How Did Lord Henry Influence Dorian Gray

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Dorian Gray was introduced to be a pure and beautiful individual. Basil Hallward has commented that “[Mr.Gray had] a simple and beautiful nature.”(16). And he warned Lordy Henry to not “try to influence [Dorian]”(16). However once Lord Henry started playing devil’s advocate with Dorian, Dorian became filled with bewilderment and enchantment towards Lord Henry’s words. Mr.Gray “stood there motionless…[starry eyed]...and was dimly conscious that [Lord Henry’s] influences were at work within him” (21). Dorian Gray would be influenced by Lord Henry for months and he would be considered “a subject made to his hands and seemed to promise rich and fruitful results”(63). As a result of Lord Henry’s influence, Dorian Gray would embrace a sinful lifestyle that would be concealed in the portrait. Dorian would embrace sin and sin would “[stir on] his spirit and flesh”(125). Dorian’s passion for sin has shown to already dominate every one of his once pure…show more content…
“For years...he never sought to free himself from [the influence of the book]”(130). Dorian slowly became more fascinated with his portrait that Basil Hallward made, which was no longer beautiful but monstrous and corrupted. “The very sharpness of the contrasted ...quicken his sense of pleasure. He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty and more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul”(131). Scandals would revolve around Dorian, but his youthful looks and wealth is his element of security; however these scandles only increased his dangerous charm in the eyes of others. “Dorian Gray has been poisoned by a book. There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful.”(150). The book has clearly distorted Dorian’s perception of life and gives “rebellion its fascination and disobedience its
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