Oscar Wilde Quotes

A collection of quotes by Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and wit, widely regarded as one of the greatest literary figures of the late 19th century. Born in Dublin, Wilde showed early talent in academics and writing. He studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and later at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he became known for his literary prowess and flamboyant personality.

Wilde gained popularity with his plays, which showcased his wit, humor, and satirical commentary on society. His most famous works include "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Lady Windermere's Fan," and "An Ideal Husband." He was noted for his sharp wit, distinctive style, and memorable epigrams.

However, Wilde's reputation was tarnished when his homosexuality became public knowledge in a time of strict social and moral codes. In 1895, he was convicted of "gross indecency" and sentenced to two years of hard labor. After his release, Wilde spent the rest of his life in France, where he wrote "The Ballad of Reading Gaol," a reflection on his experiences in prison.

Despite his troubled personal life and tragic end, Oscar Wilde's work and legacy have endured. He is celebrated for his witty plays and essays that challenged societal norms and conventions. His unique style and clever use of language continue to captivate readers and inspire countless writers and artists.

Beauty is one of the great facts of the world, like sunlight,or springtime, or the reflection in dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. You have only a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully. When your youth goes, your beauty will go with it, and then you will suddenly discover that there are no triumphs left for you...Time is jealous of you, and wars against your lilies and your roses. You will become sallow, and hollow-cheeked, and dull-eyed...Ah! realise your youth while you have it. Don't squander the gold of your days, listening to the tedious, trying to improve the hopeless, or giving away your life to the ignorant, the common, and the vulgar...Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing...The world belongs to you for a season...how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For there is such a little time that your youth will last. The common hillflowers wither, but they blossom again. The laburnum will be as yellow next June as it is now. In a month there will be purple stars on the clematis, and year after year the green night of its leaves will hold its purple stars. But we never get back our youth. The pulse of joy that beats in us at twenty, becomes sluggish. Our limbs fail, our senses rot. We degenerate into hideous puppets, haunted by the memory of the passions of which we were too much afraid, and the exquisite temptations that we had not the courage to yield to...Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth.

Oscar Wilde