The Picture of Dorian Gray

Lord Henry's views on women Lord Henry's misogyny is a consistent element of his personality from beginning to end of the
novel. Although he charms women in conversation at dinner parties, and loves to shock them with his outrageous views, he does not in fact take women seriously or regard them as intellectual equals. Many of his wittiest, and most biting, epigrams are at the expense of women. "Women inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces, and always prevent us from carrying them out" (chapter 6), he tells Dorian, who laps up Henry's view as if they were divine pronouncements. Henry means that women keep making emotional demands on men ("they worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them," he says elsewhere). Since Henry prefers to retain a detached attitude to life, what he perceives as the emotionality of women is clearly not to his taste. Dorian learns well from his friend, who persuades him to believe that women "lived on their emotions. They only thought of their emotions. When they took lovers, it was merely to have some one with whom they could have scenes" (chapter 7). Henry's views on women sometimes take on what a modern mind might regard as a darker coloring. When Dorian regrets that he was cruel to Sibyl, Henry replies, "I am afraid that women appreciate cruelty, downright cruelty, more than anything else. They have wonderfully primitive instincts. We have emancipated them, but they remain slaves looking for their masters, all the same. They love being dominated" (chapter 8). Not surprisingly, such statements have not endeared Wilde (who speaks through Lord Henry) to later generations of feminist critics. Given Henry's views on women it is no surprise when he casually refers, in conversation with Dorian in chapter 19, that his wife Victoria left him for another man. He is not disturbed by this, however, since "Married life is merely a habit, a bad habit."
Analysis Of The Women In The Picture Of Dorian Gray Sibyl falls head over heels in love with Dorian Gray, willing to commit her life to him after only two weeks. Lady Henry hardly knows her husband, to whom she has been married for some time. Because neither woman is in a stable and comfortable situation, both eventually take drastic measures to move on. Therefore, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, both Sibyl Vane and Lady Henry are weak, flighty, and naive. The weakness of women is found in various forms throughout the text. Henry refers to women as "a decorative sex" and that "they never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly." (Wilde 43) Nowhere is this better supported than during Lady Henry's conversation with Dorian Gray. Speaking blatantly about nothing in particular, the young woman rambles from her husband's views to parties and flowers. Without even so much as a pause to breathe, the young woman continues to talk down herself, probably not consciously, explaining that though she loves music, she is afraid of how it makes her feel, as if it is a crime to enjoy and feel passion for the arts. She then stumbles into admitting her love for the musicians themselves, leading to question how much she actually enjoys music. It is as if she meets or learns of a stunning new artist and then chooses her fascination with the sound. Following her rant on musicians, Lady Henry finds herself on the topic of foreigners. She uses this opportunity to point out that her husband's guest has not attended any of her parties. It is during this conversation with Dorian, that Lady Henry's character is completely revealed. She admits to Dorian that she "always hear[s] Harry's views from his friends." (42) Not only does Lady Henry act as a naive wife, but also a submissive one. She tells Dorian how much she worships
pianists, "sometimes two at a time, Harry tells me." (42) Therefore, the woman has now admitted that she can not think for herself
Henry's misogyny emphasizes the fact that The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel about male friendships. Scholars have also argued that Henry's views on women and marriage were shaped by Wilde's own marriage. After his initial happiness, Wilde felt trapped by his marriage, since what he really wanted to do was pursue male friendships.
* She behaves as if she was beautiful. Most American women do. It is the secret of their charm. Chapter 3. My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals. Chapter 4. If this girl can give a soul to those who have lived without one, if she can create the sense of beauty in people whose lives have been sordid and ugly, if she can strip them of their selfishness and lend them tears for sorrows that are not their own, she is worthy of all your adoration, worthy of the adoration of the world. This marriage is quite right. I did not think so at first, but I admit it now. The gods made Sibyl Vane for you. Without her you are incomplete. The Picture of Dorian Gray Artist Basil Hallward to Dorian, Chapter 7. You have killed my love. You used to stir my imagination. Now you don't even stir my curiosity. You simply produce no effect. I loved you because you were marvellous, because you had genius and intellect, because you realised the dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art. You have thrown it all away. You are shallow and stupid. The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian to Sibil Lane, Chapter 7. Women love us for our defects. If we have enough of them, they will forgive us everything, even our intellects. The Picture of Dorian Gray Lord Henry, Chapter 15. A man can be happy with any woman, as long as he does not love her. The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 15.
A woman will flirt with anybody in the world as long as other people are looking on. The Picture of Dorian Gray Lord Henry, Chapter 18.

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Lord Henry's views on women Lord Henry's misogyny is a consistent element of his personality from beginning to end of the

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