Chapter 2

This is one of the very first things that Lord Henry says to Dorian that is related to the pursuit of aestheticism and hedonism, which is a central theme of the book. A new idea - “Hellenic ideal” is introduced to Dorian Gray, which refers to the ancient Greek notion of pursuing beauty, pleasure, and self-expression, an idea very similar to aestheticism as they both reject the notion of strict moral constraints and encourage people to prioritise their own desires over social conventions. In the quote, Lord Henry challenges the conventional Victorian morality and he argues that denying yourself from pleasures and desires will only lead to a stronger desire for what has been denied. The constant emphasis on forbidden desires and the longing for what is deemed “monstrous and unlawful” reflects on the dilemma of societal norms vs individual desires. The use of the word "monstrous" provides vivid imagery and adds a sense of immorality. Moreover, the phrases "the great events of the world take place in the brain" and "the great sins of the world take place also" uses parallelism to convey the idea that a sin only originates from a person’s imagination and that such a philosophy doesn’t possess existence within reality. This links to how our brains process our thoughts and desires, which have a profound influence on our actions and shape our perception of sin and morality. Therefore, this influential quote is significant as the ideas that it conveys are one of the driving forces for Dorian Gray’s actions and downfall later in the book.   

This quote was said by Dorian Gray out of jealousy, accusing Basil of preferring art to his friends, because pieces of art will never change or grow old. Dorian’s accusation of Basil reveals that Dorian projects his feelings onto others, assuming they feel the same as he does, which reflects on his insecurities. ​​In the quote, Dorian makes comparisons of himself and “your ivory Hermes”, which alludes to the god Hermes in Greek mythology, who was the messenger of the gods and was associated with youthfulness and vitality. Similarly, “Your silver Faun” is a reference to a mythological creature known as a faun/satyr, they were portrayed as half-human and half-goat, a symbol of unrestricted desire, sensuality and youth. By comparing himself to these immortal beings, it not only showcases Dorian’s desire to remain beautiful and young forever, but also his self-perception as an object of desire that loses value with age rather than a human being, which explains his extreme pursuits of aestheticism. In addition, this quote reflects on the theme of aestheticism as Dorian’s pursuit of aesthetic perfection is shown clearly through this line, "How long will you like me? Till I have my first wrinkle, I suppose,", this reveals Dorian’s fear of aging and shows how he believes that the only thing worth of importance is external beauty, and if it fades, then he will not be valued by others. The emphasis on “first wrinkle” further highlights the point that Dorian does not accept even a single external flaw, which links to the idea of fear of imperfection and mortality in the pursuit of aestheticism. This highlights the damaging consequences of valuing aesthetics above everything else and the dehumanization that might be present in the pursuit of beauty.