Dorian's Reaction to Sybil's Death

   There are several parallels between Shakespeare and the Picture of Dorian Gray, one of the more obvious being the similarities between the deaths of Ophelia and Sybil Vane. Both the love interests of the title character, both characters commit suicide due to rejection by their significant others. Ophelia and Sybil drown themselves in similar  manners but the reactions of Hamlet and Dorian differ greatly. While Hamlet reacts emotionally to Ophelia's death, the opposite happens to Dorian. Instead of grieving or feeling guilty for Sybil's death, Dorian reacts with prominent indifference, an obvious sign that Henry's influence has begun to take affect. Dorian's detachment does not go unnoticed by Basil: " Something has changed you completely[...]You talk as if you have no heart, no pity in you" (261). At this point in the novel, it is definite  that Basil's influence on Dorian, is moot due to Henry's overwhelming philosophy.