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OWOscar Wilde

804 collected words

Oscar Wilde

Life dates: 1854 AD — 1900 AD

Wilde’s comedy makes elegant remarks collide with concealed identities and social expectations. Read the selected lines as Algernon’s replies in a scene, rather than instructions from the playwright.

▷ Play this voiceSearch these words ↗Place in time ↗lovecouragehappinesslifenatureknowledgetruthfaith

Life and writing

The catalogue identifies Oscar Wilde and gives his lifetime as 1854–1900. The linked English text lists the play’s characters and arranges its action in three acts. Its subtitle describes a trivial comedy for serious people; the selected remarks are part of an exchange between Algernon and Jack in Act I. The electronic text credits David Price, but the checked record does not identify a printed edition or publisher. Catalogue lifetime years supply biographical context only; the archive’s contributor-supplied labels and undated entries remain unchanged.

Algernon’s claim about romance and uncertainty answers Jack’s intention to propose marriage. Later, after Jack explains his invented younger brother, Algernon responds that truth is rarely pure or simple. Both complete selected sentences match the checked English dialogue under punctuation, case and spacing comparison. The scene also exposes the speakers’ evasions and convenient double lives, so a polished line need not be a reliable moral rule. These matches establish local textual counterparts, not every popular saying credited to Wilde or the playwright’s agreement with each character.

Reading this voice

Read Act I from Jack’s proposed marriage through the explanation of his invented brother. Watch Algernon’s replies alongside what both men conceal. The two selected sentences match the checked English dialogue under limited normalization. Their comic speakers and dramatic situation matter; this book connection does not turn the lines into Wilde’s personal advice or authenticate all contributor-supplied attributions.

Subjects to explore

truthlovecharactercustoms

Words to begin with

Quotations and sayings

11c. 1877 AD
The things people say of a man do not alter a man. He is what he is. Public opinion is of no value whatsoever. Even if people employ actual violence, they are not to be violent in turn. That would be to fall to the same low level. After all, even in prison, a man can be quite free. His soul can be free. His personality can be untroubled. He can be at peace. And, above all things, they are not to interfere with other people or judge them in any way. Personality is a very mysterious thing. A man cannot always be estimated by what he does. He may keep the law, and yet be worthless. He may break the law, and yet be fine. He may be bad, without ever doing anything bad. He may commit a sin against society, and yet realize through that sin his true perfection.
Oscar Wilde / quote
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13c. 1877 AD
Man is complete in himself. When they go into the world, the world will disagree with them. That is inevitable. The world hates Individualism. But that is not to trouble them. They are to be calm and self-centred. If a man takes their cloak, they are to give him their coat, just to show that material things are of no importance. If people abuse them, they are not to answer back. What does it signify? The things people say of a man do not alter a man. He is what he is. Public opinion is of no value whatsoever. Even if people employ actual violence, they are not to be violent in turn. That would be to fall to the same low level. After all, even in prison, a man can be quite free. His soul can be free. His personality can be untroubled. He can be at peace. And, above all things, they are not to interfere with other people or judge them in any way. Personality is a very mysterious thing. A man cannot always be estimated by what he does. He may keep the law, and yet be worthless. He may break the law, and yet be fine. He may be bad, without ever doing anything bad. He may commit a sin against society, and yet realise through that sin his true perfection.
Oscar Wilde / quote
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