Lord Henry Wotton is a man of many opinions and philosophies but his life is not as provocative as he leads others to believe. Henry preaches a hedonistic lifestyle, "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it", but he rarely acts upon his own philosophies. He presents himself as an intellectual with extensive theories on the inner workings of society yet he adheres to the polite behavior he condemns. Since Henry doesn't practice what he preaches, nor anyone else with the exception of Dorian, it is possible that Henry in actuality knows very little about humanity and his famed intellect is merely an act.
However, Dorian Grey takes everything Henry says seriously and applies it to his decisions: "That is one of your aphorisms. I am putting it into practice, as I do with everything you say" (191). Dorian's openness to accept Henry's theories is the catalyst to his eventual downfall and proves that Henry's theories are actually dangerous to society and were never meant to be followed. The reason for Dorian's eagerness towards Henry's tendencies is because initially, Henry carries himself as an intriguing and composed individual. This façade shifts towards shallowness as Henry's hypocrisy becomes more apparent.
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