Quote by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dori

But the bravest man amongst us is afraid of himself. The mutilation of the savage has its tragic survival in the self-denial that mars our lives. We are punished for our refusals. Every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind and poisons us. The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification. Nothing remains then but the recollection of a pleasure, or the luxury of a regret. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful. It has been said that the great events of the world take place in the brain. It is in the brain, and the brain only, that the great sins of the world take place also.


But the bravest man amongst us is afraid of himself. The mut

Summary

This quote by Oscar Wilde suggests that even the bravest individuals can be afraid of their own inner desires and impulses. Wilde argues that suppressing these impulses leads to a self-denial that negatively affects our lives. He maintains that while our bodies may commit sins, the action itself can lead to purification and resolution. Resisting temptation, on the other hand, results in a longing for forbidden pleasures and a longing for what society deems as immoral. Wilde further asserts that both great events and great sins occur in the mind, emphasizing its powerful role in shaping our actions and experiences.

By Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dori
Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations