Aphorism by Richa Bisht
“But beauty, real beauty, ends where
an intellectual expression begins… Look at the successful men in any of the
learned professions. How perfectly hideous they are! Except, of course, in the
Church. But then in the Church they don’t think. A bishop keeps on saying at
the age of eighty what he was told to say when he was a boy of eighteen, and as
a natural consequence he always looks absolutely delightful” (2).
~ Lord Henry Wotton
According to Henry, beauty and intellect are incompatible; those who exhibit high levels of intelligence do so at the expense of their physical appearance. The nobleman refers to the clergy with contempt and disdain, implying his lack of respect for the Church. By emphasizing the notion that a bishop’s exterior remains unchanged even with the passage of time, Henry suggests that the clergy fails to experience any academic stimulation or mental growth. Instead, the clerics simply spout the ideas of their predecessors without bothering to expand the boundaries of their mind.
“Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all” (5).
~ Lord Henry Wotton
Henry believes that individuals should indulge their every whim without regard to what society may think of them. He sees morality as a petty excuse belonging to the faint-hearted, those who cannot bear the thought of giving substance to such boundless freedom. Henry views conscience as being another form of confinement that restrains people from living their dreams, forcing them to succumb to the demands of a pesky moral code.
“The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification… The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” (13).
~Lord Henry Wotton
This quote clearly illustrates the theme of hedonism, in which followers are encouraged to engage in every pleasure the world has to offer. Typically eschewed by society, the act of sinning is treated as inconsequential and even necessary occurrence by Lord Henry, who interprets it as being a mere stepping stone in a person’s path to achieving a higher degree gratification. Henry thinks that debauchery has no negative consequences, especially if it serves the purpose of satiating one’s desires.
“And Beauty is a form of Genius – is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation…. Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances” (16).
~Lord Henry Wotton
Henry’s eloquent words express one of the main tenets of aestheticism, which states that beauty reigns above all else. The nobleman goes to such an extent that he dares to rank physical appearances over the power of the mind, giving readers a glimpse into the magnitude of Henry’s vanity. By insinuating that those who value the goodness of a person’s soul as opposed to his/her physical beauty, Henry offers a statement that directly clashes with the collective morals of modern day society.
“Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man’s face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things. If a wretched man has vice, it shows itself in the lines of his mouth, the droop of his eyelids, the moulding of his hands, even” (109).
~ Basil Hallward
Basil believes that corruption and depravity are characteristics that individuals cannot keep hidden. Hideous crimes will inevitably reveal themselves on a person’s face, which will undoubtedly as deteriorate over time as the damage caused by the various sins steadily increases. This quote also indicates Basil’s unwillingness to admit that Dorian has broken his soul beyond repair. The painter’s love for Dorian blinds him to his friend’s horrible nature.
~ Lord Henry Wotton
According to Henry, beauty and intellect are incompatible; those who exhibit high levels of intelligence do so at the expense of their physical appearance. The nobleman refers to the clergy with contempt and disdain, implying his lack of respect for the Church. By emphasizing the notion that a bishop’s exterior remains unchanged even with the passage of time, Henry suggests that the clergy fails to experience any academic stimulation or mental growth. Instead, the clerics simply spout the ideas of their predecessors without bothering to expand the boundaries of their mind.
“Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all” (5).
~ Lord Henry Wotton
Henry believes that individuals should indulge their every whim without regard to what society may think of them. He sees morality as a petty excuse belonging to the faint-hearted, those who cannot bear the thought of giving substance to such boundless freedom. Henry views conscience as being another form of confinement that restrains people from living their dreams, forcing them to succumb to the demands of a pesky moral code.
“The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification… The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” (13).
~Lord Henry Wotton
This quote clearly illustrates the theme of hedonism, in which followers are encouraged to engage in every pleasure the world has to offer. Typically eschewed by society, the act of sinning is treated as inconsequential and even necessary occurrence by Lord Henry, who interprets it as being a mere stepping stone in a person’s path to achieving a higher degree gratification. Henry thinks that debauchery has no negative consequences, especially if it serves the purpose of satiating one’s desires.
“And Beauty is a form of Genius – is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation…. Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances” (16).
~Lord Henry Wotton
Henry’s eloquent words express one of the main tenets of aestheticism, which states that beauty reigns above all else. The nobleman goes to such an extent that he dares to rank physical appearances over the power of the mind, giving readers a glimpse into the magnitude of Henry’s vanity. By insinuating that those who value the goodness of a person’s soul as opposed to his/her physical beauty, Henry offers a statement that directly clashes with the collective morals of modern day society.
“Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man’s face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things. If a wretched man has vice, it shows itself in the lines of his mouth, the droop of his eyelids, the moulding of his hands, even” (109).
~ Basil Hallward
Basil believes that corruption and depravity are characteristics that individuals cannot keep hidden. Hideous crimes will inevitably reveal themselves on a person’s face, which will undoubtedly as deteriorate over time as the damage caused by the various sins steadily increases. This quote also indicates Basil’s unwillingness to admit that Dorian has broken his soul beyond repair. The painter’s love for Dorian blinds him to his friend’s horrible nature.