The Picture Of Dorian Gray 11

"Indeed, what right had Basil to have spoken to him as he had done? Who had made him a judge over others? He has said things that were dreadful, horrible, not to be endured" (190).

Dorian completely contradicts himself here. He says that Basil had no right to say the things he said and that he had no right to judge Dorian, but didn't Dorian just judge Basil and kill Basil? In the first place, Basil was merely trying to help Dorian, Basil didn't want anything bad to come things to Dorian, Basil says, "I want you to lead such a life as will make the world respect you". Basil was looking out for Dorian and by no means judging him and for some odd reason Dorian though it was okay to actually judge Basil and kill him. Dorian says that Basil said dreadful and horrible things, but Dorian killed the man. That is far more worse than was Dorian thinks Basil did. Dorian took an innocent life simply because he didn't want to hear the truth about himself. Dorian killed a man who was only looking out for him from the kindness of his heart with all good intentions.

"Innocent blood had been split. What could atone for that? Ah! for that there was no atonement; but though forgiveness was impossible, forgetfulness was possible still, and he was determined to forget" (189)

Again Dorian contradicts himself. Here he says that there is no atonement for what he had done, but then he goes on to try and justify what he did, with the quote at the top. Dorian really does know what he did was wrong but he is trying to justify himself, for his own sake. He is trying to convince himself that it was okay to do. He is also trying to forget it completely because he knows it will haunt him forever if he doesn't forget. He knows that he can only convince himself for so long, so he needs to forget.

mausoleum - a burial place for the bodies or remains of many individuals, often of a single family, usually in the form of a small building.
"She had proved an excellent wife to one of our most tedious ambassadors, and having buried her husband properly in a marble mausoleum" (179).

oratory - skill or eloquence in public speaking
"An alliteration prefix served as an ornament of oratory" (185).