St. James's Gazette

The St. James's Gazette is a London newspaper that appears in the narrative at a crucial moment following the death of Sibyl Vane. It is the publication through which Dorian Gray first encounters the official account of the inquest into her death, and its presence in his home becomes a source of private anxiety and irritation.

Role in the Narrative

After the night of Sibyl Vane's disastrous performance and Dorian's brutal rejection of her, Lord Henry Wotton sends a copy of the evening edition of the St. James's Gazette to Dorian's house. The newspaper is placed on the tea-tray in the library, and Dorian opens it languidly. On the fifth page, a red pencil-mark catches his eye, drawing his attention to a specific paragraph. The paragraph reports that an inquest was held that morning at the Bell Tavern, Hoxton Road, by the District Coroner, Mr. Danby, on the body of Sibyl Vane, a young actress recently engaged at the Royal Theatre, Holborn. The verdict returned was death by misadventure. The report notes that considerable sympathy was expressed for the mother of the deceased, who was greatly affected during the giving of her own evidence and that of Dr. Birrell, who had made the post-mortem examination.

Dorian Gray's Reaction

Dorian's response to the newspaper is one of irritation and disgust. He frowns slightly, tears the paper in two, and flings the pieces into a gilt basket. He feels annoyed with Lord Henry for having sent him the account and considers it stupid of him to have marked it with red pencil, as his valet, Victor, might have read it and begun to suspect something. The ugliness of the report, and how horribly real ugliness makes things, disturbs him. Yet he quickly reassures himself that he has nothing to fear, as Dorian Gray had not killed Sibyl Vane. The newspaper thus serves as a concrete, unwelcome intrusion of the sordid public reality of the tragedy into his carefully curated private world, a reality he attempts to dismiss and destroy but cannot entirely escape. The marked paragraph also functions as a piece of evidence that could potentially link him to the scandal, a link he is anxious to sever.