Influences Of Lord Henry In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray started as a naive and innocent man, who becomes influenced by the mysterious Lord Henry. Once he realizes that there is more to life that he has yet to discover, he becomes obsessed with appearance and youth. After Dorian uncovers the painting and realizes his portrait has aged and began to change he blames the one who makes him realize his ugliness through the quote, “There was a stifled groan, and the horrible sound of someone choking with blood. Three times the outstretched arms shot up convulsively, waving grotesque stiff-fingered hands in the air. He stabbed him twice more, but the man did not move” (Wilde 111). Due to Basil’s obsession with Dorian and all the beauty he obtained, Dorian reached his breaking point. His vanity behold him and once he witnessed the portrait changing he needed to do something about it. He could not handle the thought of being ugly and old, so he killed the one who made him see himself change, Basil. Dorian reaches his breaking point when he realizes how important being beautiful and youthful

Themes of the evil and representations of the devil also feature in Dorian Gray. The devil is represented by Lord Henry Wotton – his worldview and words have a profound effect on the innocent minded Dorian, who takes Henry's philosophy into practice. Hence, symbolically Henry is the evil influence upon Dorian. Evil is also showcased through the deal with the devil that Dorian makes. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian desires to sell his soul in order to remain young and beautiful forever. His wish is granted and that sets in motion the path of infamy which Dorian will take. In Wilde's time, Morality, Hedonism and culture's obsession with beauty and youth were key issues in society. Wilde understood this and included such themes into Dorian Gray. Hence, making the text relatable and vital to the period in which Dorian Gray was penned. Wilde in Dorian Gray is making a wider statement about society – Victorian era Britain was supposed

Dorian is introduced to Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry Wotton seems at the beginning of the novel to be the most corrupting character in the book, being the catalyst of Dorian Gray?s change in character, or realization of true character. Wotton is a cynical character, and is somewhat of a hypocrite, as Hallward rightly says (paraphrasing Charles 2nds epigram), "You never say a moral thing, and you never do a wrong thing" (4). For all his talk, Lord Henry remains a married man who chooses a life as a spectator rather than a carouser (Miller 385). From the instant of their acquaintance, Lord Henry causes an instantaneous difference in Dorian. "Lord Henry lives vicariously on the emotions and experiences of other people" (Shewan 376). Lord Henry awakens in Dorian feelings and thoughts Dorian has never had before, and Dorian feels overcome with awe. When asked about his negative influence on people, Lord Henry says," There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral?Because to influence a person is to give him one?s own soul?" (17). Dorian immediately develops an attachment to Lord Henry, one which Henry claims will be everlasting. Jeffrey Meyers explains, "If Hallward is the masochistic creator of Dorian?s aesthetic glorification, Wotton (who manipulates the vanity stimulated by the portrait) is the sadistic catalyst of his moral degeneration"(372). In fact, Ted Spivey claims that

Lord Henry’s influence over Dorian is quite evident to the reader just from their first interaction. During their initial conversation, Lord Henry explains his philosophy of how, “the aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly,—that is what each of us is here for,” (Wilde 15). Dorian takes this quite literally and later states that, “when one loses one’s good

And both of them handle it in a similar way. Dorian feels bad about what he has done, only realizing that this after looking at his portrait and how it has grown to be a “foul parody” (Wilde 203) of what Basil originally painted. Instead of facing his problems, rationalizes his actions, all the while he feels “keenly the terrible pleasure of a double life.” This quote shows us that he is not the least bit ashamed about his actions, he is very well aware of the wicked rumours that surround him, but also aware that people do not really believe them because his face continues to look youthful and innocent. All the while the portrait of him is truly changing to reflect Dorian’s inner sins. Dorian seems ever interested in the bad behaviors that Lord Henry introduced to him, Lord Henry said this to Dorian, “You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.” This quote shows us how little Lord Henry cares about how much he has negatively influenced Dorian, and probably finds it as amusing as a game to see how far he can go before Dorian snaps. It is also a true statement to an extent. Throughout the book Dorian keeps in contact with Lord Henry. Dorian is fascinated by the lifestyle that he lives, asking him on advice on what to do and how to act. Every time he receives a piece of advice from Lord Henry it is another piece of Dorian that is

In the eyes of Lord Henry, "there is no such thing as a good influence, all influence is immoral" (Wilde, 8)  meaning that anything being said is neutral; however, that person uses that information is the leading factor of manipulation and corruption.  Lord Henry is the prime instigator and had motive for turning Dorian into a destructive monster, opposite his naturally shy and youthful soul. Author, Oscar Wilde, uses Lord Henry in "Picture of Dorian Gray" to show how the constant use of manipulation causes Dorian to not use his own knowledge and thoughts, manipulate and destroy others around him, cause a decline

As a whole, this opening confrontation between Lord Henry and Dorian’s initial character proves several points: one, Dorian does have his own passions and soul before meeting Lord Henry, and two, Lord Henry’s teachings initially echo Dorian’s own feelings, which are what draw him to Lord Henry over the two-dimensional Basil Hallward. Later, ironically, it is Lord Henry’s own teachings which leads to Dorian’s struggle to repress his "true self" and ultimately bring about his downfall.

Wilde’s novel is an obvious evidence of the pervasiveness of main values of Victorian society. According to Wilde, “Aesthetic tendencies have to be taken with prudence and have reasonable limits that imply moral responsibility.” According to the critic Alex Ross, “ Wilde’s aestheticism, his fanatical cult of beauty, was the deepest and most lasting of his passions, and it is now the most radical about him” (Ross 2011).

In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Lord Henry’s influence on Dorian changes his character that was presented in the beginning of the book. Dorian was like a blank canvas that had no personality due to him not having a proper childhood. Due to this, he didn’t have any morals to follow. Lord Henry saw this opportunity and he awakened from him a man who turned into a immoral aestheticist who looks at things just as they are instead of what they are like personally. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry’s influence was significant to Dorian and to the work as a whole because of the impact it had on Dorian, and the impact it had on people close to Dorian.

Dorian Gray’s life throughout the book is revolved around social class/Aristocracy. Dorian Gray comes from a wealthy family but he is not really part of Aristocracy, but this Aristocracy within the society and the people has been an influence on him. Dorian is more of a middle-class men that does not seem to know what to think about everything going on around him. That is why he takes interest into Lord Henry’s words. He thinks that it is someone who is experienced and should take his word. Wilde, in this story, is representing and criticizing the British Monarchy within that time period. In the

The reader comes to know Dorian as a delightful young man with a “simple and beautiful nature” (Wilde 16). He is described as looking like “one who had kept himself unspotted from the world” (Wilde 131), indicating the innocence of his spirit. Additionally, it is made clear that Dorian’s character is one of benevolence as Lord Henry explains the charity work he and Harry’s aunt, Lady Agatha, had done in the slums of London (Wilde 15). Within a short time, it is apparent to the reader that Dorian Gray is a man of goodwill and virtue, seeming practically perfect in every sense. This purity, although forever-lasting on Dorian’s appearance, is soon lost in his soul upon meeting with and talking to Lord Henry. Within their first conversation Harry familiarizes Dorian with the philosophy of Hedonism, urging him to live life to the fullest and always be “searching for new sensations” (Wilde 25). The introduction of this ideology to the unstained mind of Dorian marks the onset of his downfall and gives light to his inner narcissist. For example, upon seeing the portrait Basil painted of him, he exclaims: “How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young…If it were only the other way...For thatfor thatI would give everything!” (Wilde 28). Dorian is willing to trade his soul for eternal youth and beauty, putting his personal pleasures before his morality, and therefore revealing his arrogant and self-centered attributes. Along with his superficiality, Dorian’s hedonistic way of life leads him down a sinful path and ultimately to the murder of his friend Basil. For this reason, Dorian Gray represented the greater evil between the two characters because at this point it had been made clear that his innocent mind and

Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde tells a tale about a young man named Dorian whose entire life changes after he meets Basil Hallward, who paints a portrait of Gray that ultimately leads to Gray’s demise. At the same time, Dorian also meets Lord Henry, who eventually plays a bad influence over Dorian. The portrait shows the man Dorian has become

The first sign of Dorian’s new development is when he first lays eyes on the portrait after hearing Lord Henry’s panegyric of youth. As Dorian gazes upon himself on the portrait, he comes to a shocking realisation. Wilde writes it as, “The sense of his own beauty came upon him like a revelation… Basil Hallward’s compliments had seemed to him to be merely the charming exaggerations of friendship… They had not influenced his nature. Then had come Lord Henry Wotton with his strange panegyric on youth, his terrible warning of its brevity. That had stirred him at the time, and now, as he stood gazing at the shadow of his own loveliness, the full reality of the description flashed across him… He would become dreadful, hideous, and uncouth. As he thought of it, a sharp pang of pain struck through him like a knife, and made each delicate fibre of his nature quiver” (Wilde 18-19). His beauty would not last forever, and he would become old and withered just like everyone else will. Dorian, who once didn’t care about his looks, had now become obsessed with the ideals and ideas fed to him from Henry. He makes his wish for the portrait to take on the burden of time and sin, instead of him. He says, “I know, now, that when one loses one’s good

In The Picture of Dorian Gray the main character Dorian gray was first an innocent man and role model to artist Basil Howard who represented humanity. Overtime influences, interactions, and beauty got the best of him. In The Picture of Dorian Gray Basil says “He has a simple and a beautiful nature. Your aunt was quite right in what she said of him. Don't spoil him. Don't try to influence him. Your influence would be bad” this shows how even at the very beginning Basil knew how Lord Henry would influence him in a negative way. As we read on we can see how lord Henry teaches him to only care about beauty which causes Dorian to believe beauty is the only thing that matters in life. Lord Henry was the main cause of the corruption of Dorian's soul. In the novel another quote Lord Henry says is Oh, she is better than good – she is beautiful,". This demonstrates how from the very get go he told Dorian that beauty is better than goodness. The poisonous book was another way Dorian was overtaken by the evil. In the novel it says “It was a poisonous book. The heavy odor of incense seemed to cling about its pages and to trouble the brain. The mere cadence of the sentences, the subtle monotony of their music, so full as it was of complex refrains and movements elaborately repeated, produced in the mind of the lad, as he passed from chapter to chapter, a form of reverie, a malady of dreaming, that made him unconscious of the falling day and creeping shadows.” This quote proves how the evil has already taken over him and now the book is taking over his soul. A clear piece of evidence that shows readers how the evil has really won in The Picture of Dorian Gray is the

When Dorian Gray first meets Lord Henry at the studio of artist Basil Hallward, he is fascinated with Lord Henry’s wit and the radical social doctrines that he advocates. Dorian is easily molded and falls for the argument he hears. According to Lord Henry the goal of new hedonism, “to realize