Oscar Wilde was a writer and playwright from Ireland. Born in 1854, he wrote several poems, plays, and a novel. But there is more to Oscar Wilde than his literary work. He was a brilliant and well-educated man that was ahead of his time, in other words, a free spirit.
Besides his many works of art, he is known for his sharp quotes that slapped society in the face. In the context of a strict Victorian society, Oscar Wilde lived, loved, and wrote. At QuotesBlog we present some of his famous quotes that spill out sarcasm, cleverness, wit, and objection.
10 quotes that reflect the soul of a genius
Oscar Wilde created great pieces of literature that have become classics. Some examples are:
- The Canterville Ghost
- The Importance of Being Ernest
- The Happy Prince
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
However, this article pays tribute to a significant part of Wilde’s legacy: his quotes.
1- “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance!“
Although this sentence may seem right under today’s standards, it was a big deal at the time. The poet conveys here an assertion of self-centeredness inviting us to see reality differently. The quote makes complete sense since each person is bound to himself/herself for life. Thus, self-care and a portion of selfishness are important for a healthy approach towards existence.
2- “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
Here, Wilde touches on a core point. While being talked about can be unpleasant, it’s necessary under certain circumstances. If you do something great or meaningful, there will always be someone to criticize you. What the poet is trying to say is that we should not refrain from being who we are only so other people will like us.
3- “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all”
This quote predicts what would be called psychoanalysis in the next few decades, a discipline that studies the subconscious. Although Lacan would have probably said “To exist is the rarest thing in the world. Most people live, that is all”, the meaning remains the same. This quote tells us of the emptiness of human life since most people live under society’s dictates without doing what they actually want.
4- “True friends stab you in the front.”
When Oscar Wilde talks about friendship, we can witness the man’s deep insight. This quote can be interpreted in different ways. For example, it might speak about the real meaning of friendship. Firstly, it states that a true friend never stabs you in the back, i.e., never betrays you. Secondly, a friend’s thrust is always for the best. He or she won’t tell you pleasant things so that you feel good about yourself but tell you what you need to hear even if you don’t like it.
5- “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
Going beyond the selflessness of the second part of the quote, Wilde adds a pinch of salt. One should not forgive for altruistic purposes but to really annoy one’s enemies. The author surprises us again with a new perspective on life.
6- “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
Maybe this is the first quote in which we see a bit of hope. It also shows us the typical portrait of the romantic artist, who stands out from the cloud for his/her sensibility. By looking at his biography we can see that Oscar Wilde was not an ordinary person, especially in the context of his times. Here is a trailer of one of the movies based on Wilde’s life.
7- “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”
This is one of the brightest quotes to unveil Victorian society’s hypocrisy. What society is trying to repress is only a part of it and dealing with it it’s a much better option.
8- “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”
This is another thought that was ahead of its time. In the next decades, personalities like Freud and Lacan would develop the concept of the subconscious revealing that people live as objects of their society, family, cultural dictates, etc.
9- “I don’t want to go to heaven. None of my friends are there.”
If you want to rejoice in Wilde’s sarcasm and sense of humor, this is one of his most celebrated quotes.
10- “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
In line with the previous point, this phrase shows us that wanting to be like others is pointless. A self can thrive only by establishing its characteristics. This includes tastes, objectives, goals, way of living, etc.
A picture of a fascinating character
There are many books, biographies, and movies about Oscar Wilde, one of the most fascinating characters of the 19th century. Let these quotes and their interpretation be the door that leads us to the life and work of a great artist.