Oscar Wilde, renowned for his wit and brilliant use of language, has left behind a treasure trove of quotes that continue to inspire, amuse, and provoke thought. These quotes encapsulate his observations on various aspects of life, from love and art to society and identity. In this article, we explore ten themed collections of Oscar Wilde's famous quotes. Each theme brings a nuanced reflection of Wilde's unique perspective, appealing to a broad spectrum of ideas, emotions, and experiences. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, humor, or a new way to perceive the world, these quotes will resonate and enrich your understanding of the human condition.
Oscar Wilde on Love Quotes
"The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death."
"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."
"Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary."
"Who, being loved, is poor?"
"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden."
"When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving oneself."
"Women are made to be loved, not understood."
"The heart was made to be broken."
"Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling."
"The very essence of romance is uncertainty."
"A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her."
"The one charm of the past is that it is the past."
Oscar Wilde on Art Quotes
"All art is quite useless."
"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist."
"Art is the most intense mode of individualism."
"No great artist ever sees things as they really are."
"Art is the only serious thing in the world."
"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth."
"The artist is the creator of beautiful things."
"The true mystery of the world is the visible."
"Books, art, and music transcend time and place."
"The aim of life is self-development, to realize one's nature perfectly."
"One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art."
"The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable."
Oscar Wilde on Society Quotes
"Society exists only as a mental concept."
"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."
"Most people are other people."
"The public is wonderfully tolerant."
"Society often forgives the criminal."
"Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation."
"It is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read."
"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable."
"Whenever people agree with me, I feel I must be wrong."
"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go."
"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
Oscar Wilde on Youth Quotes
"Youth is wasted on the young."
"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything."
"To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise."
"Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms."
"The young are always ready to give to those who are older than themselves."
"The soul is born old but grows young."
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
"The condition of youth is to find its refuge in wisdom."
"With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?"
"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
"The secret of remaining young is never to have an emotion that is unbecoming."
Oscar Wilde on Identity Quotes
"Most people are other people."
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."
"To define is to limit."
"Everything popular is wrong."
"Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot."
"Anybody can make history; only a great man can write it."
"The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about."
"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative."
"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."
"I am not young enough to know everything."
"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."
Oscar Wilde on Life Quotes
"To live is the rarest thing in the world."
"Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."
"Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life."
"It is better to be beautiful than to be good."
"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes."
"Illusion is the first of all pleasures."
"There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants."
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."
"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."
"To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect."
"Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple."
"It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes."
Oscar Wilde on Happiness Quotes
"The best way to make children good is to make them happy."
"Some cause happiness wherever they go."
"With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?"
"A flower blossoms for its own joy."
"Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination."
"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention."
"Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing."
"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist."
"The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything."
"Happiness depends upon ourselves."
"Happiness is a warm puppy."
"A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life."
Oscar Wilde on Friendship Quotes
"True friends stab you in the front."
"A good friend will always stab you in the front."
"The only way to have a friend is to be one."
"There is nothing in the world like the devotion of a married woman."
"Whenever a friend succeeds, a little something in me dies."
"It is more painful to forget a friend than to be asked to forget him."
"Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live."
"Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense."
"A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies."
"Friendship is far more tragic than love."
"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction."
"Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us."
Oscar Wilde on Wisdom Quotes
"Cleverness is not wisdom."
"Wisdom comes with winters."
"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing."
"Education is an admirable thing."
"Society often forgives the criminal."
"It is absurd to divide people into good and bad."
"It is what you read when you don't have to."
"To regret one's own experiences is to arrest one's own development."
"I have nothing to declare except my genius."
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person."
"I never travel without my diary."
"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."
Oscar Wilde on Humor Quotes
"Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit."
"I can resist everything except temptation."
"Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."
"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily."
"The English country gentleman galloping after a fox."
"To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect."
"One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry."
"A man can't be too careful in the choice of his enemies."
"By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, journalism keeps us in touch."
"In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing."
"Every woman is wrong until she cries."
"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy."
Final words
Oscar Wilde's quotes continue to stand the test of time with their wit, wisdom, and insight. His sharp observations and playful use of language reveal a deep understanding of the human condition and the society in which he lived. Wilde's words encourage self-reflection, challenge societal norms, and underscore the joys and complexities of life. They provide an astute commentary on the contradictions of human nature, the pursuit of beauty, and the vibrant tapestry of love and friendship. As you delve into these quotes, let Wilde's perspective provoke thought, inspire laughter, and remind us of the importance of authenticity, creativity, and inner joy in our own lives. His legacy, captured in these memorable quips, continues to inspire and enrich the minds of those who venture into the mesmerizing world of Oscar Wilde.
