Dorian Gray Character Analysis
The picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde 's story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. The novel deals with Dorian Gray 's moral disintegration and it caused a great scandal when it first appeared in 1890. Wilde was attacked for his “decadence and corrupting influence,” and a few years later the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde 's homosexuality. In this paper, I would deal with the character of Lord Henry Wotton, who I believe is the more powerful one in the novel since without his influence Dorian would not become the mysterious and complex Dorian Gray of the whole story. Lord Henry Wotton is an aristocrat whose economy allows him to live a life without worries. He is painter Basil Hallward’s friend, and it is through him that he meets Dorian Gray. Throughout the story, Lord Henry or Harry, as their friends call him, is a hedonist who embraces an immoral philosophy. Thus, he freely shares his cunning theories and beliefs based on the pursuit of pleasure and satisfaction in every social meeting. To him, pleasure is above all and everything-art, people, objects, money- is a tool of pleasure. Additionally, he states that "the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it,” otherwise the soul would suffer. As soon as Lord Henry is presented in chapter one, it is learnt about his corruptive nature through Basil’s point of view: "Dorian Gray is my dearest friend," he said. "He has
The Theme Of Superficiality In Dorian Wilde, By Oscar Wilde
1108 Words | 5 PagesAnother theme illustrated through Wilde’s use of motifs and symbols is the theme of superficiality. The theme of superficiality can be understood as a sense of the superficial view of outer beauty that is shown in the work. It relates to the concept of remaining young, which is an important factor of what is shown in the novel. This is an important part of the novel because outer beauty plays a bigger role for Dorian, than inner beauty does. In the beginning of the novel, Lord Henry and Dorian have a conversation that focuses on the topic of youth and Dorian 's outer beauty – Lord Henry mentions the fact that Dorian has a beautiful face, and later during this conversation, Lord Henry states that: “youth is the only thing worth having…”
The Red Badge Of Courage: A Soldier's Dilemma
802 Words | 4 PagesHenry’s flawed nature and inner desire to be morally upright are revealed as he escapes the battle and as he justifies himself
Social Commentary In The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde
1121 Words | 5 PagesRelatively all authors are very fond of creating an underlying message to criticize society. Authors do this through social commentary. The book “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is no exception. The author, Oscar Wilde, criticizes the upper class through the consistent underlying idea that people are often deceived by one's beauty and are unable to understand the poison that fills the world is corrupting it. From the beginning of this book, the social commentary towards the upper class begins with the structure of the novel.
Theme Of Corruption In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
725 Words | 3 PagesHe has a lot of different ideas on life and how to live it. He is a friend of Basil and is visiting with him when Dorian comes to sit for the painting. Henry stays and talks to
Cruelty In 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray'
760 Words | 4 PagesIn conversation with Lord Henry, Dorian says, “I was terribly cruel to her. You forget that.” then quickly follows up with, “You have explained to me myself, Harry, I felt all that you have said but somehow I was afraid of it, and I could not express it to myself.” (Wilde, 90). Dorian is continuing on the path of no return.
Dorian Gray Good Vs Evil Essay
997 Words | 4 PagesAs soon as Dorian enters in Chapter 2 of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wildes’ one and only novel, its is evident that there will be a battle between who will have the most influence on his pure, untouched soul. Basil Hallward, a painter and worshipper of art is an optimist and sees only the good in even the wickedest of people, such as Lord Henry. Lord Henry is a charming, self-indulgent aristocrat that shapes and molds Dorian to lead a life devoted to pleasure. Both Basil and Lord Henry represent two important opposing forces in the novel, good and evil. The greatest struggle in The Picture of Dorian Gray is inside Dorian; he himself embodies both pure good and pure evil.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray Moral Analysis
873 Words | 4 PagesFrom the beginning of the novel we get to see a model of poor and unconventional morality, Lord Henry Wotton, a man who is moved by an ethic current called “New Hedonism” which taking into account society’s ethics (specially the ones from the Victorian Era) is quite immoral. The New Hedonism basically consists in looking for the individual’s best comfort, pleasure and happiness (based on beauty), leaving aside the other’s comfort and what should be morally done. This character with poor morality is who guides the book’s main character Dorian Gray along his adventure. However, it is vital to take into account the fact that Dorian Gray is never forced to follow New Hedonism and that Wilde never influences or invites the reader to follow New Hedonist
Influence In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
2219 Words | 9 PagesLord Henry’s painting showed Dorian the reality of life and all the sins he had committed. With the picture, Dorian destroyed it plus his own life because he could not bear the fact that his beauty was going to fade. In addition, Henry influences Dorian by manipulating him because; he carries on with his idea of remaining youthful. This is evident when he says, "To get back to my youth, I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable" (Liebman 300). Lord Henry had everything to do with Dorian’s obsession of wanting to remain young especially with the picture and his philosophy.
Hedonism In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1283 Words | 6 PagesAs a writer one is greatly influenced by their personal experiences with social, historical, and cultural context within their specific time period. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray was shaped by the aspects of the world around him. The themes of the text are are influenced by morality in the Victorian Era. Throughout the Victorian Era a deeper movement was also prominent in London called Aestheticism. Aestheticism is the worship of beauty and self-fulfillment.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray Literary Criticism
750 Words | 3 PagesDorian Gray is a handsome, narcissistic young man enthralled by Lord Henry 's new enjoyment. He satisfies in every pleasure of moral and immoral life ultimately heads to death. Henry tells
Theme Of Appearance In Dorian Gray
937 Words | 4 PagesAs the portrait significantly becomes more hideous, Dorian gradually loses his mind. The reader understands that what eventually leads Dorian to kill Basil Hallward, the only true friend he has, is the constant reminder of the evil found at the heart of Dorian’s nature, as represented by the portrait. In Dorian doing so, the reader realises that not only does Dorian kill Basil, he also kills his only chance of redemption of his soul. The reader realises that the statement that Dorian had expressed earlier in the story was the truth: “Yes, Basil could have saved him. But it was too late now.”
Gothic Elements In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1215 Words | 5 PagesHis views, opinions and influences captivated by Dorian Gray which continuously encourages Dorian Gray into bad things. The third main character is Basil Hallward who was an artist that paints a picture of Dorian Gray and thus, becomes obsessed with him as Dorian Gray’s beauty was Basil’s art object. Basil feelings towards Dorian were left unclear, likely because in that time, those who involved in homosexual are going to be punish be society. ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ book, Oscar Wilde emphasized some relationships which were Basil Hallward and Lord Henry were friends of Dorian Gray, but, as I reach to the middle pages, Basil had feelings for Dorian Gray as he even confessed to Dorian in Dorian’s
The Picture Of Dorian Gray Romanticism Essay
782 Words | 4 PagesThe Picture of Dorian Gray, one of Oscar Wilde’s masterpieces, portrays one of the most important values and principles for him: aestheticism. As a criticism to the life lived during the Victorian era in England, Wilde exposed a world of beauty a freedom in contradiction to the lack of tolerance a limitation of that era; of course inspired due to Wilde’s personal life. All the restrictions of the Victorian England lead him to a sort of anarchism against what he found to be incoherent rules, and he expressed all this to his art. His literature is a strong, political and social criticism. He gave a different point of view to controversial topics such as life, morality, values, art, sexuality, marriage, and many others, and epigrams, for what he is very well known, where the main source to the exposure of his interpretations of this topic.
The Importance Of Double Life In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
828 Words | 4 PagesThe double standard can be depicted in image changing, in lavish lifestyles, and in superficial happiness. Dorian Gray, the protagonist in the novel, lives a superficially stable double life. The portrait that Basil Hallward, Dorian’s artist and friend, created for Dorian caused a self-image imbalance. The portrait was young and juvenile, while Dorian was soon to grow old and immoral. Thus causing a mental epiphany that made Dorian realize he could not have his fellow peers discover he is not innocent.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray Character Analysis Essay
829 Words | 4 PagesHe even further proves his evil soul when he murders Basil without even thinking minutes later. Dorian had turned from harsh and selfish to a murder. Dorian Gray starts off as a harsh person who thinks about repairing his mistakes, but transitions to a selfish murderer who seeks pleasure, all because of Lord Henrys poisonous words. Dorian Gray ruined countless lives throughout the book and goes from breaking hearts and causing suicides, to killing his good friend Basil Hallward. As a result of Lord Henry’s influence, he begins to think only about himself and for his own benefit and pleasure and nothing of anyone else.
More about Dorian Gray Character Analysis
The Theme Of Superficiality In Dorian Wilde, By Oscar Wilde
1108 Words | 5 PagesThe Red Badge Of Courage: A Soldier's Dilemma
802 Words | 4 PagesSocial Commentary In The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde
1121 Words | 5 PagesTheme Of Corruption In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
725 Words | 3 PagesCruelty In 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray'
760 Words | 4 PagesDorian Gray Good Vs Evil Essay
997 Words | 4 PagesThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Moral Analysis
873 Words | 4 PagesInfluence In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
2219 Words | 9 PagesHedonism In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1283 Words | 6 PagesThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Literary Criticism
750 Words | 3 PagesTheme Of Appearance In Dorian Gray
937 Words | 4 PagesGothic Elements In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray
1215 Words | 5 PagesThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Romanticism Essay
782 Words | 4 PagesThe Importance Of Double Life In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
828 Words | 4 PagesThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Character Analysis Essay
829 Words | 4 Pages