Work Text:
UPDATED:
16/04/2015
- Added quotes from The World of Thedas
02/01/2015
- Added Blackwall & Dorian banter
- Added Josephine & Dorian banter
- Added meta corresponding to added banter + updated some paragraphs
- Some general smaller edits
This post will be as comprehensive and factual as possible in explaining why Dorian is an alcoholic and how he displays traits associated with alcoholism. However, I may have missed some quotes out and if so please send them my way! If you do not believe Dorian is an alcoholic, hopefully this will provide some explanation and convince you otherwise. If I presume any details about the Dragon Age universe that are wrong, feel free to correct me - I am still a novice at this!
Obvious trigger warnings for alcohol abuse, alcoholism, substance abuse etc.
Before I begin, I want to give you a tiny bit of background about myself. Both my parents are ex-alcoholics (or, better put, recovering alcoholics). Fortunately, both of them stopped drinking as soon as my mother found out she was pregnant with me. Nonetheless, I've grown up in an environment where I've always been educated about drinking and it's negative effects. My mother still struggles constantly with drinking, even though she's been sober 20 years. The reason I bring this up is because my mother's relationship with alcohol seems very similar to Dorian's. It's why - when playing DA:I and interacting with Dorian for only a short time - Dorian's behaviour set alarm bells ringing in my head. I am also telling you this because, as you can tell, it's a topic very personal to me and therefore I can't promise I won't be biased. Another reason is because hopefully you can see this isn't coming from someone who is just pulling quotes from WebMD - I would never use the term "alcoholic" lightly. But! I'm not pretending to be any sort of expert, either.
Most analysis that takes place in this will be through dialogue and context. Dialogue relates to anything that has been directly said or inferred about Dorian's drinking. Context is anything that has not been directly said or inferred about Dorian's drinking, but could be a factor or related to it - for example, his upperclass Tevinter background. The latter is more or less presumed - so has not been confirmed by canon.
Dorian's symptoms of alcoholism makes him what you would call a functioning alcoholic or a high functioning alcoholic. Functional alcoholics, as the name suggests, "function" normally in everyday life. They are not often seen or appear to be alcoholics but still continue to drink excessively and use alcohol in an abusive manner. More often than not functioning alcoholics are in denial about their drinking, or unaware that they actually have a problem. They might even go as far to joke about the problem to mask the seriousness of the issue.
In 2007 the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) identified five alcoholic 'subtypes', including the functional alcoholic subtype. They described this subtype as: 19.5 percent of U.S. alcoholics. Typically middle-aged, well-educated, with stable jobs and families. About one-third have a multigenerational family history of alcoholism, about one-quarter had major depressive illness sometime in their lives, and nearly 50 percent were smokers. (Source)
When talking about Dorian's alcoholism I am talking about him being a functional alcoholic, not the 'typical' alcoholic that is often portrayed in mainstream media. Some of you may not have even heard about functional alcoholism until now! Coming from a background where I've been taught about the multiple aspects of alcohol abuse and how it varies from person to person, these are the sort of things I just presume everyone knows. Obviously that’s not true, or Dorian’s alcoholism would be discussed more than it is. Instead, Dorian's alcoholism is almost constantly overlooked, underplayed and, often than not, made the butt of jokes. The fact that Dorian's alcoholism is often treated as casually by fandom as Dorian treats it himself, when his behaviour is extremely unhealthy, is worrying to me. This meta sets out to explore Dorian's relationship with alcohol and confirm to any non-believers that Dorian Pavus is an alcoholic.
Please read the full meta here at Ao3 or here on a Google doc. This is just so people don't have to scroll down this hefty post on Tumblr mobile and because my theme text isn't the easiest to read. Unbeta'd so apologies for any mistakes!
Dialogue:
[After the meeting with Dorian's father]:
At any rate, time to drink myself into a stupor. It's been that sort of day.
(Source)
[Breaking up with Dorian]:
If you'll excuse me a bottle calls, Orlesian brandy is so cheap here it's criminal.
(Source)
[Tell me about Alexius]:
He and I used to talk over brandy about the corruption, how we could make a real change in the Imperium.
[..]
Too much pride, I suppose. Besides, I was busy drinking. One must have priorities.
(Source)
[Dorian at Winter Palace]:
I'll be ready for your signal. Provided this spicy punch isn't as strong as it seems.
[..]
And expose myself to all this exquisite finery and exotic wines? Such hardship.
Inquisitor: Try not to get too drunk while I'm gone.
Dorian: You ask so much of me.
(Source)
[When asking Dorian about his and Iron Bull's relationship]:
I wouldn't want anyone to know about this, just like I wouldn't want anyone to know I fancy Fereldan beer.
[..]
At first it was an ill-considered night after drinking. Then there was a second time, and then…
(Source)
[Romance option: 'I need to talk to you']:
At least bring some wine, loosens the tongue, so to speak.
[Continued: 'Let's spend some time together']:
It'll have to be brandy won't it? Little early but that's never stopped me before.
(Source)
[Dorian and Cole banter]:
Dorian: That little trick, Cole, when you dip into someone's mind and take a drink: do you choose what you're looking for or is it random?
Cole: It has to be hurt, or a way to help the hurt. That's what calls me.
Cole: Relenus... skin tan like fine whiskey, cheekbones shaded, lips curl when he smiles... He would have said yes.
Dorian: I'll thank you not to do that again, please.
(Source)
(I've included the above just because I find it super interesting that when reading Dorian's thoughts Relenus is having skin described as "tan like fine whiskey" - I don't talk about this in the rest of my analysis but the fact Dorian ascribed alcohol as something positive and beautiful is really intriguing, especially when this past relationship obviously causes/d Dorian a lot of pain. A meta for another time, maybe.)
[Dorian and Blackwall banter]:
Dorian: I overheard you at the tavern, Blackwall, asking about the Inquisitor and I.
Blackwall: I was unsure I'd heard correctly.
Dorian: You have a question? Are your whiskers quivering with curiosity?
Blackwall: I would not pry into the Inquisitor's business.
Dorian: Are you certain? I can draw diagrams.
Blackwall: No. Thank you.
(Source)
Blackwall: Dorian, I can't believe you drank that swill at the tavern.
Dorian: I can't believe they serve that swill at the tavern. What is Skyhold coming to?
Blackwall: Then why did you drink it?
Dorian: I couldn't stop. With each sip it was, it can't be that bad, can it? Before I knew it, I was analyzing the nuances of its flavor, observing its effect on my nausea. I was in a catatonic trance, fueled by the stench of disgusting dwarven ale.
Blackwall: Or you're a drunkard with terrible taste.
Dorian: There is that.
(Source)
[Josephine and Dorian banter]:
Dorian: So, I'm to be restricted from the wine cellar, that's outrageous.
Josephine's Assistant: She's also considering asking you to replace the fourteen bottles you took.
Dorian: Just fourteen? Hm, I should consider myself lucky.
(Source)
[From The World of Thedas]:
"Only to turn up in a drunken stupor at a house of ill repute in the elven slums."
"He spent months drinking in the slums of Minrathous"
(Source)
Dorian's drinking as a coping mechanism:
Over and over again Dorian's dialogue suggests Dorian is using alcohol as a coping mechanism. This is a common symptom of alcohol abuse. In fact, in the UK it's been found that up to 12 million adults drink "to help them relax or overcome feelings of depression." (Source)
Dorian often mentions alcohol or drinking excessively when he has been through a negative experience, in turn suggesting that he is using alcohol as a means to cope in these situations.
In one of the scenes where the Inquisitor breaks up with Dorian, Dorian's first reaction is that "a bottle calls". Then, on the terrace of the Winter Palace, Dorian mentions drink in the dialogue three times. He even says "you ask so much of me" when the Inquisitor tells him not to get too drunk while he's gone. While this may not seem related to any negative emotion, the party at the Winter Palace is reminding Dorian strongly of his past and his family. He even comments that it is "all so familiar". In this conversation with the Inquisitor he repeatedly mentions his homeland and his mother in negative light - specifically, "Picture me a young boy of five years then. She (his mother) certainly always has." The fact Dorian appears to be drinking excessively, or at least wants to be drinking excessively, while reminiscing on negative memories, again supports Dorian using drinking as an emotional crutch.
The most worrying of all these mentions is of course, "At any rate, time to drink myself into a stupor. It's been that sort of day." This comment takes place after Dorian confronts his father, and is testament to Dorian's emotional dependency on alcohol.
When faced with negative feelings or strong emotions Dorian often puts on a false sense of 'everything's fine'. Rather than talking about his emotions directly he will often use sarcasm, a joke, or redirection to turn the conversation away from himself or the topic being discussed. In fact, Dorian does this almost continuously, regardless of the situation. He is the Sad Clown trope to a T:
"Often found among troops and superhero teams, the Sad Clown is the wisecracking funnyman who copes with his hopeless position with humor—usually of the groan-inducing kind. He is totally insecure at heart and keeps on running his mouth to fool himself into thinking he's confident or to get people to like him.
Often put in more serious series to add some comic relief, while at the same time secretly revealing to the audience that the character is a simmering pot of hidden insecurities and angst, just like everyone else in the cast. " (Source)
This can be seen in the conversation that takes place after Dorian and the Inquisitor have slept together, if you decide to break off their entanglement. Dorian says, "It was fun. Get new curtains. These ones are grisly." even though you've just broken his heart. (Source)
Almost all of the times mentioned where Dorian uses drink to numb his feelings is in relation to some emotion (predominantly negative) that Dorian doesn't want to process or think about. Dorian is using drink in a similar way to a humorous remark, to cover up his real emotion regarding the situation. Which is why it is unsurprising Dorian commits to such an extreme abuse of alcohol after his personal quest in which he confronts his father.
When Dorian meets with his father we see the most excessive and concerning example of Dorian's drinking yet - where he wants to "drink myself into a stupor." This is moment screams alcohol abuse. Here Dorian is literally using alcohol to make himself pass out. This is following a conversation with a man he has extremely complicated feelings about that explicitly involves Dorian having to be honest about said feelings. Considering Dorian so often edges around the truth of his words or covers them up with bluster - in fact Dorian is referred to "glib" on multiple occasions - it is unsurprising he has such a negative reaction to dealing with his father, and such a need for alcohol afterward. Even if he is romanced with the Inquisitor and kisses him, he does not seek any comfort from the Inquisitor, but from a bottle.
Then, when Dorian does use alcohol in the way he would a joke to mask his true feelings, he covers it up like any Sad Clown would, with another joke. Oh, haha, "Besides, I was busy drinking. One must have priorities." In this line Dorian is trying to lessen the fact that he was "busy drinking", which likely means excessively drinking, by saying "one must have priorities." By sarcastically saying this Dorian is showing that he is well aware that drinking taking precedence over 'everyday' activities is not a social norm, and therefore mocking his own excessive drinking in doing so. By joking about his alcoholism Dorian is normalising his heavy drinking and denying the fact he has a problem. Joking about alcoholism is a common sign in alcoholics, as it's a way to validate that their drinking is a choice, not an addiction.
When Dorian jokes about his drinking a part of him knows he has a problem. In fact - Dorian basically admits that he is an alcoholic. In a conversation with Blackwall they discuss Dorian binge drinking and then Blackwall states: "Or you're a drunkard with terrible taste." In reply Dorian says: "There is that." Dorian has literally just owned up to being habitually drunk (the actual definition of drunkard). Drunkard is a synonym for alcoholic (Source). Drunkard literally "connotes willful indulgence to excess" (Source) which is one of the primary indicators of alcoholism. Dorian doesn't even cover this up with a joke - he literally just says "There is that". He affirms exactly what Blackwall has just said about Dorian's drinking habits.
Dorian drinks excessively:
Dorian's excessive drinking is one of the most obvious indicators that Dorian is an alcoholic. From the amount Dorian mentions alcohol alone it could infer Dorian's alcoholism, although I understand why that link could be a little tenuous so I've chosen not to talk about it.
Firstly, Dorian drinks in excess by binge drinking. This has already been mentioned previously in Dorian wanting to drink himself into a "stupor". It can also be backed up by the scene in which Josephine apparently was thinking of making Dorian replace the "fourteen bottles you took" from the wine cellar. More worrying is the fact that Dorian responds to this with "Just fourteen? Hm, I should consider myself lucky" - suggesting that Dorian actually took more than Josephine thought. Fourteen bottles of wine is excessive to begin with, yet alone if he took more. This conversation also reveals too more things about Dorian's alcohol abuse. One, that Dorian will go far as to steal alcohol to get his fix (and note that Dorian probably has no problems with money considering his background) which is a very telling sign of an alcoholic. Two, that Dorian is outraged that "I'm to be restricted from the wine cellar". He doesn't just say as much but the tone in his voice is very telling that he is extremely upset about it. By restricting him from the cellar, Josephine would likely be cutting off one of Dorian's sources of alcohol, something that would be very distressing to an addict.
Furthermore, in a party banter conversation with Blackwall, Dorian describes that he was in a "catatonic trance" while drinking alcohol. Catatonia is described as: a state of neurogenic motor immobility and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor (Source). Dorian is so drunk that he's barely functioning - a telltale sign of binge drinking.
Secondly, it doesn't matter the time of day in which he drinks. If the Inquisitor is romancing Dorian and asks him to "Spend some time together" Dorian responds: "It'll have to be brandy won't it? Little early but that's never stopped me before." Again, Dorian seems to understand the social implications that drinking at this time of day is wrong, but doesn't care. Drinking for Dorian is the imperative. While the time of day that you drink does not mean that you are an alcoholic, that fact Dorian says that it's "never stopped me before" suggests that it's something that's happened in the past and likely regularly. This leads me to my next point.
Dorian's alcoholism is a long occurring problem. While it's severity might vary from his past to now, drink was still a part of his life. When talking to Dorian about Alexius he says, "He and I used to talk over brandy about the corruption, how we could make a real change in the Imperium." This was when Dorian and Alexius were still friends, so likely a number of years ago. While this does not suggest if he had an alcohol addiction then it shows drinking was likely a regular part of his life, seeing he would have likely spent most of his time working under Alexius. Later in this conversation Dorian says, "Besides, I was busy drinking. One must have priorities." I've touched on this earlier, but I want to come back to it again. This comment is on a time period a lot later in their relationship, and demonstrates Dorian's unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Compared to the earlier comment this could show how Dorian's use of alcohol could have worsened from casual drinking to outright abuse.
Dorian doesn't care what he drinks. A lot of different varieties of alcohol are mentioned by Dorian but the most telling conversation about this is with Blackwall, as I've mentioned earlier. In this conversation Blackwall mentions that, "I can't believe you drank that swill at the tavern." When Blackwall asks why Dorian drank it, Dorian replies, "I couldn't stop. With each sip it was, it can't be that bad, can it?". Alcoholics will often drink anything with alcohol in it, regardless of taste, just to achieve whatever effect they are addicted to. Hardened alcoholics will even turn to drinking extremely damaging products such as mouthwash, white spirit and hairspray just to get their fix (Source + Source). Of course, this is not always the case, in fact some alcoholics will only drink certain drinks in order to deny that they have a problem. In this case, for Dorian, it seems to be true, although the tavern "swill" could be an isolated incident. Considering Dorian's relationship with drink, this is unlikely. Either way, it is a sign of alcoholism.
Contextual:
These are all things which could be related to Dorian's alcoholism but aren't confirmed in canon.
To start with: Dorian's upbringing. It is very likely that Dorian grew up in an environment where drinking alcohol was a social norm and drinking alcohol heavily. Often alcohol is associated with wealth and class, and therefore probably used as a symbol of each within Tevinter society. I have no real evidence to back this up other than Dorian's conversation with the Inquisitor in the Winter Palace, as I have already mentioned. In this conversation Dorian is comparing Tevinter parties to the one in the Winter Palace, and it's likely that the abundance of alcohol was also included at Tevinter parties. You could even tentatively include Dorian's comment about drinking brandy with Alexius under this.
The reason why this is important is because early drinking is linked to higher lifetime alcoholism risk (Source). It even happened to my mother - who used to be given a drink of brandy when she was upset or feeling anxious (and thus developed a coping mechanism where drink would numb those feelings later in life). Research has found that 47 percent of individuals who began drinking before age 14 experienced dependence at some point. One survey found that almost half U.S adults who had developed alcoholism at some point, met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence by age 21. If Dorian was brought up in an environment where drinking was a social norm, and where he was exposed to alcohol from an early age from going to parties etc. he likely faces an increased risk of alcoholism. Maybe Dorian's unhealthy mechanisms even began here.
This brings me onto another part of Dorian's past - Dorian's identity and oppression as a gay male.
Research into alcohol abuse has found that generally LGBTQ individuals are more prone to drinking heavily (Note: a lot of this research is outdated. Source) In Dorian's case, being continually suppressed about his sexuality, which in turn has contributed a large part in shaping Dorian's personality and personal identity. This oppression could have led Dorian to use drink as a comfort or a way to 'escape' his situation. In a location where homosexual relationships are considered taboo, enough so that a man's father would consider blood magic to reverse his sons sexuality, it meant Dorian probably had no one to talk to about what he was going through. Often alcoholics turn to drink to cope with pressures in their daily lives - and this might have been the case for Dorian.
Finally, Dorian has presented many traits of an addictive personality. This is something both my parents have, and something which I've inherited off of them (gdi). I'm not going to go into much detail with this because I don't really have much to go on other than Dorian's alcoholism, his penchant for gambling (the majority of party banter conversations with Varric are about gambling or gambling debts between them), and even, possibly, his past sexual relationships (with other Tevinter men).
For this I'm just going to take a nice big copy paste of Wiki, that you can apply or not apply to Dorian as you like. I think an addictive personality is very suiting to Dorian's personality and character traits, but I'll let you read for yourself:
People who experience addictive personality disorders typically act on impulses and cannot deal with delayed gratification. At the same time, people with this type of personality tend to believe that they do not fit into societal norms and therefore, acting on impulses, deviate from conformity to rebel. People with addictive personalities are very sensitive to emotional stress. They have trouble handling situations that they deem frustrating, even if the event is for a very short duration. The combination of low self-esteem, impulsivity and low tolerance for stress causes these individuals to have frequent mood swings and often suffer from some sort of depression. A coping mechanism to deal with their conflicting personality becomes their addiction and the addiction acts as something that the person can control when they find it difficult to control their personality traits.
Extraversion, self-monitoring, and loneliness are also common characteristics found in those who suffer from addiction. Individuals who score high on self-monitoring are more prone to developing an addiction. High self-monitors are sensitive to social situations; they act how they think others expect them to act. They wish to fit in, hence they are very easily influenced by others. Likewise, those who have low self-esteem also seek peer approval; therefore, they participate in "attractive" activities such as smoking or drinking to try to fit in.
Addictive individuals feel highly insecure when it comes to relationships. They may often find it difficult to make commitments in relationships or trust their beloved because of the difficulty they find in achieving long-term goals. They constantly seek approval of others and as a result, these misunderstandings may contribute to the destruction of relationships. People suffering from addictive personality disorder usually undergo depression and anxiety, managing their emotions by developing addiction to alcohol, other types of drugs, or other pleasurable activities. (Source)
Hopefully this meta will have enlightened you a little bit on Dorian's relationship with alcohol. If you came here thinking Dorian wasn't an alcoholic, hopefully I've given enough evidence to show you that he is!
If you think you might have a problem with alcohol, or someone you know might, or just want to know a little more, check out the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous.