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In Praise of Disobedience: The Soul of Man Under Socialism and Other Writings
Works of Wilde’s annus mirabilis of 1891 in one volume, with an introduction by renowned British playwright.
The Soul of Man Under Socialism draw on works from a single miraculous year in which Oscar Wilde published the larger part of his greatest works in prose—the year he came into maturity as an artist. Before the end of 1891, he had written the first of his phenomenally successful plays and met the young man who would win his heart, beginning the love affair that would lead to imprisonment and public infamy.
In a witty introduction, playwright, novelist and Wilde scholar Neil Bartlett explains what made this point in the writer’s life central to his genius and why Wilde remains a provocative and radical figure to this day.
Included here are the entirety of Wilde’s foray into political philosophy, The Soul of Man Under Socialism; the complete essay collection Intentions; selections from The Portrait of Dorian Gray as well as its paradoxical and scandalous preface; and some of Wilde’s greatest fictions for children. Each selection is accompanied by stimulating and enlightening annotations. A delight for fans of Oscar Wilde, In Praise of Disobedience will revitalize an often misunderstood legacy.
The Soul of Man Under Socialism draw on works from a single miraculous year in which Oscar Wilde published the larger part of his greatest works in prose—the year he came into maturity as an artist. Before the end of 1891, he had written the first of his phenomenally successful plays and met the young man who would win his heart, beginning the love affair that would lead to imprisonment and public infamy.
In a witty introduction, playwright, novelist and Wilde scholar Neil Bartlett explains what made this point in the writer’s life central to his genius and why Wilde remains a provocative and radical figure to this day.
Included here are the entirety of Wilde’s foray into political philosophy, The Soul of Man Under Socialism; the complete essay collection Intentions; selections from The Portrait of Dorian Gray as well as its paradoxical and scandalous preface; and some of Wilde’s greatest fictions for children. Each selection is accompanied by stimulating and enlightening annotations. A delight for fans of Oscar Wilde, In Praise of Disobedience will revitalize an often misunderstood legacy.
336 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2021
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549 people want to read
About the author
Oscar Wilde
5,482 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 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 20, 2021
Such is the genius of Oscar Wilde I suppose that even when he descends into esoteric rhetorical flights of aesthetic fancy about how Shakespearian costumes should be blue rather than yellow, he manages to keep your interest. In fairness however, after the first two outstanding essays in this book, "The Soul of Man Under Socialism" and the "Decay of Lying", I nodded in and out for the rest of the book. There is a lot here about how life imitates art rather than the other way around which is interesting in stretches but does grow a little tedious. Read it however for those first two essays which are controversial, at times humorous, and passionate calls for the rights of the individual and for truth.
December 10, 2021
The introduction to this book set me up for success... So much i didn't know about Oscar Wilde; nearly always recognized as a socialite and not a socialist, as a performer and not a pot stirrer, as an entertainer and not as an intellectual. This collection of essays explaining his views on radical politics, art, and ethics flips the perspective and shows not the Oscar Wilde that rose to fame and prestige but the Wilde who was subversive to his own consequence.
The essays include a discussion (which though not explicitly stated was perhaps influenced my Marx and Hegel's systems of dialectics) on why socialism will inevitably procede the creation of good art, an essay on the virtue of dishonesty (again from the perspective of art), an essay explaining his views on the purposes of art, and finally a short story which is as absurd as it is nihilist as it is hilarious.
10/10 recommend.
The essays include a discussion (which though not explicitly stated was perhaps influenced my Marx and Hegel's systems of dialectics) on why socialism will inevitably procede the creation of good art, an essay on the virtue of dishonesty (again from the perspective of art), an essay explaining his views on the purposes of art, and finally a short story which is as absurd as it is nihilist as it is hilarious.
10/10 recommend.
Currently reading
August 4, 2025update 8/4/25:
finished the first essay- The Soul of Man Under Socialism. the essay circles around an obsession with individualism; different social systems that Wilde has observed a trend in affecting a "Man's" ability to realize this idea, such as political systems and the relationship one has with art. it was a pleasure to discover the amount of connections with modern life i was able to observe, despite the century+ gap since this was written. the idea of art, the public's poor receptivity of it, in turn affecting the quality of creation of art, oh! the cycle of philosophical ideas are dizzying. looking forward to keep reading!
finished the first essay- The Soul of Man Under Socialism. the essay circles around an obsession with individualism; different social systems that Wilde has observed a trend in affecting a "Man's" ability to realize this idea, such as political systems and the relationship one has with art. it was a pleasure to discover the amount of connections with modern life i was able to observe, despite the century+ gap since this was written. the idea of art, the public's poor receptivity of it, in turn affecting the quality of creation of art, oh! the cycle of philosophical ideas are dizzying. looking forward to keep reading!
January 6, 2025
Cool to read some essays (which often had too many classical references for me to fully understand), but I prefer his plays.
February 25, 2020
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3343412.html
Yes, Oscar Wilde as political philosopher; it is not forgotten in Ireland that his mother was literally a revolutionary, and he was consciously subversive through his own art.
This is a collection of his political works, mostly from 1891, starting with "The Soul of Man Under Socialism", an essay which forcefully argues that the abolition of property will be good for culture and happiness. Here we see his wit directed against, well, capitalism:
"What is said by great employers of labour against agitators is unquestionably true. Agitators are a set of interfering, meddling people, who come down to some perfectly contented class of the community, and sow the seeds of discontent amongst them. That is the reason why agitators are so absolutely necessary. Without them, in our incomplete state, there would be no advance towards civilisation."
The essay "Pen, Pencil, And Poison", about the writer and murderer Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, is an absolute thrill. I had never heard of this chap, who moved in the highest artistic circles, but was sentenced to transportation to Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) for forging financial documents from one of his victims (and never actually prosecuted for the murders).
"From Newgate he was brought to the hulks at Portsmouth, and sent from there in the Susan to Van Diemen's Land along with three hundred other convicts. The voyage seems to have been most distasteful to him, and in a letter written to a friend he spoke bitterly about the ignominy of 'the companion of poets and artists' being compelled to associate with 'country bumpkins.' The phrase that he applies to his companions need not surprise us. Crime in England is rarely the result of sin. It is nearly always the result of starvation."
There are also some out-takes from The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I found fascinating, and some aesthetic dialogues which I found less effective. But all in all, this was a really interesting set of essays.
Yes, Oscar Wilde as political philosopher; it is not forgotten in Ireland that his mother was literally a revolutionary, and he was consciously subversive through his own art.
This is a collection of his political works, mostly from 1891, starting with "The Soul of Man Under Socialism", an essay which forcefully argues that the abolition of property will be good for culture and happiness. Here we see his wit directed against, well, capitalism:
"What is said by great employers of labour against agitators is unquestionably true. Agitators are a set of interfering, meddling people, who come down to some perfectly contented class of the community, and sow the seeds of discontent amongst them. That is the reason why agitators are so absolutely necessary. Without them, in our incomplete state, there would be no advance towards civilisation."
The essay "Pen, Pencil, And Poison", about the writer and murderer Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, is an absolute thrill. I had never heard of this chap, who moved in the highest artistic circles, but was sentenced to transportation to Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) for forging financial documents from one of his victims (and never actually prosecuted for the murders).
"From Newgate he was brought to the hulks at Portsmouth, and sent from there in the Susan to Van Diemen's Land along with three hundred other convicts. The voyage seems to have been most distasteful to him, and in a letter written to a friend he spoke bitterly about the ignominy of 'the companion of poets and artists' being compelled to associate with 'country bumpkins.' The phrase that he applies to his companions need not surprise us. Crime in England is rarely the result of sin. It is nearly always the result of starvation."
There are also some out-takes from The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I found fascinating, and some aesthetic dialogues which I found less effective. But all in all, this was a really interesting set of essays.
July 6, 2025
I only read "The Soul of Man Under Socialism," for full disclosure. But it's a great essay, taking us through Wilde's thoughts about how socialism (or, what we might more properly call anarcho-socialism, since Wilde significantly emphasizes the abolition of any coercive authority alongside the abolition of private property and the capitalist mode of production) would lead to a form of Individualism, by which he means a freedom for people to pursue their own personal, artistic, and/or intellectual development. Central to this philosophy is the importance of leisure time not just for rest but for things like appreciating art, philosophy, beauty, science, and the finer things in life. While this objective does depend on a kind of techno-utopianism in which machinery would be harnessed for the collective/public good to do unpleasant or menial labor (and this techno-utopianism is suspect, as all techno-utopianisms are), Wilde does make the case that machines that, in his time and today, have the labor output of hundreds of workers can be used to free those workers from the necessity of drudgery, rather than to increase the profits of a few who "own" the machines. And from this society freed of the necessity of toil, and with access to shared resources in which none need want for material comfort, humanity could turn its attention en masse towards creativity, whether artistic, scientific, or in other realms. And the individual freedom that would come with de-coupling creativity from economic necessity would liberate artists, thinkers, scientists, etc. from the yoke of public opinion (which Wilde viciously attacks in this essay), which he claims drives creators into producing conformist, and therefore second-rate, works.
July 27, 2024
I bought this book because I wanted to read The Soul of Man Under Socialism, and this seemed to be the only reputable edition. Next to the essay in question the book contains about half a dozen other essays, two short stories, a few pages from Dorian Gray, and an introduction. The unifying feature of the collection is that all of the things were initially published in 1891, and the quite strong introduction got me the impression that this would lead to a coherent collection.
The Soul of Man Under Socialism starts quite impressive but fizzles out after about twenty pages, dealing with other matters rather than what the title is promising. The other essays are nice and showcase Wilde's beautiful prose, but really, I didn't feel like I had needed to read them. The fiction part I also didn't love. The worst thing about the collection is however the title, which I find quite cringe, was Oscar Wilde Gandhi or what?
The Soul of Man Under Socialism starts quite impressive but fizzles out after about twenty pages, dealing with other matters rather than what the title is promising. The other essays are nice and showcase Wilde's beautiful prose, but really, I didn't feel like I had needed to read them. The fiction part I also didn't love. The worst thing about the collection is however the title, which I find quite cringe, was Oscar Wilde Gandhi or what?
November 29, 2018
Wish I could give this 3.5 stars as it was not what I was expecting but is still useful.
This is a useful compilation of Wilde's essays, for sure. It's nice to not have to juggle my Complete Works when referencing. HOWEVER: I was hoping for more annotations throughout. Ways each essay supported the author's points, or explaining what they felt Wilde meant. Especially in cases of excerpts, where there might be specific passages the author had in mind, rather than a whole work that presumably underscored their points.
It is a BEAUTIFULLY designed book, which always counts for something where Wilde is concerned.
This is a useful compilation of Wilde's essays, for sure. It's nice to not have to juggle my Complete Works when referencing. HOWEVER: I was hoping for more annotations throughout. Ways each essay supported the author's points, or explaining what they felt Wilde meant. Especially in cases of excerpts, where there might be specific passages the author had in mind, rather than a whole work that presumably underscored their points.
It is a BEAUTIFULLY designed book, which always counts for something where Wilde is concerned.
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November 20, 2020FIRE
quotes from opening essay:
"The things people say of a man do not alter a man. He is what he is."
"Personality is a very mysterious thing. A man cannot always be estimated by what he does. He may keep the law, and yet be worthless. He may break the law, and yet be fine. He may be bad, without ever doing anything bad."
"A man is called affected, nowadays, if he dresses as he likes to dress. (...) Or a man is called selfish if he lives in the manner that seems to him most suitable for the full realization of his own personality. (...) But this is the way in which everyone should live. Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live."
"But it must be remembered that while sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of joy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish the amount of pain."
quotes from opening essay:
"The things people say of a man do not alter a man. He is what he is."
"Personality is a very mysterious thing. A man cannot always be estimated by what he does. He may keep the law, and yet be worthless. He may break the law, and yet be fine. He may be bad, without ever doing anything bad."
"A man is called affected, nowadays, if he dresses as he likes to dress. (...) Or a man is called selfish if he lives in the manner that seems to him most suitable for the full realization of his own personality. (...) But this is the way in which everyone should live. Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live."
"But it must be remembered that while sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of joy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish the amount of pain."
March 2, 2019
It's a really beautiful book and I really enjoyed dipping in and out of the essays. I also enjoyed jumbling up the order so I actually saved The Critic As Artist trilogy til last.
Lord Arthutlr Savile's Crime was my favourite extract because it really showcased his wit.
I hadn't heard of Neil Bartlett, but I thought his introduction was pitched perfectly.
Lord Arthutlr Savile's Crime was my favourite extract because it really showcased his wit.
I hadn't heard of Neil Bartlett, but I thought his introduction was pitched perfectly.
July 18, 2019
The book as a whole is rather underwhelming but the essay on In Praise of Disobedience which is a mere 40 pages is an incredible read.
July 29, 2022
Lord Arthur reminds me of the guy who takes astrology seriously while the extracts of Dorian Gray look so much like our author!
August 9, 2022
4.5⭐️
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all”.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all”.
May 15, 2023
The socialism essays didn't quite catch my attention, but the extra information to for Dorian Grey and other stories were interesting.
May 27, 2025
perfect wilde anthology.
- truth resists simplification
- disobedience is man's original virtue
- whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong
- truth resists simplification
- disobedience is man's original virtue
- whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong
February 22, 2021
The introduction did a splendid job of laying out this collection of works and also helped point out key tools that Wilde uses in many of his works to convey his message.
January 21, 2021
One good essay and one good story, I get the spirit of the dialogues but I'm not suited to such writing of that time
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews