Oscar Wilde Quotes

Powerful Oscar Wilde for Daily Growth

About Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish playwright, poet, and wit whose work continues to intrigue and inspire audiences worldwide. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was the second of three children to Sir William Wilde, a renowned ophthalmologist, and Jane Francesca Elgee, a talented writer under the pen name Speranza. The family moved to London when Oscar was a child, where his father pursued medical opportunities, leaving an indelible impact on the young Oscar with their lively discussions of art and literature. Wilde studied at Trinity College Dublin before moving to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he honed his writing skills and cultivated a flamboyant style. He began publishing poems and essays, and his first collection "Poems in Verse" was published in 1881. After graduating, Wilde continued to write for various publications, including the satirical magazine "The Pall Mall Gazette." In 1890, Oscar Wilde's most famous works were born with the premiere of his first full-length play, "Lady Windermere's Fan," a witty commentary on Victorian morality. Its success led to two more plays within a year: "A Woman of No Importance" and "An Ideal Husband." His masterpiece, "The Importance of Being Earnest," premiered in 1895 and remains one of the most popular and quotable plays in the English language. Wilde's life took a dramatic turn when he began an intimate relationship with Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, leading to a series of scandalous trials for "gross indecency." Convicted in 1895, Wilde was sentenced to two years' hard labor and released from prison in 1897. The experience devastated him physically and emotionally, and he spent the remaining years of his life in exile in France before dying at age 46. Wilde's works are celebrated for their wit, style, and exploration of moral complexities, leaving a lasting impact on literature and theatre. His famous quotes continue to resonate today, encapsulating wisdom, humor, and the essence of his extraordinary personality.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

This quote by Oscar Wilde emphasizes the importance of individuality and authenticity in life. It suggests that each person has their unique qualities, thoughts, and experiences, making them distinct from others. In other words, being true to oneself, embracing one's own identity, and living authentically is essential because every aspect of who we are contributes to the richness and diversity of humanity.


"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

This quote by Oscar Wilde highlights the human capacity for resilience and aspiration amidst adversity. It suggests that even though we may find ourselves in difficult or challenging circumstances (the "gutter"), some individuals maintain a sense of hope, purpose, and ambition (looking at the stars). The quote encourages us to keep our eyes on our goals and aspirations, no matter our current circumstances, as this mindset allows us to rise above adversity. It underscores the idea that human potential is vast, and with determination and a positive outlook, we can overcome obstacles and achieve great things.


"I can resist anything except temptation."

This quote by Oscar Wilde emphasizes that while one may possess strong willpower to resist various challenges or hardships, there is a certain kind of temptation, often irresistible and enticing, which may overcome even the strongest person's self-control. It underscores the notion that human weakness lies not in resisting life's difficulties but succumbing to its enticing and alluring aspects.


"The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never any use to oneself."

This quote suggests that useful advice, once received, should be shared rather than hoarded. The implication is that personal growth or problem-solving isn't achieved by solely holding onto advice; instead, its true value lies in helping others. In essence, it underscores the importance of empathy and altruism.


"Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

This quote by Oscar Wilde suggests a critique of modern society, where the emphasis on material wealth (the "price of everything") overshadows the appreciation of intangible values such as art, love, ethics, or experiences ("the value of nothing"). It implies that when we focus solely on economic gain and monetary worth, we may lose sight of what truly matters in life.


Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.

- Oscar Wilde

Mistakes, Name, Give, Experience

Bad people are, from the point of view of art, fascinating studies. They represent colour, variety and strangeness. Good people exasperate one's reason; bad people stir one's imagination.

- Oscar Wilde

Art, Reason, Bad, Stir

The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.

- Oscar Wilde

Good, Never, Pass, Advice

Arguments are to be avoided: they are always vulgar and often convincing.

- Oscar Wilde

Always, Vulgar, Avoided, Argument

The man who can dominate a London dinner-table can dominate the world.

- Oscar Wilde

Man, World, Who, London

Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one.

- Oscar Wilde

Friendship, Beginning, Bad, Ending

The well bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves.

- Oscar Wilde

Wise, Other, Bred, Contradict

Technique is really personality. That is the reason why the artist cannot teach it, why the pupil cannot learn it, and why the aesthetic critic can understand it.

- Oscar Wilde

Reason, Artist, Aesthetic, Critic

I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.

- Oscar Wilde

Best, Always, Simplest, Tastes

Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more.

- Oscar Wilde

More, Rule, Each One, Ambition

Women are never disarmed by compliments. Men always are. That is the difference between the sexes.

- Oscar Wilde

Never, Always, Sexes, Disarmed

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

- Oscar Wilde

Dreams, Rest, Dreamer, Punishment

Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.

- Oscar Wilde

Reason, Always, Accordance, Animal

When the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers.

- Oscar Wilde

Wish, Gods, Punish, Answer

Deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.

- Oscar Wilde

Romantic, World, Romance, Deceiving

While we look to the dramatist to give romance to realism, we ask of the actor to give realism to romance.

- Oscar Wilde

Give, Actor, Romance, Realism

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

- Oscar Wilde

Love, Beginning, Romance, Oneself

It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.

- Oscar Wilde

Bad, Charming, Either, Absurd

Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.

- Oscar Wilde

Die, Discover, Too Late, Creeping

In married life three is company and two none.

- Oscar Wilde

Company, Married, None, Married Life

The world has grown suspicious of anything that looks like a happily married life.

- Oscar Wilde

World, Looks, Happily, Married Life

The one charm about marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties.

- Oscar Wilde

Deception, Charm, Necessary, Both Parties

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

- Oscar Wilde

Stars, Looking, Some, Gutter

Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.

- Oscar Wilde

Patriotism, Virtue, Vicious

Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship.

- Oscar Wilde

Love, Relationship, Enmity

Romantic art deals with the exception and with the individual. Good people, belonging as they do to the normal, and so, commonplace type, are artistically uninteresting.

- Oscar Wilde

Art, Exception, Normal, Commonplace

The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation.

- Oscar Wilde

Temptation, Get, Resist, Yield

Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.

- Oscar Wilde

Strength, Think, Which, Yield

I can resist everything except temptation.

- Oscar Wilde

Funny, Resist, Except, Temptation

In England, an inventor is regarded almost as a crazy man, and in too many instances, invention ends in disappointment and poverty. In America, an inventor is honoured, help is forthcoming, and the exercise of ingenuity, the application of science to the work of man, is there the shortest road to wealth.

- Oscar Wilde

Exercise, America, Almost, Honoured

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