years and wishes he knew Dorian’s secret to staying young. Dorian asks Lord Henry to never lend that “poisonous” book to anyone else as he knows the corrupting effect it can have. Lord Henry ignores the request and invites Dorian to have dinner with him the following day.
Chapter 20
The same night Dorian returns home and goes to the room containing his portrait. He hopes that his will to change and his recent good deed will have affected the painting. However, the only change was to the mouth, the wrinkle of a hypocrite. Dorian realizes that his attempt to change was meaningless and could not amend for his previous sins. In a flash of anger Dorian grabs the same knife with which he killed Basil and stabs the painting.
The servants hear a yell from the room. When they enter the room they find a portrait of a young Dorian Gray unblemished and an old man with a knife in his heart. The servants realize that the old man is in fact Dorian Gray whence they examine the rings on his finger.
The same night Dorian returns home and goes to the room containing his portrait. He hopes that his will to change and his recent good deed will have affected the painting. However, the only change was to the mouth, the wrinkle of a hypocrite. Dorian realizes that his attempt to change was meaningless and could not amend for his previous sins. In a flash of anger Dorian grabs the same knife with which he killed Basil and stabs the painting.
The servants hear a yell from the room. When they enter the room they find a portrait of a young Dorian Gray unblemished and an old man with a knife in his heart. The servants realize that the old man is in fact Dorian Gray whence they examine the rings on his finger.
