IndexIntroductionThe influence of Basil and Lord Henry on Dorian GrayConclusionReferencesIntroductionIn Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the concept of influence is clearly reflected in two different characters and in two different forms, and juxtaposes them through the main character and his reaction to the two contrasting ideologies projected onto him throughout the novel. The Picture of Dorian Gray, first published in 1890 by famed author Oscar Wilde, follows its protagonist, the young and incredibly handsome Dorian Gray through the life stages of young adulthood and culminates as he matures into adulthood at the end of novel. The novel is a manifestation of Wilde's ideas and attitudes of the time, his admiration for art and expression, while at the same time rejecting much art and expression, generating a complex personal position regarding the concept and a supremacy complex, projected in the character of Dorian Gray. Through Wilde's attitudes and experiences, the character of Dorian comes to life and is used as a tool to convey his ideas to the world. The book embraces and rejects many values ​​of the Victorian high society from which it derives, such as the importance of art and the supremacy of youth, while rejecting the rigid religious beliefs of the time and the notion of harsh punishment for crimes. Dorian's eventual ideology in the novel is influenced and somewhat controlled by two men with whom he spends a lot of time, while he is young and impressionable, Lord Henry Wotton, a nobleman who takes Dorian under his wing and Basil Hallward, a painter under contract. to capture its transcendent beauty. Therefore, to determine the influence of Basil and Lord Henry on Dorian Gray, this essay will analyze the characters of Lord Henry and Basil and their role in the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Basil and Lord Henry's Influence on Dorian Gray Lord Henry appears in The Picture of Dorian Gray as a mentor and could be seen as a father figure to the young and susceptible Dorian, however, unlike Basil, Henry appears almost entirely as a negative influence in Dorian's life, pushing him to live a morally wrong life. Henry's influence on Dorian stems entirely from the values ​​of upper-class Victorian English society, which places great importance on art and youth/beauty and has little concern for the struggles of others, placing itself on a higher level and living a hedonistic life. Henry tells Dorian "People like you – life's stubborn sunshine – commit no crime, Dorian" and says "Oh, she's more than good – she's beautiful", when discussing Sibyl Vane with Basil, both indicative of his lack of morality and superficiality regarding important aspects of his life. The power of using a metaphor to describe Dorian, as a “sunshine of life” is incredibly significant in assessing the power and influence Henry holds over Dorian, being able to get him to do, say and think seemingly anything . Henry completely influences Dorian's life in regards to his ability to make Dorian think what he wants, and has imposed on him the idea that beauty and youth will conquer morality and that they weigh more than being a good person, making thus Henry an instrument of sin in Dorian's life. In direct contrast to Lord Henry's negative influence on Dorian's life, Basil appears to Dorian as a beacon of light and morality, emerging at a time in Dorian's life when he was perhaps too immersed in Dorian's life. Lord Henry's influence, however, the influence ofBasil on Dorian is evident as the novel continues. Basil is a physical representation of the softer concept of aestheticism, as he values ​​art and the more expressive aspects of life over the more political or theoretical ones, but the power of youth, beauty, art and hedonism does not it changed.it didn't consume him the way it consumed Lord Henry, and later the way Dorian is consumed by The Yellow Book. Where Henry's influence and adoration of Dorian refers to his perfection through his beauty and youth, Basil's influence and adoration of Dorian stems from his beauty but is amplified by his personality and Basil's opinion of the beauty of his soul, as evidenced in his speech "Dorian, from the moment I met you, your personality had an extraordinary influence on me. I was dominated, soul, brain and power, by you. The amplification in Basil's dialogue, which extends Dorian's power over him from an obsession to a wonderful-sounding adoration, has an incredible effect on Dorian, hearing of Basil's love for him, astonishing in nature and perhaps homoerotic. Basil in this way tries to make his influence on Dorian a positive nature of emotional growth and connection rather than a life of hedonism as Henry is trying to influence him, in that way Basil probably has a good influence on Dorian, promoting love and kindness over coldness and selfishness. In contrast to previous claims that Henry represented the concept of evil, Henry genuinely cares for Dorian and tries to improve Dorian's life by interjecting his opinions and guiding him. Without a predominant father figure in his life (his father was killed in a duel and later raised by his grandfather when his mother died) it is likely that Dorian turned to Henry due to the absence of a father figure, having only his grandfather "evil" as a guide, and without any textual evidence of a strong relationship between them, it is likely that Lord Henry was closer to Dorian than to his grandfather. In Henry's eyes, friendship is less a matter of loyalty than fun: "'Always!' This is a terrible word. It makes me shiver when I hear it. Women love to use it. They ruin every love story by trying to make it last forever. This is also a meaningless word. The only difference between a whim and a lifelong passion is that the whim lasts a little longer. reason and live for the moment, which Henry would have thought would lead to a pleasant and significantly less painful life, giving Dorian no expectation that people will always stay or keep their promises and instead take each day and situation as they come in order for him to get the most out of his life. This diverges from the idea that Lord Henry is only a negative influence in Dorian's life and encourages the idea that perhaps Lord Henry was simply incredibly misguided in guiding Dorian. Likewise, with duality. of Lord Henry's influence, Basil also shows a negative influence on Dorian, fueling his vanity and then complaining about it afterwards. Dorian's accusation of how Basil only taught Dorian to be vain is true to a point, as Basil bragged about Dorian openly and often. while he was painting Dorian and after the painting was completed. Henry's Defense of Dorian; "I owe a lot to Harry, Basil," (...) "more than I owe you." It reflects not only the novel but also the events that occurred as a precursor, regarding Dorian's meeting and friendship with Henry and the advice and guidance that Henry gave him up to the points that we are critical of as readers when speaking with Dorian is often that of intense infatuation and adoration that)