ENGLISH HOMEWORK

The novel has a big amount of sexual tension within it there is shared attraction for Dorian Gray that is coming from Basil and Lord Henry. Basil begins to describe the painting of Dorian Gray with such a passion claiming that there is a piece of him within this work and Dorian Gray’s picture is to stay nameless but it does not end up that way. Originally Dorian is held as Basil own little secret until Lord Henry finds a way to meet him. This immediately ruins Basil’s chances of having any sort of relation to Dorian Gray because of Lord Henry’s ways. Lord Henry is a very privileged character of the novel meaning he has a better opportunity at catching Dorian Gray’s attention. “He fell intensely interested. He was amazed at the sudden impression that his words had produced, and remembering a book that he had read when he was sixteen, a book which had revealed to him much that he had not known before, he wondered whether Dorian Gray was passing through a similar experience.”(Wilde 22). Lord Henry shows amazement in the way he was able to twist Dorian’s small mind and at the same time finds himself intensely interested in the way this man reacts. The dialogue shared between Lord Henry and Dorian Gray is very seductive on Lord Henry’s end. Often when he speaks to Dorian Gray he finds a way to get him to think and this is often a spark for Lord Henry. As for Basil he is very easily pushed aside from the second that Lord Henry comes into the picture. When first introduced and Basil asks Lord Henry to leave Dorian Gray insist that he stay so that he has someone to talk with. Basil wanting nothing more than to please Dorian Gray asks Lord Henry to stay and accompany them and this is where he begins to be pushed aside. During the time this novel was published being gay was not an acceptable thing and in a sense Basil is a representation of the way Wilde lived his life.

The role of social classes is an important factor in the novel due to the fact that it gives some characters an advantage over others. For example it is an obvious that Lord Henry holds a very high social status and finds it to be an important thing to be known for. “What odd chaps you painters are! You do anything in the world to gain reputation. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away. It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”(Wilde 6). Lord Henry is not only stating that being known should be of importance to people but that it has a high status hidden behind it. Lord Henry’s character is a narcissist he has no concern for anyone other than himself and his needs. He attends to whatever his needs are and in a way Dorian Gray seems to be the same way. He as well holds a higher positon in social class and because of that he is able to play ditzy and helpless at different points in the novel. Due to the fact that both Dorian Gray and Lord Henry hold higher positon in society they are able to get away with a relation between them. Lord Henry already has a wife whom he pays no attentions whatsoever to but here comes Dorian this new toy who is male to be exact and he feels the need to play. The reason that Dorian Gray also has the privilege to share some equal interest in Lord Henry is because of his status. This meaning the higher the status the more a person is able to get away with. Basil is of a lower class compared to both the other two characters leaving him on the outskirts of the love triangle as his relation with the other two characters begins to fade and how slowly is resenting Lord Henry over taking Dorian Gray’s interest. Sociologist Karl Marx stated “Assertion that there were two great classes – the owners of the means of production (capitalists) and the workers – the only thing that the workers owned was their ability to work, what Marx called “labor power.” Because owners (capitalists) paid wages to workers and could for the most part determine that wage, owners had power over workers.” This means that Basil would fall into the category of worker and both Lord Henry and Dorian Gray would be considered capitalist of the novel.

The novel is of the Victorian era making the homosexuality in the novel not acceptable during the time. When Wilde had released the novel the amount of judgment he received for it was big. As opposed to today where homosexuality is very openly accepted. However the roles of social class have not changed from the times. There is slight improvement but it is still shown that those with higher statuses are capable of getting away with more of being criticized more for what they have to say. A strong example of this would be Tim Cook Apples CEO coming out as gay. The fact that he plays such a big role in society with many people having interest in Apple products he was criticized by Russia. “Maxim Dolgopolov, the head of ZEFS who ordered the removal of the monument, expressed opposition to personal sanctions in Monday's statement, but supported the "protection of traditional values" by law."Sin should not become the norm. There is nothing to do in Russia for whose who intend to violate our laws," he said.” This quote from the Washington post shows how there are still sections of the world that do not support homosexuality. Along with the quote proving support it also shows how social status gives people the ability to do things like take down this monument. Maxim Dolgopolov holds a high position in Russian society given him the advantage and right to do this without anyone going against also because the country itself does not support this. Like the novel many are still capable of getting away with what they please due to the position that they hold within society. Lord Henry and Dorian Gray are both able to hold a better relationship with each other because of the high roles they seem to have. Basil however is unable to capture the attention of the one he desires because he is not privileged the way that they are.