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The Collected Oscar Wilde
A renowned eccentric, dandy, and man-about-town, Oscar Wilde was foremost a dazzling wit and dramatic genius whose plays, poems, essays, and fiction contain some of the most frequently quoted quips and passages in the English language.
This volume features a wide selection of Wilde’s literary output, including the comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest, an immensely popular play filled with satiric epigrams that mercilessly expose Victorian hypocrisy; The Portrait of Mr. W. H., a story proposing that Shakespeare’s sonnets were inspired by the poet’s love for a young man; The House of Pomegranates, the author’s collection of fairy tales; lectures Wilde delivered, first in the United States, where he exhorted his audiences to love beauty and art, and then in England, where he presented his impressions of America; his two major literary-theoretical works, “The Decay of Lying” and “The Critic as Artist”; and a selection of verse, including his great poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol, in which Wilde famously declared that “each man kills the thing he loves.”
A testament to Wilde’s incredible versatility, this collection displays his legendary wit, brilliant use of language, and penetrating insight into the human condition.
This volume features a wide selection of Wilde’s literary output, including the comic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest, an immensely popular play filled with satiric epigrams that mercilessly expose Victorian hypocrisy; The Portrait of Mr. W. H., a story proposing that Shakespeare’s sonnets were inspired by the poet’s love for a young man; The House of Pomegranates, the author’s collection of fairy tales; lectures Wilde delivered, first in the United States, where he exhorted his audiences to love beauty and art, and then in England, where he presented his impressions of America; his two major literary-theoretical works, “The Decay of Lying” and “The Critic as Artist”; and a selection of verse, including his great poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol, in which Wilde famously declared that “each man kills the thing he loves.”
A testament to Wilde’s incredible versatility, this collection displays his legendary wit, brilliant use of language, and penetrating insight into the human condition.
672 pages, Paperback
First published August 16, 2011
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5303 people want to read
About the author
Oscar Wilde
5,475 books38.8k followersOscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and his criminal conviction for gross indecency for homosexual acts.
Wilde's parents were Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. In his youth, Wilde learned to speak fluent French and German. At university, he read Greats; he demonstrated himself to be an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the emerging philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles.
Wilde tried his hand at various literary activities: he wrote a play, published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on "The English Renaissance" in art and interior decoration, and then returned to London where he lectured on his American travels and wrote reviews for various periodicals. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day. At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into what would be his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). Wilde returned to drama, writing Salome (1891) in French while in Paris, but it was refused a licence for England due to an absolute prohibition on the portrayal of Biblical subjects on the English stage. Undiscouraged, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late-Victorian London.
At the height of his fame and success, while An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) were still being performed in London, Wilde issued a civil writ against John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel hearings unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and criminal prosecution for gross indecency with other males. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and so a retrial was ordered. In the second trial Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labour, the maximum penalty, and was jailed from 1895 to 1897. During his last year in prison he wrote De Profundis (published posthumously in abridged form in 1905), a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials and is a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. On the day of his release, he caught the overnight steamer to France, never to return to Britain or Ireland. In France and Italy, he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life.
Wilde's parents were Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. In his youth, Wilde learned to speak fluent French and German. At university, he read Greats; he demonstrated himself to be an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the emerging philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles.
Wilde tried his hand at various literary activities: he wrote a play, published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on "The English Renaissance" in art and interior decoration, and then returned to London where he lectured on his American travels and wrote reviews for various periodicals. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day. At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into what would be his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). Wilde returned to drama, writing Salome (1891) in French while in Paris, but it was refused a licence for England due to an absolute prohibition on the portrayal of Biblical subjects on the English stage. Undiscouraged, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late-Victorian London.
At the height of his fame and success, while An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) were still being performed in London, Wilde issued a civil writ against John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel hearings unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and criminal prosecution for gross indecency with other males. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and so a retrial was ordered. In the second trial Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labour, the maximum penalty, and was jailed from 1895 to 1897. During his last year in prison he wrote De Profundis (published posthumously in abridged form in 1905), a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials and is a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. On the day of his release, he caught the overnight steamer to France, never to return to Britain or Ireland. In France and Italy, he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 22, 2019
“Yet each man kills the thing he loves.”
After being such a huge fan of The Picture of Dorian Gray, I knew I needed to explore more of Wilde’s writing. Unfortunately this was a bit of a mixed bag for me!
Dorian Gray is at the very beginning and I decided not to reread it - I’ll do that another day. After this we had Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime, wherein Lord Arthur is told by a palm reader that it is in his destiny to be a murderer... however, he wants to get married but decides he has no right to do so until he has committed the murder. Hilarity ensues...
Then there was The Canterville Ghost which was an absolute blast! It’s about the Otis family who move into a haunted house, but no matter what the ghost does, the family refuse to be frightened. It was so incredibly funny at times with Mr Otis advising the ghost that maybe he should oil his chains and Mrs Otis delivering lines like “I don’t at all care for blood-stains in a sitting room.” LOL. The combination of the macabre with some comedy was just perfect!
Following this we have a number of stories for children that Wilde has written. These were hit and miss for me personally. Certain themes and messages became a bit repetitive - there was always a lovely message at the end, but sometimes the message made me roll my eyes... have I become cynical in my old age?!
Next up was A House of Pomegranates which is a collection of his fairy tales. Again, all beautifully written - I can never fault that - but I am not a huge fairy tale person? So again, up and down!
The collection closes with The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which Tes @paperbackbones had told me about before, which is a poem that Wilde had written in exile following his release from the same prison. The inclusion of this poem at the very end left quite a different tone from the stories that preceded it. It narrates the execution of a fellow inmate, highlighting the punishments that all convicts share. I don’t read much poetry but thought this one was well-written and impactful.
So whilst this collection was hit and miss, I will continue to love this man’s voice 😍
3.5 stars.
After being such a huge fan of The Picture of Dorian Gray, I knew I needed to explore more of Wilde’s writing. Unfortunately this was a bit of a mixed bag for me!
Dorian Gray is at the very beginning and I decided not to reread it - I’ll do that another day. After this we had Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime, wherein Lord Arthur is told by a palm reader that it is in his destiny to be a murderer... however, he wants to get married but decides he has no right to do so until he has committed the murder. Hilarity ensues...
Then there was The Canterville Ghost which was an absolute blast! It’s about the Otis family who move into a haunted house, but no matter what the ghost does, the family refuse to be frightened. It was so incredibly funny at times with Mr Otis advising the ghost that maybe he should oil his chains and Mrs Otis delivering lines like “I don’t at all care for blood-stains in a sitting room.” LOL. The combination of the macabre with some comedy was just perfect!
Following this we have a number of stories for children that Wilde has written. These were hit and miss for me personally. Certain themes and messages became a bit repetitive - there was always a lovely message at the end, but sometimes the message made me roll my eyes... have I become cynical in my old age?!
Next up was A House of Pomegranates which is a collection of his fairy tales. Again, all beautifully written - I can never fault that - but I am not a huge fairy tale person? So again, up and down!
The collection closes with The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which Tes @paperbackbones had told me about before, which is a poem that Wilde had written in exile following his release from the same prison. The inclusion of this poem at the very end left quite a different tone from the stories that preceded it. It narrates the execution of a fellow inmate, highlighting the punishments that all convicts share. I don’t read much poetry but thought this one was well-written and impactful.
So whilst this collection was hit and miss, I will continue to love this man’s voice 😍
3.5 stars.
October 27, 2025
Недостижим Оскар Уайлд.
Четири култови пиеси (три семейно-социални драми и една комедийна пародия), които днес са точно толкова изящно остроумни и дълбоко психологически, ненатрапчиво изобличителни и подмолно романтични, колкото са били и при написването си през последното десетилетие на XIX век. Оскар Уайлд е опасен за всяко самодоволство, за всяко невежество, за всеки снобизъм и за всяка арогантност. Оскар Уайлд е опасен за всеки фалш. Защото е един от малцината, които съумяват винаги да различат истинския диамант насред водопада от пъстри стъкълца. И този диамант съвсем не е из колиетата да елегантните аристократки в пиесите.
—————————————————————————————
🪭”Мога да устоя на всичко освен на изкушението.”
🪭“На този сеят има само две злощастия. Едното е да не получиш каквото искаш, другото е да го получиш. Второто е далеч по-лошо; то е истинска трагедия.”
🪭“Има моменти, когато човек трябва да избира - или да живее своя собствен живот пълноценно, смислено, съдържателно, или да води онова фалшиво, празно, унизително съществуване, което обществото изисква с присъщото си лицемерие.”
🪭“Моите работи винаги ме отегчават до смърт. Затова предпочитам чуждите.”
🪭“Всички сме затънали в калта, но някои от нас гледат към звездите.”
🪭“Дай определение за циник. […] Човек, който знае цената на всичко и стойността на нищо.
А романтикът […] е човек, който вижда абсурдна стойност във всичко и не знае пазарната цена на нищо.”
🪭“Опит е името, което всеки дава на грешките си.”
🪭“Светът е един за всички нас и в него доброто и злото, грехът и невинността вървят ръка за ръка. Да виждаш само едната му половина, в която можеш да живееш в безопасност, означава да си сляп за другата, която е осеяна с пропасти.”
🪭“И колко жалко, че научаваме някои уроци едва когато нямаме полза от тях!”
🪭“Намирам за напълно безобразен начина, по който хората днес говорят зад гърба на човека неща, които са изцяло и абсолютно верни.”
🪭“Човек никога не трябва да има доверие на жена, която признава истинската си възраст. Жена, която ти каже това, ще ти каже всичко.”
🪭”В началото на живота си децата обичат родителите си. По-късно започват да ги съдят. Рядко, ако изобщо някога, им прощават.”
🪭”Да си в обществото е скучно. Да си вън от него е трагично.”
🪭“Има само едно нещо на света, по-лошо от това да говорят за теб, и то е да не говорят за теб.”
🪭“Не може да е необходимо да вършиш това, което е непочтено.”
🪭“…животът не може да бъде разбран без великодушие...”
🪭“В Англия човек, който не може да говори за морал поне два пъти седмично пред широка, неморална публика, не се брои за сериозен политик.”
🪭”За да влезеш в доброто общество [..] трябва или да храниш и забавляваш хората, или да ги скандализираш - това е всичко!”
🪭”Истината рядко е чиста и никога не е проста.”
————————————————————————————
Четири култови пиеси (три семейно-социални драми и една комедийна пародия), които днес са точно толкова изящно остроумни и дълбоко психологически, ненатрапчиво изобличителни и подмолно романтични, колкото са били и при написването си през последното десетилетие на XIX век. Оскар Уайлд е опасен за всяко самодоволство, за всяко невежество, за всеки снобизъм и за всяка арогантност. Оскар Уайлд е опасен за всеки фалш. Защото е един от малцината, които съумяват винаги да различат истинския диамант насред водопада от пъстри стъкълца. И този диамант съвсем не е из колиетата да елегантните аристократки в пиесите.
—————————————————————————————
🪭”Мога да устоя на всичко освен на изкушението.”
🪭“На този сеят има само две злощастия. Едното е да не получиш каквото искаш, другото е да го получиш. Второто е далеч по-лошо; то е истинска трагедия.”
🪭“Има моменти, когато човек трябва да избира - или да живее своя собствен живот пълноценно, смислено, съдържателно, или да води онова фалшиво, празно, унизително съществуване, което обществото изисква с присъщото си лицемерие.”
🪭“Моите работи винаги ме отегчават до смърт. Затова предпочитам чуждите.”
🪭“Всички сме затънали в калта, но някои от нас гледат към звездите.”
🪭“Дай определение за циник. […] Човек, който знае цената на всичко и стойността на нищо.
А романтикът […] е човек, който вижда абсурдна стойност във всичко и не знае пазарната цена на нищо.”
🪭“Опит е името, което всеки дава на грешките си.”
🪭“Светът е един за всички нас и в него доброто и злото, грехът и невинността вървят ръка за ръка. Да виждаш само едната му половина, в която можеш да живееш в безопасност, означава да си сляп за другата, която е осеяна с пропасти.”
🪭“И колко жалко, че научаваме някои уроци едва когато нямаме полза от тях!”
🪭“Намирам за напълно безобразен начина, по който хората днес говорят зад гърба на човека неща, които са изцяло и абсолютно верни.”
🪭“Човек никога не трябва да има доверие на жена, която признава истинската си възраст. Жена, която ти каже това, ще ти каже всичко.”
🪭”В началото на живота си децата обичат родителите си. По-късно започват да ги съдят. Рядко, ако изобщо някога, им прощават.”
🪭”Да си в обществото е скучно. Да си вън от него е трагично.”
🪭“Има само едно нещо на света, по-лошо от това да говорят за теб, и то е да не говорят за теб.”
🪭“Не може да е необходимо да вършиш това, което е непочтено.”
🪭“…животът не може да бъде разбран без великодушие...”
🪭“В Англия човек, който не може да говори за морал поне два пъти седмично пред широка, неморална публика, не се брои за сериозен политик.”
🪭”За да влезеш в доброто общество [..] трябва или да храниш и забавляваш хората, или да ги скандализираш - това е всичко!”
🪭”Истината рядко е чиста и никога не е проста.”
————————————————————————————
May 2, 2015
This was just perfect. What else could I say? The writing and wit of Oscar Wilde is just admirable and hilarious. The adaptations on this audiobook made them come to live and it was so much fun listening I often forgot I was not alone but felt like part of the audience in the theater.
I recommend this to anyone who has wanted to give Oscar Wilde a go.
I recommend this to anyone who has wanted to give Oscar Wilde a go.
February 14, 2022
100000/10
oscar wilde is my king
read all his works and even my not so favourites are top tier
gonna make a shrine for him
if i could have dinner w anyone dead or alive itd be him
starting a fan club
oscar wilde is my king
read all his works and even my not so favourites are top tier
gonna make a shrine for him
if i could have dinner w anyone dead or alive itd be him
starting a fan club
July 25, 2018
This is my second time reading The Picture of Dorian Gray & I loved it more then my first time; if that is possible! Very poignant story on so many levels & it sure does teach us about morality & life; despite Wilde's proclaimed prelude thought - "There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all'
December 22, 2017
Very interesting collection of Oscar Wilde's writings. If you like classics you'll love this one!
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April 6, 2025The Mega Review of Oscar Wilde
As I neared the end of this book I began dreading how exactly I would articulate it. I have decided to settle on giving a brief overview of my thoughts on some of the stories, plays and poems. This will not be a full plot synopsis of every written piece that goes into detail .If you want that you'll have to undertake the task of actually reading the book but mild spoiler warning ahead nonetheless. But first a few cursory thoughts on my favourite Irish gay boy.
If I had to sum Wilde up in a word it would be variety. He could spin you a childhood fairy tale filled with such profound whimsy and innocence one moment and then hit you with a scandalous piece complete with the darkest of adult undertones and most cerebral of themes. There's such a wit to him that it would be best to say Oscar is a man who takes his craft seriously but goes about it very unseriously. Fitting for a man attributed with the quote 'Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.' Just as there is variety in his work so to is there variety in my opinions. Starting with:
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Perhaps his most iconic or at least most recognisable work by the general populace. Part of me would love to be a contrarian and tell you this story does not live up to the hype. But I will do no such thing because it absolutely does. Never have the themes of ego, vanity, art and creativity been so masterfully blended in this outrageous cautionary tale as the titular Dorian Gray pays a deep price for his undertaking of a Faustian deal in the name of wanton hedonism overruling morality.
Lord Arthur Saville's Crime: No relation to Jimmy Saville you can all relax. Poor attempt at jest aside this is Oscar's dry humour on full display here as Arthur is given a palm reading where he has no right to marry until he has committed a murder. In a way this story almost reads like a trial of comedic failures that would make for a good silent movie. Wilde seems to capture that kind of comedy several centuries early.
The Sphinx Without A Secret: A story within a story. Going to be brutally honest I struggled to stay awake for this one so much so I'm genuinely having trouble recalling the basic plot beyond 'man tells a story about a girl he fancied who died.' Oscar's innovative prose and vocabulary choices do little to distract from how uninspired this story really is. The Sphinx Without A Secret is The Story Without A Point.
The Canterville Ghost: One of my absolute favourites. A classic inversion of genre where what appeared to be a ghost story was in fact a romance story. I won't spoil it any more than that but this is a really fun one and served as a great palette cleanser after The Sphinx.
The Model Millionaire: Fairly simple story with an equally simple moral message but Oscar's signature wit and philosophic wanderings make it a very readable one.
The Portrait of Mr W.H: This story initially confused the fuck out of me as it reused the name Erskine from the previous story but to my knowledge they are not the same character (do I find that after all this time Oscar Wilde has his own little connected universe). Having had no knowledge of the Hughes theory that this story focuses around my first reading of it made little sense. Even after reading up on said theory all it really elicited from me was 'well that was interesting' before swiftly moving on.
The Young King: A quaint fairy tale about a young monarch that definitely feels like a fairy tale as opposed to how an actual young monarch would act. But that's what I love about Oscar. He's a true full blooded Romanticist in every sense of the word.
The Birthday of the Infanta: The Infanta is a spoilt little bitch and I hated every character in this except for the Dwarf. Probably Wilde's intention but still not a particularly enjoyable reading experience.
The Fisherman and his soul: Heartbreaking and fascinating. A Fisherman longs to be with the mermaid but due to her soulless nature must give up his own. His soul then acts very much independently of him once separated. It's a really interesting examination of the human soul and of love. Wilde really stretches his tragedy writing muscles in this one to great effect.
The Star Child: Genuinely enthralling character arc let down by abrupt and frankly shit ending.
The Happy Prince: Peak fairy tale energy. The statue of the Happy Prince and Swallow are an example of Oscar's key strengths in humanizing inanimate objects and animals. If I were to rank the characters of Wilde my top 5 probably wouldn't subsist of the human characters.
The Nightingale and the Rose: Oscar at his most overdramatic flourishing descriptive prose masterfully as we follow another non-human character who yet again proves to be most likable one. Imaginatively tragic and comedic.
The Selfish Giant: To write for children is to write better and nowhere is that more evident than this one. This is probably my favourite of Oscar's fairy tales. Once more a simple parable but done so authentically that this one feels like it could've been told orally around a campfire it has such a timeless and sincere vibe to it.
The Devoted Friend: Oscar at times might come across as a man of his time but if anything he's very clearly a man beyond his time who is very clearly amused by the social trappings of his era. This story is such a sardonic, dry as a bone tale of false friendships with a slight sprinkle of class inequality (though this might be my own reading).
The Remarkable Rocket: Wilde's anthropomorphism of inanimate objects is perhaps his greatest tool in his writer's kit. The titular rocket is so full of pomp, ego and bluster that watching the idiot continuously try to avoid how pathetic he is can strike a chord with most of us who at least knows one person like the rocket in our life.
Vera: Now in fairness to the plays reading them never does as much justice as experiencing them being performed. Having said that Vera is a bloody solid bit of playwriting. Loosely based on the life Vera Zasulich this tale of tragic romance, dictatorships and rebellion set to the backdrop of 1800s Russia hasn't an ounce of fat on it. Every bit of dialogue and screen direction reads wonderfully as I visualised the characters in my mind. I don't think I want to see this as a play as I fear it won't live up to the version I have constructed in my head. A testament to Wilde's writing.
The Duchess of Padua: The superior Romeo and Juliet. No I will not elaborate. Read the book.
Lady Windermere's Fan: To harken back to my previous point about Wilde and the social trappings of his era no more is his amusement at 1800s social circle drama more evident than in his plays. Lady Windermere's fan is an absolute masterclass in effective use of miscommunication between character leading to hilarious and disastrous consequences. Though I'd argue Wilde perfects this better in another play we'll get to this play is still ripe with stiff upper lip upper class characters proving themselves to be every bit as fallible, hopeless and stupid as the common rabble. Even in the midst of comedy there is a genuine emotional core to this story. I dare not give too much away Lady Windermere really is a wonderfully fleshed out character that I was not expecting.
A Woman of No Importance: Incredibly drab. 1800s cattiness dialled up to a thousand making for an unbearable slog that by the fourth act I was too uninvested to care. Where Windermere's fan alludes to a deeper emotional core this one spends too much time indulging in silly fluff that bogs the pacing down and saps the life from me.
An Ideal Husband: Very funny. The hypocrisies of gender expectations laid out in full display and utilised to full comedic effect. Oscar flexes his intelligence as a writer of comedy and romance in this one.
The Importance of Being Earnest: My favourite of the plays and the one I alluded to as being the one where Wilde perfects the art of miscommunication. I found myself genuinely laughing at some of the lines here. The sheer fun of this story deserves better than my attempt to summarise it so all I'll say is I fully intend to use the term 'bunburying' more often in my life from now on. Please if you don't read any play ever at least experience this one.
Salome: Utterly bizarre. A feverish nightmare of religious heresy, homosexual subtext and just straight up unhinged evil. Wilde truly is not pulling punches on this one.
La Sainte Courtisane: An unfinished play yet even in its incompleteness it's a very descriptive exploration of temptation, identity and quite possibly redemption. The temptress and the hermit, it's exactly the kind of sermon you're thinking but also not quite.
A Florentine Tragedy: Short and unfinished yet sweet and a fun subversion of what the initial premise might make you think. Give me a Simone over a Guido any day when it comes to a man.
Helas: Onto the poetic works starting with a deeply personal poem that reflects Wilde's tortured state. To be both a religiously conscious man wrestling with his homosexuality in an age where you would find it easier wrestling with a tornado. Also side note upon learning of Oscar's Irish accent the phonetics of his poems make so much more delightful sense when read with that in mind.
Sonnet to Liberty: Don't let the flowery title fool you. Wilde demonstrates in just one stanza how much he's clearly meditated on the concept of liberty historically and philosophically. He says much with few words which to me is the staple of all good poetry.
Ave Imperiatrix: Expressly political and a tell tale sign that while Oscar was a man somewhat ahead of his time he still very much bought into the notions of imperial glory and other colonial sentiments. Not much else to say, it's just colonialism the poem.
Louis Napoleon: A eulogy to Louis Napoleon III continues the almost jarring emergence of Oscar's more politically savvy works.
On The Massacre of Christians In Bulgaria: It's actually called Sonnet but this alternative title I think describes it better if a little on the nose. Not much else to say, the title kind of says it all.
Quantum Mutata: Oscar's love/hate letter to Europe. Fiercely impassioned reflection from a fiercely conflicted man.
Libertatis Sacra Flames: Continuing the contradictions of the man this comes off as Wilde yearning for authoritarianism despite the fact that he is through his body of works and everything else I know about him very much an advocate of the individual freedoms. A deeply paradoxical man is outlined in these poems that reveal his more political outlooks.
Theoretikas: Very much the part 2 of Ave Imperiatrix with Wilde bemoaning the fall of a once great empire. Sadly much less interesting than Imperiatrix as at least that poem retained Oscar's playfulness. This one is almost uncharacteristically clipped and to the point.
The Garden of Eros: Environment focused poetry with allusions to Greek mythology go together like cream on chocolate cake. I needed this one after Theoretikas' interesting but painfully dry flow.
Requiescat: A contemplative piece on the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of death. A poem that proves Wilde to be more than a superfluous chaser of the romanticist aesthetic. A man who is capable of embracing reality and consciously choosing to enjoy and appreciate it nonetheless.
Sonnet On Approaching Italy: Wilde very much loves Italy and its historic/religious significance. A very evocative piece filled with appreciation for a place's history and beauty.
San Miniato: More Oscar lavishly giving Italy the poetic equivalent of a blowjob. In fairness it is a very expertly performed blowjob.
On that delightfully raunchy note I'm going to conclude. There are some more poems and of course the essays that I didn't cover but I've decided this review is long enough. In conclusion while not every written piece spoke to me I can firmly agree with the notion that Oscar Wilde is one of the finest souls to ever grace the landscape of literature. His tragic fate is only beaten out in terms of how repulsed by my own country I am by Alan Turing's similarly undeserved punishment.
As I neared the end of this book I began dreading how exactly I would articulate it. I have decided to settle on giving a brief overview of my thoughts on some of the stories, plays and poems. This will not be a full plot synopsis of every written piece that goes into detail .If you want that you'll have to undertake the task of actually reading the book but mild spoiler warning ahead nonetheless. But first a few cursory thoughts on my favourite Irish gay boy.
If I had to sum Wilde up in a word it would be variety. He could spin you a childhood fairy tale filled with such profound whimsy and innocence one moment and then hit you with a scandalous piece complete with the darkest of adult undertones and most cerebral of themes. There's such a wit to him that it would be best to say Oscar is a man who takes his craft seriously but goes about it very unseriously. Fitting for a man attributed with the quote 'Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.' Just as there is variety in his work so to is there variety in my opinions. Starting with:
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Perhaps his most iconic or at least most recognisable work by the general populace. Part of me would love to be a contrarian and tell you this story does not live up to the hype. But I will do no such thing because it absolutely does. Never have the themes of ego, vanity, art and creativity been so masterfully blended in this outrageous cautionary tale as the titular Dorian Gray pays a deep price for his undertaking of a Faustian deal in the name of wanton hedonism overruling morality.
Lord Arthur Saville's Crime: No relation to Jimmy Saville you can all relax. Poor attempt at jest aside this is Oscar's dry humour on full display here as Arthur is given a palm reading where he has no right to marry until he has committed a murder. In a way this story almost reads like a trial of comedic failures that would make for a good silent movie. Wilde seems to capture that kind of comedy several centuries early.
The Sphinx Without A Secret: A story within a story. Going to be brutally honest I struggled to stay awake for this one so much so I'm genuinely having trouble recalling the basic plot beyond 'man tells a story about a girl he fancied who died.' Oscar's innovative prose and vocabulary choices do little to distract from how uninspired this story really is. The Sphinx Without A Secret is The Story Without A Point.
The Canterville Ghost: One of my absolute favourites. A classic inversion of genre where what appeared to be a ghost story was in fact a romance story. I won't spoil it any more than that but this is a really fun one and served as a great palette cleanser after The Sphinx.
The Model Millionaire: Fairly simple story with an equally simple moral message but Oscar's signature wit and philosophic wanderings make it a very readable one.
The Portrait of Mr W.H: This story initially confused the fuck out of me as it reused the name Erskine from the previous story but to my knowledge they are not the same character (do I find that after all this time Oscar Wilde has his own little connected universe). Having had no knowledge of the Hughes theory that this story focuses around my first reading of it made little sense. Even after reading up on said theory all it really elicited from me was 'well that was interesting' before swiftly moving on.
The Young King: A quaint fairy tale about a young monarch that definitely feels like a fairy tale as opposed to how an actual young monarch would act. But that's what I love about Oscar. He's a true full blooded Romanticist in every sense of the word.
The Birthday of the Infanta: The Infanta is a spoilt little bitch and I hated every character in this except for the Dwarf. Probably Wilde's intention but still not a particularly enjoyable reading experience.
The Fisherman and his soul: Heartbreaking and fascinating. A Fisherman longs to be with the mermaid but due to her soulless nature must give up his own. His soul then acts very much independently of him once separated. It's a really interesting examination of the human soul and of love. Wilde really stretches his tragedy writing muscles in this one to great effect.
The Star Child: Genuinely enthralling character arc let down by abrupt and frankly shit ending.
The Happy Prince: Peak fairy tale energy. The statue of the Happy Prince and Swallow are an example of Oscar's key strengths in humanizing inanimate objects and animals. If I were to rank the characters of Wilde my top 5 probably wouldn't subsist of the human characters.
The Nightingale and the Rose: Oscar at his most overdramatic flourishing descriptive prose masterfully as we follow another non-human character who yet again proves to be most likable one. Imaginatively tragic and comedic.
The Selfish Giant: To write for children is to write better and nowhere is that more evident than this one. This is probably my favourite of Oscar's fairy tales. Once more a simple parable but done so authentically that this one feels like it could've been told orally around a campfire it has such a timeless and sincere vibe to it.
The Devoted Friend: Oscar at times might come across as a man of his time but if anything he's very clearly a man beyond his time who is very clearly amused by the social trappings of his era. This story is such a sardonic, dry as a bone tale of false friendships with a slight sprinkle of class inequality (though this might be my own reading).
The Remarkable Rocket: Wilde's anthropomorphism of inanimate objects is perhaps his greatest tool in his writer's kit. The titular rocket is so full of pomp, ego and bluster that watching the idiot continuously try to avoid how pathetic he is can strike a chord with most of us who at least knows one person like the rocket in our life.
Vera: Now in fairness to the plays reading them never does as much justice as experiencing them being performed. Having said that Vera is a bloody solid bit of playwriting. Loosely based on the life Vera Zasulich this tale of tragic romance, dictatorships and rebellion set to the backdrop of 1800s Russia hasn't an ounce of fat on it. Every bit of dialogue and screen direction reads wonderfully as I visualised the characters in my mind. I don't think I want to see this as a play as I fear it won't live up to the version I have constructed in my head. A testament to Wilde's writing.
The Duchess of Padua: The superior Romeo and Juliet. No I will not elaborate. Read the book.
Lady Windermere's Fan: To harken back to my previous point about Wilde and the social trappings of his era no more is his amusement at 1800s social circle drama more evident than in his plays. Lady Windermere's fan is an absolute masterclass in effective use of miscommunication between character leading to hilarious and disastrous consequences. Though I'd argue Wilde perfects this better in another play we'll get to this play is still ripe with stiff upper lip upper class characters proving themselves to be every bit as fallible, hopeless and stupid as the common rabble. Even in the midst of comedy there is a genuine emotional core to this story. I dare not give too much away Lady Windermere really is a wonderfully fleshed out character that I was not expecting.
A Woman of No Importance: Incredibly drab. 1800s cattiness dialled up to a thousand making for an unbearable slog that by the fourth act I was too uninvested to care. Where Windermere's fan alludes to a deeper emotional core this one spends too much time indulging in silly fluff that bogs the pacing down and saps the life from me.
An Ideal Husband: Very funny. The hypocrisies of gender expectations laid out in full display and utilised to full comedic effect. Oscar flexes his intelligence as a writer of comedy and romance in this one.
The Importance of Being Earnest: My favourite of the plays and the one I alluded to as being the one where Wilde perfects the art of miscommunication. I found myself genuinely laughing at some of the lines here. The sheer fun of this story deserves better than my attempt to summarise it so all I'll say is I fully intend to use the term 'bunburying' more often in my life from now on. Please if you don't read any play ever at least experience this one.
Salome: Utterly bizarre. A feverish nightmare of religious heresy, homosexual subtext and just straight up unhinged evil. Wilde truly is not pulling punches on this one.
La Sainte Courtisane: An unfinished play yet even in its incompleteness it's a very descriptive exploration of temptation, identity and quite possibly redemption. The temptress and the hermit, it's exactly the kind of sermon you're thinking but also not quite.
A Florentine Tragedy: Short and unfinished yet sweet and a fun subversion of what the initial premise might make you think. Give me a Simone over a Guido any day when it comes to a man.
Helas: Onto the poetic works starting with a deeply personal poem that reflects Wilde's tortured state. To be both a religiously conscious man wrestling with his homosexuality in an age where you would find it easier wrestling with a tornado. Also side note upon learning of Oscar's Irish accent the phonetics of his poems make so much more delightful sense when read with that in mind.
Sonnet to Liberty: Don't let the flowery title fool you. Wilde demonstrates in just one stanza how much he's clearly meditated on the concept of liberty historically and philosophically. He says much with few words which to me is the staple of all good poetry.
Ave Imperiatrix: Expressly political and a tell tale sign that while Oscar was a man somewhat ahead of his time he still very much bought into the notions of imperial glory and other colonial sentiments. Not much else to say, it's just colonialism the poem.
Louis Napoleon: A eulogy to Louis Napoleon III continues the almost jarring emergence of Oscar's more politically savvy works.
On The Massacre of Christians In Bulgaria: It's actually called Sonnet but this alternative title I think describes it better if a little on the nose. Not much else to say, the title kind of says it all.
Quantum Mutata: Oscar's love/hate letter to Europe. Fiercely impassioned reflection from a fiercely conflicted man.
Libertatis Sacra Flames: Continuing the contradictions of the man this comes off as Wilde yearning for authoritarianism despite the fact that he is through his body of works and everything else I know about him very much an advocate of the individual freedoms. A deeply paradoxical man is outlined in these poems that reveal his more political outlooks.
Theoretikas: Very much the part 2 of Ave Imperiatrix with Wilde bemoaning the fall of a once great empire. Sadly much less interesting than Imperiatrix as at least that poem retained Oscar's playfulness. This one is almost uncharacteristically clipped and to the point.
The Garden of Eros: Environment focused poetry with allusions to Greek mythology go together like cream on chocolate cake. I needed this one after Theoretikas' interesting but painfully dry flow.
Requiescat: A contemplative piece on the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of death. A poem that proves Wilde to be more than a superfluous chaser of the romanticist aesthetic. A man who is capable of embracing reality and consciously choosing to enjoy and appreciate it nonetheless.
Sonnet On Approaching Italy: Wilde very much loves Italy and its historic/religious significance. A very evocative piece filled with appreciation for a place's history and beauty.
San Miniato: More Oscar lavishly giving Italy the poetic equivalent of a blowjob. In fairness it is a very expertly performed blowjob.
On that delightfully raunchy note I'm going to conclude. There are some more poems and of course the essays that I didn't cover but I've decided this review is long enough. In conclusion while not every written piece spoke to me I can firmly agree with the notion that Oscar Wilde is one of the finest souls to ever grace the landscape of literature. His tragic fate is only beaten out in terms of how repulsed by my own country I am by Alan Turing's similarly undeserved punishment.
January 16, 2023
Pure enjoyment! Each work plays for about an hour and a half. Here is the list:
A woman of no importance (1893): Chapter 1 (brief intro) -- Chapter 11 (closing credits).
Interview with Wilde's grandson and author Merlin Holland: Chapter 12 (12:35).
An ideal husband (1895): Chapter 13 (brief intro) -- Chapter 22 (closing credits).
Lady Windermere's fan (1892): Chapter 23 (brief intro) -- Chapter 31 (closing credits).
The importance of being Earnest (1895): Chapter 32 (brief intro) -- Chapter 39 (closing credits).
Interview with Director Michael Hackett: Chapter 40 (13:41)
The picture of Dorian Gray (1890/1): Chapter 41 (brief intro) -- Chapter 57 (closing credits).
Keep in mind that these are plays being played by actors before a live audience, as opposed to audiobooks.
A woman of no importance (1893): Chapter 1 (brief intro) -- Chapter 11 (closing credits).
Interview with Wilde's grandson and author Merlin Holland: Chapter 12 (12:35).
An ideal husband (1895): Chapter 13 (brief intro) -- Chapter 22 (closing credits).
Lady Windermere's fan (1892): Chapter 23 (brief intro) -- Chapter 31 (closing credits).
The importance of being Earnest (1895): Chapter 32 (brief intro) -- Chapter 39 (closing credits).
Interview with Director Michael Hackett: Chapter 40 (13:41)
The picture of Dorian Gray (1890/1): Chapter 41 (brief intro) -- Chapter 57 (closing credits).
Keep in mind that these are plays being played by actors before a live audience, as opposed to audiobooks.
July 6, 2019
"All art is quite useless"
It is hard to judge a writer by the entirety of his writings, especially when one such as Oscar Wilde has written novels, short novels, long and short stories, plays, all array of poems and essays. He is regarded as a classical writer, one of the greats, but as a matter of fact the value of his writings is not constant. Sure the ideas behind almost all of his literary endeavors range from interesting to fascinating ("The Picture of Dorian Gray", "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime" -about self fulfilling prophecy, "The Canterville Ghost", "The Portrait of Mr W.H." - an excellent study in falsifiability, "The Fisherman and his Soul" to name some), but there are some low points in their execution.
One such point seems to be an inability in creating a complex character. They are either unidimensional or two dimensional, whom seem to fluctuate between their dichotomous states by the simple utterance of an interjection. This worriment highlights the puppeteer and establishes a semblance of artificiality. His plays are quite ruined by this fact being quite forgettable, apart from "An Ideal Husband"(in which resides Wilde's most complex character, Lord Goring - clearly based on Wilde himself) and the thoroughly funny "The Importance of Being Earnest".
On the other side of the coin, everything is masterfully - if not exuberantly - written, with an absolute control of the written language. This "Lord of the language" painted his worlds in crimson; filled them with contradictions ,paradoxes, aphorisms, anthropomorphisms and pomegranates; scattered in them erudition, wittiness and a somewhat duplicitous affectation of the tiresome character of intelligence.
Although he regarded himself as a true artist, you get the distinct impression that his writing is as a result of intellectual exertion and not of native talent. I think Wilde was himself conscious of this fact, for which I venture to make a hypothesis, that "The Critic as Artist' was in part a means of justifying himself and alleviating his cognitive dissonance. This subsidiarity of native talent is most manifest in his poems. Their capacity to evoke empathy and stir sensations is lacking, especially when comparing to such as Keats', which is of particular relevance, since Wilde is mimicking Keats' techniques, a clear permanence in the entire body of his poems (based, if not by anything else, on Wilde's repeated references of him and reverences to him). A particular exception seems, to me, to be "The Ballad of Reading Gaol", where drawing on his own experience he wrote with his soul's blood.
Where he truly shines is in essays. When given the time and space to elaborate on matters of life and art, either through Socratic dialogue or in a more direct fashion, Wilde bewilders with capacity for argumentative display, seemingly endless arsenal of literary references and depth of thinking. Even when not agreeing with the matters presented, one still feels a sort of reverence to the aesthetical and intellectual qualities of the display.
If not for the essays I would have marked this as a 3 star, but who am I to appreciate on art?! I am no artist so I can't be a critic. I'm merely "Bunburying" as one. And while all art is quite useless, his is painted in pretty crimson, filled with beautiful pomegranates and quite interesting.
It is hard to judge a writer by the entirety of his writings, especially when one such as Oscar Wilde has written novels, short novels, long and short stories, plays, all array of poems and essays. He is regarded as a classical writer, one of the greats, but as a matter of fact the value of his writings is not constant. Sure the ideas behind almost all of his literary endeavors range from interesting to fascinating ("The Picture of Dorian Gray", "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime" -about self fulfilling prophecy, "The Canterville Ghost", "The Portrait of Mr W.H." - an excellent study in falsifiability, "The Fisherman and his Soul" to name some), but there are some low points in their execution.
One such point seems to be an inability in creating a complex character. They are either unidimensional or two dimensional, whom seem to fluctuate between their dichotomous states by the simple utterance of an interjection. This worriment highlights the puppeteer and establishes a semblance of artificiality. His plays are quite ruined by this fact being quite forgettable, apart from "An Ideal Husband"(in which resides Wilde's most complex character, Lord Goring - clearly based on Wilde himself) and the thoroughly funny "The Importance of Being Earnest".
On the other side of the coin, everything is masterfully - if not exuberantly - written, with an absolute control of the written language. This "Lord of the language" painted his worlds in crimson; filled them with contradictions ,paradoxes, aphorisms, anthropomorphisms and pomegranates; scattered in them erudition, wittiness and a somewhat duplicitous affectation of the tiresome character of intelligence.
Although he regarded himself as a true artist, you get the distinct impression that his writing is as a result of intellectual exertion and not of native talent. I think Wilde was himself conscious of this fact, for which I venture to make a hypothesis, that "The Critic as Artist' was in part a means of justifying himself and alleviating his cognitive dissonance. This subsidiarity of native talent is most manifest in his poems. Their capacity to evoke empathy and stir sensations is lacking, especially when comparing to such as Keats', which is of particular relevance, since Wilde is mimicking Keats' techniques, a clear permanence in the entire body of his poems (based, if not by anything else, on Wilde's repeated references of him and reverences to him). A particular exception seems, to me, to be "The Ballad of Reading Gaol", where drawing on his own experience he wrote with his soul's blood.
Where he truly shines is in essays. When given the time and space to elaborate on matters of life and art, either through Socratic dialogue or in a more direct fashion, Wilde bewilders with capacity for argumentative display, seemingly endless arsenal of literary references and depth of thinking. Even when not agreeing with the matters presented, one still feels a sort of reverence to the aesthetical and intellectual qualities of the display.
If not for the essays I would have marked this as a 3 star, but who am I to appreciate on art?! I am no artist so I can't be a critic. I'm merely "Bunburying" as one. And while all art is quite useless, his is painted in pretty crimson, filled with beautiful pomegranates and quite interesting.
September 6, 2012
Firat off, I want to come out and say that I skipped over a few of the essays and The Importance of Being Earnest in this book. I skipped over the play because it's the three act version and I'd rather read the whole thing. I skipped over a few of the essays not because they weren't good and insightful, but because I was having a hard time rapping my head around them. I hope to be able to one day go back to them, but for now I'm done with this book.
I will say that I really enjoyed the stories and poems though. I'm glad that I got through them. Hopefully I'll one day e able to appreciate the whole book. I still gave it 5 stars because it was no fault of the author's that I skipped some of his work. The fault of that lies solely with me.
I will say that I really enjoyed the stories and poems though. I'm glad that I got through them. Hopefully I'll one day e able to appreciate the whole book. I still gave it 5 stars because it was no fault of the author's that I skipped some of his work. The fault of that lies solely with me.
September 20, 2015
listening to audio book - (1)A woman of no importance (2)An ideal husband (3)Lady Windermere's fan (4)The importance of being Earnest (5)The picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde writing always wins best rating. Witty, entertaining...and the audio book was very well read.
Oscar Wilde writing always wins best rating. Witty, entertaining...and the audio book was very well read.
June 23, 2016
Excellent full-cast audio performances of An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance, Lady Windermere's Fan, and The Importance of Being Earnest. I skipped the dramatization of The Picture of Dorian Gray, though.
April 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this collection of plays by Oscar Wilde. I think my favorite in this collection is The Ideal Husband...there were a lot of fun parts in this one when it started about talking about buying happiness at a great cost, when they were talking about money and making it you happy. If you enjoy funny plays, or plays with some irony, I say check it out.
April 23, 2021
A solid collection and a decent introduction to Wilde's writing. There's a pretty wide spread here, from his short fiction to poetry to essays and some playwriting. I do think it would benefit from some more intensive contextualization ("The Soul of Man Under Socialism" for example would benefit from a little more context than was provided even in the endnotes.) But I do think it's a good introduction overall to Wilde's writing, and maybe paired with some more context would be really useful.
May 5, 2023
"to be greek, one should have no clothes. to be medival, one should have no body. to be modern, one should have no soul."
June 22, 2013
I took a while to think about it, and I've come to the conclusion I'm definitely going to need to reread this volume. I'm giving four stars for now, though I might get back to that and give it five.
So, I read everything in this volume, from The Picture of Dorian Gray all the way to De Profundis, the final entry in the book. At first I kind of wondered about it, since it's not the final writing by Wilde exactly, but it made a lot of sense to put it in last. Wilde himself ties in almost everything he's written so far, reflecting on himself and on what he wants to pursue after getting out of jail. That was a rather painful but understandable entry to end the volume on.
I took a break after The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is definitely first on my reread list. It's rather lengthy at points, but Wilde's prose drew me along with the story, allowing me to still be shocked by the sudden twist, even though I knew it was coming.
As for the short stories, I still really like The Canterville Ghost, because it's rather hilarious, though with a poignant twist in the end. I read it first in a compilation of Victorian ghost stories, and it was one of the two things that convinced me I had to read more by Oscar Wilde. I really liked the rest of the short stories as well, and most of them read as twisted or even morbid fairy tales in a way. The Nightingale and the Rose comes to mind.
Then we continue with the plays, and out of those, I still prefer The Importance of Being Earnest, perhaps because it's much lighter in tone than the plays preceding it, and definitely lighter than those succeeding it in the volume. However, I'd already read it before (this being the second thing that convinced me to buy this volume), so maybe a reread is in its place for the other plays as well. I liked how very diverse they all were.
I still have trouble reading poetry, but it's telling I read all of Wilde's poetical work in one day. Some spoke to me more than others, and I must admit I took a certain delight in catching pretty much all of the Greek/Roman mythology references immediately. That being said, this is where I felt the volume could have been helped with footnotes here and there. Sure, I've had French in high school and I can still read the Greek alphabet, but I'm not fluent enough to understand complex French sentences or even a short sentence written in Greek. As the reader is expected to understand it, especially the French, maybe a translation at the bottom would have helped.
(Wordsworth editions seem to take the all-or-nothing approach on footnotes. For example, there was an honest footnote in Dracula on the British Museum, saying it's a museum. In Great Britain. You don't say. I mean, it's nice to know Stoker studied a bit there, but not relevant to the text. But okay, I digress. Point being, the Library Collection doesn't seem to have footnotes at all, even though at points I think they'd be nice.)
Finally, we have the essays and De Profundis, the latter I already touched upon above. As for the essays, they were interesting, but took me a while to get into. I did really like The Truth of Masks, which talks about Shakespeare's plays and his emphasis on costumes, and how important it is to keep true to the place and period of his plays. This kind of made me regret not having taken up my big volume with Shakespeare's work before this one, considering the huge number of Shakespearean references throughout the volume, but I could have expected that I suppose. Oh well. My loss, I'll fix it before rereading.
Talking about the volume as a whole, I think this is a great collection (aside from the lack of footnotes here and there, but okay, this is the digital age where dictionaries in any language are a mouse click away). I really love looking at the cover (the printing being in gold), the binding is solid, and most importantly, it's pretty easy to handle for such a big and heavy book. I've already experienced this with my Sherlock Holmes collection, hence my choice here. So, kudos to the Wordsworth Library Collection quality!
This has been a lengthy and not at all insightful review, but ssh.
So, I read everything in this volume, from The Picture of Dorian Gray all the way to De Profundis, the final entry in the book. At first I kind of wondered about it, since it's not the final writing by Wilde exactly, but it made a lot of sense to put it in last. Wilde himself ties in almost everything he's written so far, reflecting on himself and on what he wants to pursue after getting out of jail. That was a rather painful but understandable entry to end the volume on.
I took a break after The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is definitely first on my reread list. It's rather lengthy at points, but Wilde's prose drew me along with the story, allowing me to still be shocked by the sudden twist, even though I knew it was coming.
As for the short stories, I still really like The Canterville Ghost, because it's rather hilarious, though with a poignant twist in the end. I read it first in a compilation of Victorian ghost stories, and it was one of the two things that convinced me I had to read more by Oscar Wilde. I really liked the rest of the short stories as well, and most of them read as twisted or even morbid fairy tales in a way. The Nightingale and the Rose comes to mind.
Then we continue with the plays, and out of those, I still prefer The Importance of Being Earnest, perhaps because it's much lighter in tone than the plays preceding it, and definitely lighter than those succeeding it in the volume. However, I'd already read it before (this being the second thing that convinced me to buy this volume), so maybe a reread is in its place for the other plays as well. I liked how very diverse they all were.
I still have trouble reading poetry, but it's telling I read all of Wilde's poetical work in one day. Some spoke to me more than others, and I must admit I took a certain delight in catching pretty much all of the Greek/Roman mythology references immediately. That being said, this is where I felt the volume could have been helped with footnotes here and there. Sure, I've had French in high school and I can still read the Greek alphabet, but I'm not fluent enough to understand complex French sentences or even a short sentence written in Greek. As the reader is expected to understand it, especially the French, maybe a translation at the bottom would have helped.
(Wordsworth editions seem to take the all-or-nothing approach on footnotes. For example, there was an honest footnote in Dracula on the British Museum, saying it's a museum. In Great Britain. You don't say. I mean, it's nice to know Stoker studied a bit there, but not relevant to the text. But okay, I digress. Point being, the Library Collection doesn't seem to have footnotes at all, even though at points I think they'd be nice.)
Finally, we have the essays and De Profundis, the latter I already touched upon above. As for the essays, they were interesting, but took me a while to get into. I did really like The Truth of Masks, which talks about Shakespeare's plays and his emphasis on costumes, and how important it is to keep true to the place and period of his plays. This kind of made me regret not having taken up my big volume with Shakespeare's work before this one, considering the huge number of Shakespearean references throughout the volume, but I could have expected that I suppose. Oh well. My loss, I'll fix it before rereading.
Talking about the volume as a whole, I think this is a great collection (aside from the lack of footnotes here and there, but okay, this is the digital age where dictionaries in any language are a mouse click away). I really love looking at the cover (the printing being in gold), the binding is solid, and most importantly, it's pretty easy to handle for such a big and heavy book. I've already experienced this with my Sherlock Holmes collection, hence my choice here. So, kudos to the Wordsworth Library Collection quality!
This has been a lengthy and not at all insightful review, but ssh.
September 17, 2024
Initial thoughts: I have FINALLY FINISHED THIS. Wow. What a journey.
Edit: This book took me nearly two months to read. Not because of its quality, nor its content. But because there simply was so much in it, that it needed to be read in increments. Had I not done this, I don’t think I would’ve been able to articulate my thoughts, nor have as firm a grasp on its concepts as I do now.
Oscar Wilde was undoubtedly one of the greatest artists and writers of recent history. From his adept transitions to different mediums of literature, to his exquisite, fine tuned utilization of literary devices, Wilde’s techniques showcase remarkable skill and natural, untamed talent.
His fiction shines, particularly in his short stories and plays. His philosophies through essays, journalism, and aphorisms also are often complex and require patience and some research. His prose is flowery and very descriptive, which can also be a challenge for readers whose attention spans may be short. Some sentences were difficult to read, but the flow executed Wilde’s tone and voice, so it can be forgiven. I very much always read in his voice, or the voice he more than likely intended it to be read in. However, despite some antiquated technical writing, Wilde’s work is timeless, thought provoking philosophy. It’s an examination of an artist, his art, and what art means in general.
One of my favorite quotes of all time is what Vivien exclaims in The Decay of Lying: “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” It is so true, so paradoxical that it makes one examine art in a new light. I think our modern culture in the liberal arts and in literature owes much credit to Wilde. He was far beyond his time, and he would have made an excellent figurehead in our modern criticism of art.
I also loved his lectures. His personality shone through his lectures on America, and I outright laughed and related to a lot of his opinions and viewpoints. I would have loved to speak with him about the world; about art, philosophy, etc. He seemed to be such a bright, intelligent, fascinating figure. If I could talk to anyone dead or alive, it’d most certainly be him.
Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to my exploration of Oscar Wilde. I have much farther to go in understanding many of his references to the arts in history and artistry, and it’d help lots to read his life story. I also need to check out all the literature and historical time periods he alludes to in some of his writings, so as to better understand his points. Thankfully, his tone and style allows those who aren’t as educated on his own knowledge to understand the gist of it. I believe knowing these references will be sure to enhance the experience.
This is a book I will definitely return to in the future, seeing as it introduced me to a writing inspiration that I love. The Collected Oscar Wilde is an excellent overview of Wilde’s iconic repertoire of literature, and showcases the timelessness and relevance of one of the greats. Hands down, he is now, officially, my favorite classical writer.
TL; DR: An essential overview of Oscar Wilde’s artistic career, which sheds insight on his best works, his viewpoints on art and its relation to life, as well as his personality and philosophies. Wilde is definitely my favorite classical author after reading this, and while it is more advanced reading, it was an experience I plan to return to in the distant future.
Edit: This book took me nearly two months to read. Not because of its quality, nor its content. But because there simply was so much in it, that it needed to be read in increments. Had I not done this, I don’t think I would’ve been able to articulate my thoughts, nor have as firm a grasp on its concepts as I do now.
Oscar Wilde was undoubtedly one of the greatest artists and writers of recent history. From his adept transitions to different mediums of literature, to his exquisite, fine tuned utilization of literary devices, Wilde’s techniques showcase remarkable skill and natural, untamed talent.
His fiction shines, particularly in his short stories and plays. His philosophies through essays, journalism, and aphorisms also are often complex and require patience and some research. His prose is flowery and very descriptive, which can also be a challenge for readers whose attention spans may be short. Some sentences were difficult to read, but the flow executed Wilde’s tone and voice, so it can be forgiven. I very much always read in his voice, or the voice he more than likely intended it to be read in. However, despite some antiquated technical writing, Wilde’s work is timeless, thought provoking philosophy. It’s an examination of an artist, his art, and what art means in general.
One of my favorite quotes of all time is what Vivien exclaims in The Decay of Lying: “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” It is so true, so paradoxical that it makes one examine art in a new light. I think our modern culture in the liberal arts and in literature owes much credit to Wilde. He was far beyond his time, and he would have made an excellent figurehead in our modern criticism of art.
I also loved his lectures. His personality shone through his lectures on America, and I outright laughed and related to a lot of his opinions and viewpoints. I would have loved to speak with him about the world; about art, philosophy, etc. He seemed to be such a bright, intelligent, fascinating figure. If I could talk to anyone dead or alive, it’d most certainly be him.
Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to my exploration of Oscar Wilde. I have much farther to go in understanding many of his references to the arts in history and artistry, and it’d help lots to read his life story. I also need to check out all the literature and historical time periods he alludes to in some of his writings, so as to better understand his points. Thankfully, his tone and style allows those who aren’t as educated on his own knowledge to understand the gist of it. I believe knowing these references will be sure to enhance the experience.
This is a book I will definitely return to in the future, seeing as it introduced me to a writing inspiration that I love. The Collected Oscar Wilde is an excellent overview of Wilde’s iconic repertoire of literature, and showcases the timelessness and relevance of one of the greats. Hands down, he is now, officially, my favorite classical writer.
TL; DR: An essential overview of Oscar Wilde’s artistic career, which sheds insight on his best works, his viewpoints on art and its relation to life, as well as his personality and philosophies. Wilde is definitely my favorite classical author after reading this, and while it is more advanced reading, it was an experience I plan to return to in the distant future.
September 6, 2014
Lovely affordable book and I adore Oscar Wilde.
Check out my review of:
The Picture of Dorian Gray
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Importance of Being Earnest https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Vera https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Salome https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: The Devoted Friend/The Nightingale and the Rose https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Happy Prince https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Check out my review of:
The Picture of Dorian Gray
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Importance of Being Earnest https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Vera https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Salome https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: The Devoted Friend/The Nightingale and the Rose https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Happy Prince https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 21, 2009
If you are a Wilde fan, this is a must-read! Some of the essays were a little hard for me to get into, just because of all the references he makes to the time period, but there are definitely some gems. "The Importance of Being Ernest" is a wonderful and hilarious play, "The Soul of a Man Under Socialism" is incredibly intelligent and thought-provoking, and many of his short stories are thoroughly entertaining. There is al so a section devoted to some of his popular quotes, which is fun.
January 9, 2012
This was a great audio book. It was done by LA Theater Works. I had never read any Oscar Wilde before so all of the stories were new to me. I really enjoyed Lady Windemere's Fan, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest. The best part was that it was a play in my car. Each character was a different actor/actress! I loved it!! Great audio book if you like theater style productions.
May 31, 2009
I picked this up in the gift shop at Newgrange (site of Ireland's best preserved neolithic passage tomb). The sticker promised an AMAZING VALUE, at only 9 euros for the complete poems, plays, and stories.
I have to agree. I'd go so far as to say it's a TRULY AMAZING VALUE.
I have to agree. I'd go so far as to say it's a TRULY AMAZING VALUE.
August 15, 2011
I enjoyed this collection. With the 5 plays together it was obvious to me that rather than being a misogynist, as Wilde is so often accused, he had a keen eye for the society 19th Century women had to deal with. His wit and his portrayal of the era displayed his deep insight.
March 21, 2017
At this time, I am just reading Salome. I read the English translation and am now reading the French which is so beautiful. I do not speak French, so this is a bit of a handicap fut not fatal. More that can be said for the Baptist.
June 25, 2008
This is how Rebecca and I bonded.
July 21, 2024
I'll start by saying I really don't like this dramatised version. I'll listened to FAR better ones, that's without mentioning there's a live audience who laughs / claps at times (and it's not always obvious why..). Very strange. Also the performance of the characters feels OVERLY dramatic. Maybe it's Oscar's characters.. This for sure reduces the appeal of this audio book.
Lady Windermere's Fan (Chapter 1-9) 3 Stars
A lady is outraged to find her husband has been giving funds to another lady. It's more than a misunderstanding. But with both ladies and the husband keeping SOME of their affairs (pun intended) a secret nothing is truly revealed.
A lot of the interaction between the characters (including at the party) felt like a "one liner" that only Oscar can write. They are funny (and true!) all by their own but feels over powering when said one after the other.
This was an okay listen, not more.
An Ideal Husband (Chapter 10-19) 4 Stars
I liked the story (and the banter between the characters) but the narration was horrible (especially Mabel). This is the story of Sir Robert Chiltern who finds his "dark secret" exposed and fears he will lose not only his work and name but mostly his beloved wife when she finds out of his fault. I've seen the movie (from 1999) around the time it was out and I LOVED it and highly recommend it.
A Woman of No Importance (Chapter 20-30) 5 Stars
I LOVED this story. It was funny (SO funny), the banter between the women was a JOY to listen to. The story itself was sad a bit, a young guy from a very poor upbringing is offered to be the secretary of a lord. When his mother arrives to speak with his soon to be her son's employer the family secret is revealed. The ending was exactly as it should have been and not exactly what I expected from Oscar Wilde or maybe I should have expected exactly that.
The narration in this one was A BIT better but it was still pretty bad, especially the audience's reactions.
[ Chapter 31 is an interview with Oscar Wilde's grandson about who he was and a bit about "A Woman of No Importance" ]
The important of Being Earnest (Chapter 31-39) 5 Stars
This was also a true joy to listen to, it included a lot of LOL moments with all the misunderstanding the guys were making. We have two men, friends, who somehow introduce themselves as being called "Earnest", both girls are more interested in the name than the men themselves.. That's without mentioning the identities they don't actually posses. It was a brilliant comic romance story. Loved every minute of it, and especially the revelations at the very end. Though I've seen the movie (from 2002) I forgot the last punch line which was for the better for sure.
[ Chapter 40 is an interview with the producer of this production, followed by an adaptation to "The Picture of Dorian Gray" which I won't be listening to (in this version.....) ]
Lady Windermere's Fan (Chapter 1-9) 3 Stars
A lady is outraged to find her husband has been giving funds to another lady. It's more than a misunderstanding. But with both ladies and the husband keeping SOME of their affairs (pun intended) a secret nothing is truly revealed.
A lot of the interaction between the characters (including at the party) felt like a "one liner" that only Oscar can write. They are funny (and true!) all by their own but feels over powering when said one after the other.
This was an okay listen, not more.
An Ideal Husband (Chapter 10-19) 4 Stars
I liked the story (and the banter between the characters) but the narration was horrible (especially Mabel). This is the story of Sir Robert Chiltern who finds his "dark secret" exposed and fears he will lose not only his work and name but mostly his beloved wife when she finds out of his fault. I've seen the movie (from 1999) around the time it was out and I LOVED it and highly recommend it.
A Woman of No Importance (Chapter 20-30) 5 Stars
I LOVED this story. It was funny (SO funny), the banter between the women was a JOY to listen to. The story itself was sad a bit, a young guy from a very poor upbringing is offered to be the secretary of a lord. When his mother arrives to speak with his soon to be her son's employer the family secret is revealed. The ending was exactly as it should have been and not exactly what I expected from Oscar Wilde or maybe I should have expected exactly that.
The narration in this one was A BIT better but it was still pretty bad, especially the audience's reactions.
[ Chapter 31 is an interview with Oscar Wilde's grandson about who he was and a bit about "A Woman of No Importance" ]
The important of Being Earnest (Chapter 31-39) 5 Stars
This was also a true joy to listen to, it included a lot of LOL moments with all the misunderstanding the guys were making. We have two men, friends, who somehow introduce themselves as being called "Earnest", both girls are more interested in the name than the men themselves.. That's without mentioning the identities they don't actually posses. It was a brilliant comic romance story. Loved every minute of it, and especially the revelations at the very end. Though I've seen the movie (from 2002) I forgot the last punch line which was for the better for sure.
[ Chapter 40 is an interview with the producer of this production, followed by an adaptation to "The Picture of Dorian Gray" which I won't be listening to (in this version.....) ]
September 11, 2023
The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde includes the complete plays, poems, and stories. The book starts with the classic Picture of Dorian Gray. It then moves to his other stories, his plays including the Importance of Being Ernest, his poetic works finishing with De Profundis.
Although most of us have seen the various adaptions of Mr Dorian Gray from the black and white films to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the original is a great read. Lord Savile’s Crime is a wonderful, twisted plot story that raises questions about whether a fortune teller is predicting or causing the future actions of the titular character. The last piece, De Profundis, written after Mr Wilde’s spell in prison provides a great insight into how deeply this affected him.
Personally, I believe that a collected works book should be in chronological order so that the reader can see how the author developed in their writing. I always try to read an author’s books in order of publication for the same reason. So, this collected works book fails for me on the first hurdle. Ordering the works in some arbitrary order and trying to book end it with two of his well-known works did not work. Once I had read De Profundis I had to go back to see if his writing changed once he had been released as was suggested by that piece.
The works were a great read from a great author but the order the collator decided on didn’t work well. I recommend obtaining a chronological list of Wilde’s work and reading this in that order and I am sure the reader will get more out of it.
Although most of us have seen the various adaptions of Mr Dorian Gray from the black and white films to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen the original is a great read. Lord Savile’s Crime is a wonderful, twisted plot story that raises questions about whether a fortune teller is predicting or causing the future actions of the titular character. The last piece, De Profundis, written after Mr Wilde’s spell in prison provides a great insight into how deeply this affected him.
Personally, I believe that a collected works book should be in chronological order so that the reader can see how the author developed in their writing. I always try to read an author’s books in order of publication for the same reason. So, this collected works book fails for me on the first hurdle. Ordering the works in some arbitrary order and trying to book end it with two of his well-known works did not work. Once I had read De Profundis I had to go back to see if his writing changed once he had been released as was suggested by that piece.
The works were a great read from a great author but the order the collator decided on didn’t work well. I recommend obtaining a chronological list of Wilde’s work and reading this in that order and I am sure the reader will get more out of it.
January 19, 2025
( Format : Audiobook )
"We never get back our youth."
I first fell in love with the works of Oscar Wilde many decades ago when just a bright young thing about to enter the teenage stage myself. I saw a production of The Importance of Being Earnest, read the Ballad of Reading Jail, bought the compete works - and he wrote looked back. So it was ad delight to listen to this.production of the four.plays contained here, each delivered by L.A. Theatre Works with a full cast each time before an audience. The casts for the first 3 plays, which included the rich, rounded voice of Martin Jarvis, we're all excellent, the different voice colours making each individual easily differentiated. They were:
Lady Windermere's Fan
An Ideal Husband
A Woman of no Importance
The Importance of Being Earnest.
Sadly, I personally found the production of h!The Importance of Being Earnest not nearly as inspired, less vibrant and funny.than previous productions I have heard (or seen). Another play, devised from the horrifying novel, A Pcture of Dorian Grey, completed the dramas: also good but better as a story.
There is also included A short conversation with Michael Hackett, director and a Professor of film at UCLA. Quite interesting.
A very pleasant introduction to this inspired writer, superb in social observation and wit, as brilliant today as when first aired well over a century ago. If you already aware of Mr.Wolfe's writing, renew your acquaintance with this audiobook. If not, get this book now, and enjoy.
"We never get back our youth."
I first fell in love with the works of Oscar Wilde many decades ago when just a bright young thing about to enter the teenage stage myself. I saw a production of The Importance of Being Earnest, read the Ballad of Reading Jail, bought the compete works - and he wrote looked back. So it was ad delight to listen to this.production of the four.plays contained here, each delivered by L.A. Theatre Works with a full cast each time before an audience. The casts for the first 3 plays, which included the rich, rounded voice of Martin Jarvis, we're all excellent, the different voice colours making each individual easily differentiated. They were:
Lady Windermere's Fan
An Ideal Husband
A Woman of no Importance
The Importance of Being Earnest.
Sadly, I personally found the production of h!The Importance of Being Earnest not nearly as inspired, less vibrant and funny.than previous productions I have heard (or seen). Another play, devised from the horrifying novel, A Pcture of Dorian Grey, completed the dramas: also good but better as a story.
There is also included A short conversation with Michael Hackett, director and a Professor of film at UCLA. Quite interesting.
A very pleasant introduction to this inspired writer, superb in social observation and wit, as brilliant today as when first aired well over a century ago. If you already aware of Mr.Wolfe's writing, renew your acquaintance with this audiobook. If not, get this book now, and enjoy.
February 8, 2021
Hi,
I hope all is progressing well.
The Collected Oscar Wilde offers select pieces from the span of Oscar Wilde's writing career. In graduate school, I remember having a crush on a peculiar openly bisexual girl quick to boisterously reference Oscar Wilde of whose works I recall reading very little. So, while perusing Barnes and Noble, I buy the book (I'm glad that I'm finally done reading all the books I purchase on that visit). I really like the organization of the collection. Here are pieces I really enjoy (for varying reasons) and recommend: The Portrait of Mr. W.H. (culturally important piece containing very interesting points concerning the developments of gender/masculinity/feminity in societies branching from societal standards/mentalities in relation to art mediums/media), Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, The Model Millionaire, The Canterville Ghost, The Young King, The Fisherman and His Soul, The Remarkable Rocket, "The Critic as Artist, Part I," "The Critic as Artist, Part II," "The Soul of Man under Socialism," and The Importance of Being Earnest. Yet, I enjoy reading the entirety of the selection and find Oscar Wilde's writing on aspects of theater to be quite insightful.
Onward and Upward,
Kevin Dufresne
www.Piatures.com
IG: @Dufreshest
I hope all is progressing well.
The Collected Oscar Wilde offers select pieces from the span of Oscar Wilde's writing career. In graduate school, I remember having a crush on a peculiar openly bisexual girl quick to boisterously reference Oscar Wilde of whose works I recall reading very little. So, while perusing Barnes and Noble, I buy the book (I'm glad that I'm finally done reading all the books I purchase on that visit). I really like the organization of the collection. Here are pieces I really enjoy (for varying reasons) and recommend: The Portrait of Mr. W.H. (culturally important piece containing very interesting points concerning the developments of gender/masculinity/feminity in societies branching from societal standards/mentalities in relation to art mediums/media), Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, The Model Millionaire, The Canterville Ghost, The Young King, The Fisherman and His Soul, The Remarkable Rocket, "The Critic as Artist, Part I," "The Critic as Artist, Part II," "The Soul of Man under Socialism," and The Importance of Being Earnest. Yet, I enjoy reading the entirety of the selection and find Oscar Wilde's writing on aspects of theater to be quite insightful.
Onward and Upward,
Kevin Dufresne
www.Piatures.com
IG: @Dufreshest
November 11, 2023
I went on a Wilde binge because I had only read "The Portrait of Dorian Gray", and had read that he is the most quoted author after Shakespeare. Here are some of the most quoted epigrams from Wilde’s plays.
1) We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
2) I can resist everything except temptation.
3) [A cynic is] a man who knows everything and the value of nothing.
4) The truth is rarely pure and never simple.
5) There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
6) The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield it.
7) Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
His plays are all fun; he critiques the upper classes, marriage, english society, dandies, and the strict etiquette of the victorian era - which, in part, land him in jail for over 2 years...charged with being gay basically.
1) We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
2) I can resist everything except temptation.
3) [A cynic is] a man who knows everything and the value of nothing.
4) The truth is rarely pure and never simple.
5) There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
6) The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield it.
7) Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
His plays are all fun; he critiques the upper classes, marriage, english society, dandies, and the strict etiquette of the victorian era - which, in part, land him in jail for over 2 years...charged with being gay basically.
September 18, 2020
A very profound, realistic yet dreamy collection of works. I would love to meet the author if I ever get a chance, and have a conversation with him about almost everything. I didn't finish all of his works, but read the short stories, several plays and poems, and an essay. They will probably be left for later because... it would be depressing to know that I've read everything he's written.
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