The Picture of Dorian Gray: 1

     Lord Henry Wotton is a fascinating and intriguing character in The Picture of Dorian Gray. The age of this baffling persona remains a mystery, but we know he is over thirty, and I presume he is around forty years old. Lord Henry loves to project his philosophical theories onto others, and he is a man of many words and few actions. He comes to meet the handsome Mr. Dorian Gray in the presence of a mutual friend: Basil Hallward. Basil is an artist, and Dorian is his muse. Basil is hesitant of their potential relationship: "Don't take away from me the one person who gives to my art whatever charm it possesses: my life as an artist depends on him" (10). Dorian is beautiful, and he inspires Basil to transfer that beauty onto the canvas.
     Lord Henry soon becomes to Dorian what Dorian is to Basil: inspiration and perspective. It is in the garden that Lord Henry first divulges his theories to the handsome lad. Lord Henry talks about beauty and genius, and how Dorian should find it wise to benefit from his good looks while they last, as they will fade quickly. The garden is similar to the garden of Eden because there is beauty, temptation, and revelation. As Dorian absorbs their conversation, the narrator relates, "Dorian Gray listened, open-eyed and wondering. The spray of lilac fell from his hand upon the gravel" (17). The lilac is like his innocence, fading and falling with his exposure to Lord Henry. Lord Henry portrays himself as confident and wise, but the reader can sense a void in his happiness.
     Even with the wealthiest family members and most affluent acquaintances, Lord Henry appears to be living a life of misery. Dorian is like his puppet, allowing every sentence to seep into his brain and alter his actions. Early on in the novel, Lord Henry says, "to influence a person is to give him one's own soul" (13). I believe that Lord Henry is asserting dominance and influence over Dorian in an effort to release his own emotions. At one point Lord Henry remarks, "People are very fond of giving away what they need most themselves" (41). My theory is that Lord Henry is gay, and he has fallen in love with the romance and beauty of Dorian. Lord Henry does not feel comfortable with his own sexuality, and he is projecting dominance and influence over others because he cannot control or act upon his own homosexual desires. Dorian's love for the actress is forcing him to choose between Sibyl and Lord Henry. This becomes apparent when Lord Henry retorts, "That is the reason, I suppose, that you never dine with me now. I thought you must have some curious romance on hand" (39-40). Although he is married, Lord Henry does not speak frequently of his wife, and he does not speak kindly of women in general. Lord Henry Wotton is a curious character because his words are smart and his sentences clever, and therefore, he is able to influence the thoughts of many. However, there is something lurking behind his confidence that will most likely reveal itself throughout the novel.