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Allusion
Explanation and Analysis—The Lord's Prayer:
In The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Wilde uses Biblical allusion to appeal to the supposedly moralizing power of Christianity. Basil Hallward, as a believer in Dorian’s humanity and his potential for redemption despite his obvious sin, invokes the Lord’s Prayer when he discovers what has become of Dorian’s portrait:
"Pray, Dorian, pray," he murmured. "what is it that one was taught to say in one's boyhood? 'Lead us not into temptation. Forgive us our sins. Wash away our iniquities.' Let us say that together. The prayer of your pride has been answered. The prayer of your repentance will be answered also."
By appealing to Dorian's nominal Christianity with a famous excerpt from the New Testament, Basil hopes to help him repent of his disastrous hedonism that has already led to much suffering. Wilde’s decision to associate Basil with Christian morality through this allusion stands in sharp contrast with his use of classical allusion to anchor Lord Henry’s hedonism in the philosophy of the ancient world. The opposition of these allusions enables Wilde to distinguish the worldview of the characters as well as emphasize, at this point in the novel, the sheer gulf between Dorian Gray’s moral compass and Basil’s sensibility.
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