Lord Henry Character Analysis

Dorian adopts Lord Henry 's views. The first test, where the reads exactly see that Dorian is struggling between good and evil, his own thoughts and Lord Henry 's ideas, is his love to Sibyl Vane. When he is with her, he is ashamed of everything that was taught by his Lord Henry: "mere touch of Sibyl Vane 's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories." Dorian recognizes the superiority of pure love over the Lord Henry toxic and destructive theories, but at the same time, he is already on the dark side. The turning point, when the first changes happen on the portrait and where Dorian begins his moral decline is the situation with Sybil. Though he tries to be a good and moral man and decides to

He fell in love with his own beauty more and more and watched the dissolution of his soul with great interest "(chapter XI). The reader definitely sees that Dorian felt under Lord Henry influence, who in turn “encourages Dorian to live a ‘life of sensual pleasure, while he himself enjoys looking on from a safe intellectual distance’. Herein lies the Mephistophelean aspect of his character” Lord Henry is primarily a secular man, and throughout the novel, he does not commit a single act that confirms his extraordinary character, which manifests itself only in words. Oscar Wilde for a long time reproached himself for the same, and not without reason he wrote about the novel: "I 'm afraid that he looks like my life - continuous conversations and no action." In a late conversation with Dorian, Lord Henry emphasizes: "Murder is always a mistake. You should never do what you cannot chat with people after dinner "(chapter XIX). If his ideas are theoretical, purely intellectual, and his challenge to society is limited to words, Dorian Gray embodies the theory in practice. Dorian begins to lead a double life: a brilliant secular surface hides the criminal essence. Deep hints and obscure gossip about Dorian the author does not decipher; What vices he betrays in the slums of the East End and during his absence, is not directly stated, Still, even while living richly and freely, he is not frivolous, and thus his youth and appearance allows him to maintain in the eyes of society the impression of the spotless purity, and in this aspect he also imitates Lord Henry, who is a very respectful member of society. The process of moral fall is assassinated by the assassination of Basil Hallward - poor Dorian is finally confused between the demands of