The Influence of Lord Henry in The Picture of Dorian...

In analyzing Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, concepts such as influence and the origin of evil in Dorian Gray play an exceptionally valuable role in understanding the motives of the characters. Although some critics argue characters such as Lord Kelso significantly influence Dorian’s corruption, Lord Henry Wotton’s toxic personality undeniably impacts Dorian the most. Throughout the course of the novel, Lord Henry remains the ultimate source of evil and uses deception and persuasion to poison Dorian from a naà ¯ve boy to a destructive monster. Shortly after meeting Dorian for the first time, Lord Henry calmly declares, â€Å"to influence a person is to give him one’s own soul† (20). In these few words, Lord Henry foreshadows the†¦show more content†¦The colorful diction and syntax in this paragraph allow the reader to witness Lord Henry’s sturdy grip on Dorian’s future as he begins to transform from virtually flawle ss to rotten. Word choices and phrases such as motionless, parted lips, strangely bright, fresh influences, secret chord, vibrating, throbbing, and curious illustrate Dorian’s puzzling mood of total absorption as he stands stationary and lifeless for ten whole minutes, a remarkably long time to comprehend a stranger’s thoughts. While Dorian initially exhibits a clueless and unenlightened perspective on life, Lord Henry’s dominating opinions strike a chord in Dorian, causing him to flood with waves of understanding about the purpose of life. By comparing Dorian’s brain to a chord, it generates a visual image of Lord Henry plucking a single string that stimulates newborn thoughts to dance around in Dorian’s mind as his angelic eyes open up to corrupting theories about the dark world of pleasure. Although the fact that Lord Henry generates a completely new influence over Dorian’s mind is as plain as black and white, critic Esther Rashkin asser ts the abusive acts of Dorian’s grandfather, Lord Kelso, plant the seed for Dorian to eventually grow into a vile man. By blaming the tyrannical Lord Kelso for Dorian’s corruption, Rashkin demands the â€Å"widely shared view that Lord Henry is the evil figure in the story who corrupts the innocent Dorian Gray andShow MoreRelatedThe Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aestheticism1464 Words   |  6 PagesThe Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aestheticism The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the story of moral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel, the well meaning artist Basil Hallward presets young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which dreadfully affects his life forever. If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everythingRead MoreThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Essay1460 Words   |  6 Pagesbe the theme of Oscar Wilde’s book, The picture of Dorian Gray, art an beauty are both the same, yet they are different. But how can this be? Well, beauty and art are intertwined the moment art is used to capture a sliver of pure beauty, in order to make that moment last forever. According to Lord Henry, â€Å" Yes, Mr. Gray, the gods have been good to you. But what the goods give can easily be taken away. You only have a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully† (Wilde Pg. 22). HoweverRead More A Comparison of Oscar Wilde and Dorian Gray Essay1330 Words   |  6 PagesA Comparison of Oscar Wilde and Dorian Gray      Ã‚   One novel that stands out as literary masterpiece is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Wilde wrote a dark tale of a man, Dorian Gray, who destroys his life by exchanging his soul for eternal youth and beauty. The character of Dorian Gray, in many aspects, mirrors the self-destruction of the authors own life. Therefore, Oscar Wilde portrays his own life through Dorian Gray, the main character of the novel. Oscar Fingal O FlahertieRead MoreHuman Connectivity And Response On Art : The Portrait Of Dorian Gray1030 Words   |  5 PagesPortrait of Dorian Gray Is it the morality or immorality of art that affects our lives, or do we bring that morality or immorality to art? Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, can be seen as a discussion on the effect of art on life and how there exists a unique connection between the morality (or immorality) of art and the importance of human connectivity and response to art. The preface to The Portrait of Dorian Gray exists as a lesson in contradictions; specifically, Wilde mentionsRead More Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: The Character of Lord Henry Wotten1670 Words   |  7 PagesCharacter of Lord Henry Wotten of The Picture of Dorian Gray  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of this essay is to explore the character of Lord Henry Wotten, from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde once said: I only know that Dorian Gray is a classic and deservedly. With this in mind, this essay is aimed at looking at how Lord Henry Wotton manipulates various conversations and how he effects the story with his challenging speeches, which is the reason The Picture of Dorian GrayRead MoreThe Theme of Decadence in the Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde1553 Words   |  7 PagesThe theme of decadence in The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde Staring from the definition found in the dictionary, the decadence is a literary movement especially of late 19th-century France and England characterized by refined aestheticism, artifice, and the quest for new sensations. [1] In decadence, important is not necessarily what is seen, but the hermeneutics: what man feels when he sees the creative result of this feeling. It is the current that requires a co-operationRead MoreThe Influences of Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray1582 Words   |  7 PagesThe Influences of Oscar Wilde Throughout his life Oscar Wilde had many strong influences exerted upon him. During his early childhood his mother influenced him and into college some of his professors and certain philosophers left a substantial impression upon him. Into adulthood these influences leaked out in his writing. These influences gave him ample ideas for writing The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wildes study of the Hellenistic ideals of Epicurus, his coddled lifestyle as a child and his devotionRead MoreLord Henry s Manipulation Corrupting Dorian Gray1633 Words   |  7 Pages7, 2017   Lord Henry s Manipulation Corrupting Dorian Gray   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 PictureRead MoreEssay on Disregarding Women in The Picture of Dorian Gray1297 Words   |  6 Pageswomen represented normal in the eyes of most men and women. However, Victorian novels such as The Picture of Dorian Gray illustrate the consequences of disregarding women. In Oscar Wilde’s only novel, the lack of importance surrounding the female characters and their careless treatment from men results in the selfishness of the male characters exemplified through Dorian Gray’s acts of evil. Dorian Gray inflicts his first and most important act of evil upon Sibyl Vane, a third rate actress he fallsRead MorePeople can easily be influenced by one another. Many people can affect the thoughts and actions of800 Words   |  4 Pagesthoughts and actions of others either deliberately or unintentionally. In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde it is evident that various characters influence one another’s actions and thoughts. The novel demonstrates various occasions of impact by others. Such as Dorian’s influence on Basil Hallward, as well as Lord Henry Wotton’s multiply influence on Dorian Gray, and additionally Dorian Gray’s influence towards Sibyl Vane. Relationships can have the dominance to not only have a control