PODG: #2

"My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals" (Wilde 34).

            As Lord Henry enjoys his influence on Dorian Gray, he also imparts his opinion on women. Dorian is so enthralled in his new love of Sibyl Vane, that he feels he must tell Lord Henry. Dorian feels compelled, almost magically obligated to tell Lord Henry all about his life. Although Dorian enjoys and contemplates almost everything that Lord Henry tells him, he does not appreciate Lord Henry’s advice on love. However, Lord Henry’s views on women accurately portray the views on women of this time period, so there is some truth to his opinion. He believes that women are on this earth to entertain men. They are not smart; therefore, anything that they say has no meaning. The only reason that it sounds beautiful is because it is coming out of a woman’s mouth. Lord Henry also believes that they “represent the triumph of matter over mind,” which suggests that he thinks women only care about looking beautiful on the outside, not on the inside. The deeper concern about this passage is its original speaker. Are these actually Oscar Wilde’s views on women? Does he objectify them like Lord Henry does? Perhaps the reader will find out later in the novel if these horrible objectifications of women change.