Ethical against aesthetical
Having a discussion with his friend about forgeries in art the narrator assumes that art is an act of reaching self-realization in an imaginary world, which is represented through this act, and any kind of forgery made by another artist is a problem of ethic. But when it comes to another vision of the same piece of art – it is a problem of aesthetics. The irony is that attitude towards a forgery is too subjective – any forgery is a forgery beyond any considerations.
Fanatic obsession
The fanatical obsession which pursued Cyril Graham brought him to the point when he saw no reason to live on and he committed suicide. His belief in Willie Hughes’ existence brought him to the fatal end. Erskine did not share this belief at first, but after the attempts taken by the narrator he changed his mind and this “fanatic obsession” seized him too.
Tricked
George Erskine has written the letter to the narrator where he informs him that all the case with Willie Hughes has also persuaded him that his life should stop. He gives in detail how he has come to such a conclusion, and says that it is now his, the narrator’s responsibility to prove that Willie Hughes existed. The narrator is negatively surprised and goes to George at once, but as the last was in Germany so it took pretty much time to get there, and when the narrator finally reaches Germany George is already dead and buried. The narrator has no doubt that George has committed suicide, but the doctor who treated him dissipates such an assumption – George has been very ill, and there was no hope for him. The narrator is even more negatively surprised, as he has almost got into the trap set by George which would make him sink into the researches and investigations which would bring him but to death.
