BACKGROUND READING

Chapter 9

FGautier Theophile (1811 – 1872) – French poet, novelist and critic. His work is difficult to classify and remains a point of reference for many literary traditions such as Symbolism, Decadence and Modernism. He was widely esteemed by many writers including Oscar Wilde. Gautier was the first to adopt the phrase “Art for art’s sake” as a slogan.

Chapter 10

FSymbolism [ÈsImb«lIz^«m] – the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. It attempted to elevate the humble and the ordinary over the ideal. Symbolists wrote in a highly metaphorical and suggestive manner, endowing particular images or objects with symbolic meaning.

Fcreed – a set of beliefs or principles.

Chapter 11

FHedonism [Èhiùd«nIzm] – the doctrine that the pursuit of pleasure is the highest good.

F Darwinism [ÈdAùwInIzm] – In the late 19th century the term came to mean the concept that natural selection was the only mechanism of evolution.

I. PRE-READING TASKS.

1. Learn the pronunciation and meaning of these words

philanthropist [fIÈlQnTr«pIst] – a rich person who gives money and help to people who are poor or in trouble.

misanthropist [mIsÈQnTr«pIst] (misanthrope) – someone who does not like other people and prefers to be alone.

satyr [ÈsQt«] – a god in ancient Greek stories, represented as half human and half goat.

II. COMPREHENSION TASKS.

Chapter 9

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

Martyr, be consistent, at all costs, incarnation, haunt, turning-point.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. Why did Basil Hallward pass a dreadful evening?

2. What was Dorian Gray doing on the day when the news about Sibyl Vane’s death arrived?

3. Did Basil Hallward like the change that happened to Dorian Gray? Did he have any idea of who could have been at the bottom of this change?

4. What did Basil Hallward think this change could mean to him personally?

5. How did Dorian Gray explain why he was so consoled?

6. Who was a better person to Dorian Gray: Basil Hallward or Lord Henry?

7. Why didn’t the police summon Dorian Gray?

8. How did Dorian Gray react to Basil Hallward’s wish to exhibit the picture?

9. What confession did Basil Hallward make?

10. What was the idea of Art that Basil Hallward developed after he had met Dorian Gray?

11. To whom would Dorian Gray sooner have gone if he had been in trouble (to Basil Hallward or Lord Henry)?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “I want the Dorian Gray I used to paint”.

Chapter 10

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

poisonous, admiration, loathing, purify, become absorbed, fascinate.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. What was Dorian Gray scared of?

2. Where did Dorian Gray order to hide the picture?

3. Why did Dorian Gray regret for a moment that he had not told Basil the true reason?

4. Whose influence did Dorian Gray consider to be more poisonous?

5. How did Dorian Gray describe the feeling that Basil had towards him?

6. How had Dorian Gray’s attitude to the portrait change?

7. What recollections of his childhood did Dorian Gray have?

8. Why did the picture have to be hidden away? Was anyone supposed to see it?

9. How did Dorian Gray react to the report in the paper?

10. What was the book that Lord Henry had sent Dorian Gray about? Why did Dorian Gray become so absorbed?

11. Why did Dorian Gray insist that he didn’t like the book but was fascinated by it?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “But it was too late now… the future was inevitable”.

Chapter 11

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

free oneself from, account of, under an assumed name, in disguise, reckless, mimic, essential, alien to, accompany, be of importance, mar, preserve, notorious.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. Why did Dorian Gray never seek to free himself from the influence of the book?

2. In what way was Dorian Gray more fortunate than the novel’s hero?

3. What strange rumors crept through London about Dorian Gray’s life?

4. Why did Dorian Gray enjoy examining the changes in the portrait?

5. Did Dorian Gray have any moments of regret or remorse?

6. What ‘new scheme of life’ did Dorian Gray pursue?

7. What was the ‘true object of life’ to Dorian Gray?

8. Did Dorian Gray attempt to accept any creed or system?

9. What subjects was Dorian Gray absorbed into? How did these interests help him?

10. Did Dorian Gray stay absolutely indifferent or impassive to the changes that happened to his own portrait?

11. What was the attitude of people to Dorian Gray?

12. What helped Dorian Gray secure his position in Society?

13. Why did Dorian Gray keep rereading some chapters from the book? What stories was he especially fascinated by?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful”.

Chapter 12

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

Account for (v), on intimate terms, go too far, blasphemy.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. Why do you think the author mentioned the exact date of the evening?

2. Was Dorian Gray willing to talk to Basil Hallward?

3. Why was the painter going Paris?

4. Why was the painter so desperate to speak to Dorian Gray?

5. What did Basil Hallward accuse Dorian Gray of?

6. What did Basil Hallward appeal to?

7. What did the painter want to see?

8. Where did Dorian Gray take Basil Hallward? Why did he agree to show the painter what he wanted?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “You have a wonderful influence. Let it be for good, not for evil”.

2. “One has a right to judge of a man by the effect he has over his friends”.

Chapter 13

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

Foul parody, infamous.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. What did Basil Hallward see in the portrait?

2. Did the painter believe in Dorian Gray’s story?

3. What did Basil Hallward implore Dorian Gray to do? Did Dorian Gray agree?

4. How did it happen that Dorian Gray stab Basil Hallward? Had the murder been planned or was it an impulse?

5. What did Dorian Gray feel after the murder?

6. How did Dorian Gray decide to disguise the fact that he had just committed a murder?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “You are the one man in the world who is entitled to know everything about me. You have had more to do with my life than you think”.

2. “There was still some gold in the thinning hair and some scarlet in the sensual mouth”.

3. “It had destroyed me”.

4. “Each of us had Heaven and Hell in him”.

Chapter 14

1. Explain the meaning of the word-combinations and set phrases from the list below. Quote the sentences in which they were used in the book. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

Mixed up in one’s life, to dictate terms.

2. Give extensive answers to the following questions:

1. How was Dorian Gray feeling the next morning?

2. How did Dorian Gray try to suppress the memories of the murder?

3. Why did Dorian Gray decide to contact Alan Campbel?

4. Was Alan Campbel willing to help Dorian Gray at once?

5. How did Dorian Gray manage to force Alan Campbel to destroy the body?

6. How had the expression on the portrait altered since the murder?

3. Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. “You have a wonderful influence. Let it be for good, not for evil”.

2. “One has a right to judge of a man by the effect he has over his friends”.

UNIT IV

(Chapters 15-20)

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 858