Henry Wotton

Lord Henry “Harry” Wotton is an imperious and decadent dandy who is a friend to Basil initially, but later becomes more intrigued with Dorian’s beauty. Extremely witty, he is seen as a critique of Victorian culture at the end of the century, espousing a view of indulgent hedonism. He conveys to Gray his world view, and Dorian becomes corrupted as he attempts to emulate him, though Basil points out to Harry that “You never say a moral thing, and you never do a wrong thing.”