Lord Henry

andave_ya · 10-22-2007, 09:53 PM

Lord Henry: Love him or hate him?

I think he's a thoroughly disgusting, slimy dandy of a man. I don't care if he's witty, he messed up Dorian entirely. Though perhaps that's the whole point to the story.

Prometheus · 03-15-2008, 06:10 PM

I like Lord Henry, he's a very interesting character. He did not, by any means, 'mess up' Dorian: he was simply influential in opening the eyes of the naive boy, and is not to be held to blame for the consequences of their friendship. Dorian sold his soul by his own accord, subsequent to Henry's beauty over matter theory. That we can attribute to Dorian's boyish eagerness for experiment. Yes, this was nurtured by Lord Henry, but that is poles-apart from 'messing up'; presuming by "mess up" you mean drive him to opium dens and murder. What do you suggest Lord Henry did to provoke these crimes Dorian commits? I, for one, believe these were educed by his nature, and inability to cope with changes: this is evident in the way he reacts to Sibyl Vayne's bad acting, and the gradual transformation of his portrait from beautiful to grotesque. Essentially, he is a naive young man, who doesn't know, exactly, who he is.

SleepyWitch · 03-24-2008, 02:19 PM

I agree with Prometheus. Although he does use Dorian as a guinea pig to see whether he can corrupt an innocent young guy, he's not to blame for Dorian's crimes.
As a character in a book, I love Henry Wotton. On the other hand, if he was a real life person, I'd totally agree with you andave!

Prometheus · 03-29-2008, 05:58 AM

In real life I'd be really annoyed by them.

:

Bancini · 02-07-2009, 04:43 PM

I found a lot of myself in Lord Henry. Enough that I will likely to to read the book again now that I'm finished.

Maybe not so much in our actual views/opinions, but in the method of expressing them. Not sure if that makes sense.

I will say that the scenes with Lord Henry were by far my favorite parts of the book. Did he once say that all influences are evil? Yet he constantly attempts to influence those around him.

Veho · 08-26-2009, 04:45 PM

I found Lord Henry's cynicism tedious and predictable and thought Dorian Gray a much more interesting character. He had done some terrible things and even to the last he was trying to justify the murder of Basil but I couldn't dislike him and even felt some sympathy for him.

Neely · 08-26-2009, 05:59 PM

I think Lord Henry is wonderful and would be interesting to meet in real life. Really there are so many dull people around who talk of nothing but work that he would make a wonderful alternative.

View Poll Results: Is Lord Henry a:
Wart?	4	40.00%
Polished Aristocrat?	6	60.00%
Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

10-22-2007, 09:53 PM	#1
andave_ya laudator temporis acti Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: At the nearest library Posts: 2,470 Blog Entries: 139	Lord Henry Lord Henry: Love him or hate him? I think he's a thoroughly disgusting, slimy dandy of a man. I don't care if he's witty, he messed up Dorian entirely. Though perhaps that's the whole point to the story. __________________ "The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax-- Of cabbages--and kings-- And why the sea is boiling hot-- And whether pigs have wings."

03-24-2008, 02:19 PM	#3
SleepyWitch Subcommander Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Birkenhead, England Posts: 3,849 Blog Entries: 36	I agree with Prometheus. Although he does use Dorian as a guinea pig to see whether he can corrupt an innocent young guy, he's not to blame for Dorian's crimes. As a character in a book, I love Henry Wotton. On the other hand, if he was a real life person, I'd totally agree with you andave! __________________

08-26-2009, 04:45 PM	#6
Veho Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK Posts: 79	I found Lord Henry's cynicism tedious and predictable and thought Dorian Gray a much more interesting character. He had done some terrible things and even to the last he was trying to justify the murder of Basil but I couldn't dislike him and even felt some sympathy for him. __________________ "These wounds are all self-imposed, life's no disaster, all roads lead on to death row, who knows what's after."

08-26-2009, 05:59 PM	#7
Neely Trainee Bibliophile Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sheffield, England Posts: 999	I think Lord Henry is wonderful and would be interesting to meet in real life. Really there are so many dull people around who talk of nothing but work that he would make a wonderful alternative. __________________ John Milton (1608-1674) Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end. (PL-i 65-67) "To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul" Wilde

03-15-2008, 06:10 PM	#2
Prometheus Caged bird set Free Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: England Posts: 12	I like Lord Henry, he's a very interesting character. He did not, by any means, 'mess up' Dorian: he was simply influential in opening the eyes of the naive boy, and is not to be held to blame for the consequences of their friendship. Dorian sold his soul by his own accord, subsequent to Henry's beauty over matter theory. That we can attribute to Dorian's boyish eagerness for experiment. Yes, this was nurtured by Lord Henry, but that is poles-apart from 'messing up'; presuming by "mess up" you mean drive him to opium dens and murder. What do you suggest Lord Henry did to provoke these crimes Dorian commits? I, for one, believe these were educed by his nature, and inability to cope with changes: this is evident in the way he reacts to Sibyl Vayne's bad acting, and the gradual transformation of his portrait from beautiful to grotesque. Essentially, he is a naive young man, who doesn't know, exactly, who he is.

03-29-2008, 05:58 AM	#4
Prometheus Caged bird set Free Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: England Posts: 12	In real life I'd be really annoyed by them. :

02-07-2009, 04:43 PM	#5
Bancini I'm tired Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 57 Blog Entries: 2	I found a lot of myself in Lord Henry. Enough that I will likely to to read the book again now that I'm finished. Maybe not so much in our actual views/opinions, but in the method of expressing them. Not sure if that makes sense. I will say that the scenes with Lord Henry were by far my favorite parts of the book. Did he once say that all influences are evil? Yet he constantly attempts to influence those around him.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The patriotism of Shakespeare in Henry V	King John Antih	King Henry V	9	12-23-2007 03:25 PM
Shakespeare's Lost Art	shakespirit	Shakespeare, William	1	12-11-2007 07:05 PM
Homosexuality; Not a sin in Christianity?	AnarchyRabbit	Religious Texts	1	05-25-2007 06:26 AM
Atheists....	Adelheid	Religious Texts	957	05-24-2007 07:53 PM
An Instinct.	King of Frogs	Short Story Sharing	2	03-06-2007 05:08 AM