Sunday, December 1, 2013
Who's to blame?
I find it interesting that Dorian seems to blame Basil entirely for his situation. He claims that Basil is "the man who had painted the portrait that was the origin of all his shame was to be burdened for the rest of his life with the hideous memory of what he had done." (152) Although Lord Henry had influenced Dorian, Dorian attributes his displeasure to the painter of the painting that first sparked the desire to remain forever young. Do you think that the result of Dorian's situation is the cause of Basil, Lord Henry, or both?
1 comment:
I also found this idea very interesting. I think Basil is easy to blame, because what he created was tangible. Dorian could point to the physical portrait and claim that, specifically, caused his downfall. But in actuality, I'd say it is Lord Henry who holds the most responsibility for Dorian's downfall. He shaped Dorian's opinions, beliefs, and outlook on the world. He also played a huge role in influencing Dorian's actions, which ultimately caused him to be in such a terrible situation.
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