I know this is a homework board, but I really was wondering if anyone could help me with a book I'm reading... it's a classic [The Picture of Dorian Gray], so I thought I'd give it a shot. Could anyone explain to me what Lord Henry and the Duchess of Monmouth are talking about at the end of chapter 17 with the lines "I am on the side of the Trojans. They fought for a woman."
"They were defeated."
"There are worse things than capture," she answered.
"You gallop with a loose rein."
And then later...
"I shall write it in my diary tonight." [Henry]
"What?" [the Duchess]
"That a burnt child loves the fire."
"I am not even singed. My wings are untouched."
I understand that Henry was just reproaching her for flirting with Dorian, but the only information I can find about this scene online is that Henry & the Duchess are having a witty conversation... I'd really like it if someone could go into more depth for me. Thanks in advance.
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. You may have heard the expression "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." In Homer's Iliad, according to mythology, Troy was burned by the Greeks with a gift. The Trojan horse was left outside the gates of Troy, and being curious, it was dragged into the city and left overnight. Inside, however, were soldiers that descended the horse that night, opening the gates of Troy and burning the city. Here is the story:
The Trojan Horse
Still seeking to gain entrance into Troy, clever Odysseus (some say with the aid of Athena) ordered a large wooden horse to be built. Its insides were to be hollow so that soldiers could hide within it.
Once the statue had been built by the artist Epeius, a number of the Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet sailed away, so as to deceive the Trojans.
One man, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans came to marvel at the huge creation, Sinon pretended to be angry with the Greeks, stating that they had deserted him. He assured the Trojans that the wooden horse was safe and would bring luck to the Trojans.
Only two people, Laocoon and Cassandra, spoke out against the horse, but they were ignored. The Trojans celebrated what they thought was their victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy.
That night, after most of Troy was asleep or in a drunken stupor, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from the horse, and they slaughtered the Trojans. Priam was killed as he huddled by Zeus' altar and Cassandra was pulled from the statue of Athena and .
The saying is "the burnt child dreads the fire" so the second conversation may not refer to that, but instead another mythological story. Daedalus and his son were locked in a labyrinth. In order to escape they built artificial wings. Icarus, the son, flew too close to heaven and the sun melted his wings.
The essence of that repartee is Henry is warning the dutchess not to get involved with Dorian. People who flirt with danger ( Trojans - Daedalus) very often end the worse for it.
In the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, Lord Henry and the Duchess of Monmouth engage in a conversation that may appear witty on the surface, but carries deeper meaning.
In this conversation, Lord Henry states, "I am on the side of the Trojans. They fought for a woman." This is a reference to the ancient Greek myth of the Trojan War, where the Greeks besieged the city of Troy for ten years in order to rescue Helen, the wife of Menelaus, who was taken by Paris, a Trojan prince. Lord Henry aligns himself with the Trojans, implying that he sympathizes with their pursuit of desire, even if it leads to destruction.
The Duchess responds by saying, "They were defeated." Here, she acknowledges that the Trojans ultimately lost the war. The defeat of the Trojans symbolizes the consequences that come with pursuing desire without caution or restraint.
Lord Henry then says, "There are worse things than capture." By stating this, he suggests that experiencing the consequences of one's actions can sometimes be preferable to never taking risks or pursuing desire at all. He implies that the Trojans, despite being defeated and captured, were at least courageous enough to fight for what they desired.
The Duchess counters, "You gallop with a loose rein." This implies that Lord Henry is someone who indulges in his desires without considering the consequences. He lives life recklessly, without restraint or caution.
Later in the conversation, Lord Henry states, "I shall write it in my diary tonight," to which the Duchess asks, "What?" He responds, "That a burnt child loves the fire." This phrase is a variation of the saying "the burnt child dreads the fire." Lord Henry is essentially warning the Duchess not to get too close to Dorian Gray, as someone who has been burned before (referring to Dorian's corrupting influence), he knows the dangers and consequences involved. The Duchess dismisses his warning by saying, "I am not even singed. My wings are untouched," implying that she believes she can handle Dorian's influence without being harmed.
Overall, this conversation between Lord Henry and the Duchess of Monmouth serves as a metaphorical discussion about the pursuit of desire, the dangers it can entail, and the consequences of recklessness. Lord Henry warns the Duchess about the potential harm that can come from indulging in one's desires without considering the consequences, drawing on mythological references to emphasize his point.