Mrs. Vane Quotes

Thin-lipped Wisdom spoke at her from the worn chair, hinted at prudence, quoted from that book of cowardice whose author apes the name of common sense. She did not listen. She was free in her prison of passion. Her prince, Prince Charming, was with her. She had called on Memory to remake him. She had sent her soul to search for him, and it had brought him back. His kiss burned again upon her mouth. Her eyelids were warm with his breath.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 5. Mrs. Vane has learned that her daughter Sibyl has fallen lock, stock and barrel for Dorian Gray. With her "thin-lipped wisdom" she advises Sibyl that she mustn’t think of anything but her acting. But Sibyl does not listen. Wilde describes Sibyl’s "prison of passion" in which she believes that she is free to be alongside her "Prince Charming." Sibyl as a damsel in distress swooning with the happiness of love and needing a Prince hero to rescue her (from her acting life) is one of the classic elements of Gothic fiction. The prison metaphor is also foreshadowing that the love affair will bring her disaster.

Mrs. Vane fixed her eyes on him, and intensified the smile. She mentally elevated her son to the dignity of an audience. She felt sure that the tableau was interesting.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chaper 5. Mrs. Vane seems to view life as a piece of theater. When James enters the room, where Sibyl has been excitedly telling her mother about her "Prince Charming" Dorian, her theatrical instincts kick in. Mrs. Vane imagines the moment as a "tableau" and she mentally sees her son as the audience. Theater and art are important to the Vane family and to Mrs. Vane appearances really do matter.

For some months past she had felt ill at ease when she was alone with this rough, stern son of hers. Her shallow, secret nature was troubled when their eyes met. She used to wonder if he suspected anything.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 5. Mrs. Vane feels ill at ease when she is alone with her rough and brash son James and seems to have a disconnect with him. The unease is not directly explained in the novel, but may be to do with James’s suspicion about Sibyl’s lover Dorian and distrust of his mother’s motivation in this and her interest in Dorian’s wealth. James is very protective of his sister Sibyl.

There is no doubt that the young man in question is a perfect gentleman. He is always most polite to me. Besides, he has the appearance of being rich, and the flowers he sends are lovely…I trust he is one of the aristocracy. He has all the appearance of it, I must say. It might be a most brilliant marriage for Sibyl. They would make a charming couple. His good looks are really quite remarkable; everybody notices them.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 5. Mrs. Vane is happy with the match between Dorian and her daughter Sibyl, she explains to her son James. She has no doubt that Dorian is the perfectly gentleman and it will be a perfect marriage, she tells her suspicious son. How wrong she is! She judges Dorian completely on appearances and is won over by his good looks, politeness and aristocratic appearance.
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