Oscar Wilde Quotes

As a rule, people who act lead the most commonplace lives. They are good husbands, or faithful wives, or something tedious.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 9. Dorian is a fast learner under the mentorship of Lord Henry. He is even coming up with witty epigrams to rival his mentor. This one rather desparagingly about actors, who practice the performing art of acting, leading commonplace tedious lives. Although he does qualify this by saying how different Sibyl was and that "she lived her finest tragedy."

I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don’t interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 12. A totally unconcerned Dorian flippantly responds to Basil Hallward, when he tells him that the most dreadful things are being said against Dorian in London. This passage from the novel was read out by Sir Edward Carson during cross-examination at the libel case taken by Wilde against the Martquess of Queensberry in 1895. Wilde lost the case. Though the novel doesn’t state the nature of the "scandals" involving Dorian, it is strongly hinted that he was involved in sexual encounters with other men – a crime in England at that time.

She is still décolletée…and when she is in a very smart gown she looks like an edition de luxe of a bad French novel.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 15. Lord Henry is speaking to Lady Narborough about Dorian’s friend the infamous Madame de Ferrol. The passage continues with Henry’s sparkling dialogue: "She is really wonderful, and full of surprises. Her capacity for family affection is extraordinary. When her third husband died, her hair turned quite gold from grief."

She is very clever, too clever for a woman. She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness. It is the feet of clay that make the gold of the image precious. Her feet are very pretty, but they are not feet of clay. White porcelain feet, if you like. They have been through fire, and what fire does not destroy, it hardens. She has had experiences.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 15. Lord Henry makes this comment about the beautiful Duchess of Monmouth, who is smitten with Dorian and has been invited by him to a party that he is hosting. This is typical of Henry’s disdainful view of women in general. Henry likes women to be vulnerable with "feet of clay" and not "too clever." Using two decorative arts metaphors he describes the Duchess as having white porcelain feet rather than feet of clay, so she is hardened by her experiences.

He atones for being occasionally somewhat overdressed by being always absolutely over-educated. He is a very modern type.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 15. In Lord Henry’s comment on Lord Grotrian, it’s clear that dress and appearance matters to Henry and education matters even more. Henry is responding to Dorian announcing that he is inviting Grotrian to a party he is hosting. He finds Dorian’s guest charming and likes him, but says that a great many people don’t.

I am sick of women who love one. Women who hate one are much more interesting.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, Chapter 16. Dorian says this to Adrian Singleton in the opium den. There are plenty of women who hate Dorian at this stage. We heard in Chapter 11 how women who once wildly adored him "grow pallid with shame or horror if Dorian Gray entered the room." A lot of Wilde’s wit in the novel is given voice through the character of Lord Henry. But sometimes, as in the case of this epigram, the witty Wilde speaks through Dorian.

It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. Names are everything. I never quarrel with actions. My one quarrel is with words…The man who would call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one. It is the only thing he is fit for.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 17. Wilde was a master wordsmith who liked to dazzle people with his brilliant wit and wordplay. Lord Henry is the character in the novel who most speaks like the author and, also like Wilde, often talks in aphorisms. Wilde once said that Lord Henry was "what the world thinks me." The sophisticated Henry makes clear in this passage that has no time for plain speaking and the unlovely words of other people. He prefers "lovely names" to be given to things and offers us a witty epigram about a spade to press home his point.

Anybody can be good in the country. There are no temptations there. That is the reason why people who live out of town are so absolutely uncivilized.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 19. Lord Henry to Dorian, after Dorian says that he is giving up his evil ways and had begun his good actions the previous before while staying in a country inn. Dorian’s temptor Henry, who lured him onto the path of the unbridled pursuit of pleasure and sin, mocks his protégé in this passage.
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