1. Starter: watch these clips
Starter: watch these clips. What do you notice about Wilde’s society comedies?
Clip from The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film):
Trailer of An Ideal Husband (1999 film):

2. ‘The terrible pleasure of a double life’
‘The idea of a double life – of outwardly playing a respectable role while inwardly pursuing an existence that crossed the boundaries of acceptable behaviour – is central to the plot of the novel. Dorian Gray, once he becomes aware his portrait will bear the scars of his corruption – thus leaving his actual appearance unstained – feels free to ignore the pious morality that pervaded the Victorian era. Rather like Dr Jekyll in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Dorian is able to pursue his debauched activities knowing his respectable appearance and unblemished looks will shield him from accusations of depravity. His ability to have the best of both worlds – the continued acceptance of his peers and the ability to fulfil his basest desires – becomes in itself an important part of his fascination with events. When attending a society gathering only hours after having committed a murder we are told Dorian ‘felt keenly the terrible pleasure of a double life’ (ch. 15).Dorian’s friend Lord Henry makes this link between the criminal and the respectable citizen clear when he observes: ‘Crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders. I don’t blame them in the smallest degree. I should fancy that crime is to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary sensations’ (ch. 19). Dorian, with his visits to opium dens and his delight in high culture combines the criminal and the aesthete – the very definition of ‘decadence’ distilled into a single person and a disturbing example of the split between the wholesome public persona and the furtive private life.’ (Greg Buzwell:

3. Chapter 15 – discuss in groups
This chapter opens with Dorian leaving for a party, only hours after committing murder.
The way in which the glitz and wit of the party contrasts with Dorian’s increased sense of agitation was particularly praised by Walter Pater, among others.
This is also a common feature of Gothic texts: in what ways is ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ similar to Dorian’s reactions in this chapter? (see p. 147;153;154).
In what ways do you feel that Dorian experiences the ‘terrible pleasure of a double life’? How far is this the same for the narrator of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’? What might Wilde be suggesting about Dorian through this sense of ‘pleasure’?

4. Wilde’s social comedies
Fill in the grid with evidence from p for the key ideas highlighted through the witty and satirical comments made by the party guests.
What is the impact of this section of the novel?
Is this out-of-place in a Gothic novel, or morality tale?
Is it just light relief?
In the same way that the comic porter scene in Macbeth jars with our knowledge that Duncan is being murdered backstage, does the humour jar awkwardly with our knowledge of the true horrors that have just occurred?

5. Practice critical appreciation question
Write a critical appreciation of the passage at the end of Chapter 15, from ‘As he drove back to his own house’ (154) to the end of the chapter, relating your discussion to your reading of the Gothic.

6. Peer-assessment Have you included:
Well-developed and consistently detailed discussion of effects of language, form and structure. (AO2)
Excellent and consistently effective use of analytical methods. (AO2)
Consistently effective use of quotations and references to text, critically addressed, blended into discussion. (AO2)
Consistently developed and consistently detailed understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, as appropriate to the question (AO3)
Excellent and consistently detailed understanding of text and question; well-structured, coherent and detailed argument consistently developed; consistently fluent and accurate writing in appropriate register; critical concepts and terminology used accurately and consistently. (AO1)

7. Homework
Complete your critical appreciation essay, using the feedback from your partner to help you improve on your work.