Dorian Gray Analysis

1072 Words5 Pages
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Revealing the Poison In the classic novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” published in the Victorian period of England in 1890, a young heir, Dorian Gray, is heavily influenced by one Lord Henry Wotton which leads to the downfall and poisoning of his entire life. “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” captures the nature of human beauty and the harmful consequences of manipulation. Lord Henry is a character enthralled with ideas of philosophy that challenge normal societal ideas. He is a wealthy Lord who spends his time visiting with friends, attending social parties, and observing plays at the theatre. Lord Henry’s obsession with Dorian leads Dorian to a life full of immoral activities such as drugs, meaningless sex, and the murder of famed artist and friend, Basil Hallward. Dorian explores these sensations as he looks to feel something real, but his entire life now revolves around his appearance and his state of self-denial. “Lord Henry Wotton is perfectly right. Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself,” (Wilde Chapter II) throughout the novel, Lord Henry influences Dorian’s decisions to be a pleasure seeker, to date only the elite, and to act in an high class manner. “Don’t spoil him,” (Wilde Chapter II) Lord Henry influences Dorian to dedicate his life to hedonism, or to live a life of pleasure. “Don’t try to influence him. Your influence would be bad,” (Wilde Chapter II) Basil understands the life that Lord Henry leads and the affect he has on people besides Basil himself. In the biblical story of “Adam and Eve,” Dorian would be Eve and Lord Henry would be the snake that tempts Eve to eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge. Lord Henry believes in this philosophy of hedonism, but he never practices these beliefs. Dorian is unconsciously Lord Wotton’s student, putting into practice what
Open Document