#i literally have done three long deep dive posts that focus on henry wtf has happened to me?

[justastrugglinghotchocolate]

10 things Henry Wotton does that scare and confuse me

Does not engage with Dorian’s antisemitism

To paraphrase MandaloreGaming, “[Henry] not being [antisemitic and/or] racist feels almost like a plot hole.”

In fact, Henry is the only one to treat Sybil’s manager like a human being.

“Lord Henry, upon the other hand, rather liked him. At least he declared he did, and insisted on shaking him by the hand and assuring him that he was proud to meet a man who had discovered a real genius and gone bankrupt over a poet.”

This isn’t even him being mocking, we have seen that Henry doesn’t mock in such an involved way—he prefers to talk shit afterwards (not counting Basil :( ).

Says a ton of misogynistic shit, but never takes a misogynistic action

You would expect a guy as supposedly misogynistic as Henry to be offended and insult every woman who argues against him, but he just talks with them and genuinely takes them seriously. He tries to convince them of his ideas, but if they don’t believe him, he doesn’t push it.

Implied to have close relationships with sister and his aunt.

Gwendolyn is the only sibling that is named and that is because she is the only one he makes a point to hang out with.

Same with Aunt Agatha.

Is possibly implied to have gotten at least a bit annoyed with Dorian sleeping with Gwendolyn (his sister). *this is based off the way Dorian reacts after Basil brings it up. Considering that entire moment was added in the 1891 ver, it’s certainly interesting, but nothing definitive, so take this with a grain of salt!

Has a decent relationship with his wife

Based on the fact Victoria was able to divorce him at all, he respected her enough to not put up a legal fight (divorce in England was difficult as fuck because women essentially became property to their husbands. They didn’t own anything and couldn’t even bring up a case without a man doing so. The fact Victoria was able to do so and the fact no other family members are mentioned, implies he brought the case to court for her, thus making the divorce process much easier than it ever would have been)

Always involves the women who enter discussions with him. 

He never once objects to them out nor insults them or makes them feel inferior or otherwise unwelcome. Constantly, he cheekily, but genuinely, suggests that the women he speaks with should have their own ‘fun’ regardless of the scandal involved. Recall that Victorian society characterized women as only valuable as wives and less than human. Henry is actively inviting women to be just as bad as men, thus seeing them at the same level as men. 

More so, in chapter 17, his banter with the duchess is not done so mockingly. Like his early conversations with Basil, Henry entertains and elaborates on her ideas, never once dismissing her. Even when he points out things she’s gotten wrong in his perspective, he does so playfully, which we actually haven’t seen him do with anyone except for Basil.

The entire scene with the Duchess of Monmouth in chapter 18. 

Henry is strangely gentle and compassionate with her in a way we have never seen him be with anyone (even Dorian!). He is genuine with her in a way that is comforting, he compliments her, makes her laugh, and, weirdly, warns her not to enter a scandal.

Owns a parrot.

Is pretty accurate on the importance of youth in society

Ever since the 1960s, youth culture has absolutely dominated social norms

The concept of teenagers and childhood were created because companies realized they could sell shit to you.

Is constantly criticizing marriage because of how it limits relationships between the men and women involved. 

This is novel because marriage was an expectation of Victorian Society, especially for someone in Henry’s class. The fact he actively despises it and recommends against it would be one of the many many things that would paint him as amoral to everyone else.

“the one charm of marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties.”

“there are other and more interesting bonds between men and women. I will certainly encourage them.”

 Disclaimer: this is headcanon: Would probably say, “I’m going to live forever” and immediately get hit by a bus.

I don’t have evidence for this, it just feels right.

Bibliography because I reference historical shit and hbomberguy has reawakened the fear of accidentally plagiarizing i have had since i was six (but i am not doing this in some college style, because ewww)

MandaloreGaming: Anonymous Agony: An Extra Edgy Adventure Game

Shanspeare: Life Doesn’t End in Your 20s: The Myth of the Teenage Dream (for the childhood part)

Mary Lyndon Shanley: Feminism, Marriage, and the Law in Victorian England, 1850-1895 (for the divorce part)