The reason for the above edit is pretty clear: this exchange takes place quite early on in the book, in the middle of the first chapter, and in its original form it suggests that Basil has very strong personal (and more romantic) feelings for Dorian. He worships him!
What is the relationship between Basil and Dorian?
As The Picture of Dorian Gray opens, Basil describes the beautiful Dorian as his artistic muse, a person who is changing the way he sees the world. After Dorian sells his soul to the devil, the morally well-balanced Basil functions as Dorian’s conscience, which means that Dorian more or less banishes him from his life.
While there is evidence in the text that suggests Basil has romantic feelings towards Dorian, it is also possible to read this evidence as them simply being friends. I believe Wilde did this intentionally, as during the fin de siècle, “acts of gross indecency between men were criminalized” (Ledger and Luckhurst xviii).
How does basil feel about Dorian?
Basil speaks at length about Dorian, stating that he is charming, but also that “Now and then, however, he is horribly thoughtless, and seems to take a real delight in giving me pain.” This characterization links Dorian with Lord Henry as a manipulator and foreshadows their close relationship later in the story.
Men do have relationships with women in the novel—Dorian falls in love with Sibyl and Lord Henry himself is married—but the novel’s heterosexual relationships prove to be rather superficial and short-lived. If the novel is homoerotic, it is also misogynistic.
Who did Dorian Gray love?
Sibyl Vane
A poor, beautiful, and talented actress with whom Dorian falls in love.
Why is Basil obsessed with Dorian?
Ultimately, he pays for his optimism and good faith with the highest price—his life. As Henry and Dorian drift farther and farther away from him, Basil grows more and more tragic—his truly artistic temperament leads him into worshipping beauty where he sees it (in Dorian), and it clouds his vision.
Basil Hallward is a talented, though somewhat conventionally minded, painter. His love for Dorian Gray changes the way he sees art; indeed, it defines a new school of expression for him. Basil’s portrait of Dorian marks a new phase of his career.
What Basil wants from Dorian?
Basil wants to hear Dorian deny the accusations against him. Basil says that he can’t believe the rumors when he sees Dorian’s innocent and pure face. However, he needs to know the truth, to see Dorian’s soul; but, as Basil says, only God can do that.
What is Dorian Gray Syndrome?
Dorian Gray Syndrome (DGS) denotes a cultural and societal phenomenon characterized by an excessive preoccupation with the individual’s own appearance (dysmorphophobia) accompanied by difficulties coping with the aging process and with the requirements of maturation.
Is Lord Henry the devil?
However, Lord Henry is never presented in a negative manner. He is clever, charming, and eloquent. One can argue that he represents the devil, drawing a parallel to Faust by his beguiling manner.
The character Basil Hallward represents Oscar Wilde’s own homosexual alter ego. the part of his personality that admires and is attracted to beautiful men. Basil also represents the artist in Wilde and conveys his opinions on beauty and this aesthetic movement in art.
Who helps Dorian get rid of a body?
Dorian blackmails Campbell, threatening to reveal a secret that would bring great disgrace on him. With no alternative, Campbell agrees to dispose of the body and sends a servant to his home for the necessary equipment.
Why is Dorian so in love with Sibyl Vane?
when she speaks for other women as she plays her roles” (19). Her Page 6 acting, or her art, is what attracts him to her. Meyers also confirms that Dorian is “attracted to Sibyl partly because she is an illusion who is idealized and distanced from him by the stage” (372).
Why do people love the picture of Dorian Gray?
I love the freedom that readers have to imagine their own versions of Dorian’s face, guided by Wilde’s words. To me, he is the most powerful mood-changer there is. Just a thought of Dorian is enough to uplift me from a low and then daydream about beauty, wonder and exotica.
