The Spirit Of Oscar Wilde

I remember the first time I picked up an Oscar Wilde story. Half-hearted interest changed into a grudging curiosity which gave way to full blown love for his works. My reaction to his stories ranged from tears to shouts of laughter.

Everytime a person reads 'The Nightingale and the Rose’ or 'A Devoted Friend’ , he or she is left with the impressions of a man who is deeply flawed , but with unseen depths of love. A man who , though he lived two centuries back , show such a great understanding of human emotions , his works remain relevant to this day.

His works have earned him admirers far and wide . A man of such incredible range , his works span from humour ( The Canterville Ghost) to suspense (The Sphinx without a secret) to romance and even horror.

There are several recurring themes in all his works. The most prominent one being his love for Beauty , his love of beautiful things. He was an ardent admirer of beauty, whether it was in the form of ethereal scenic nature , objects of gold or jewels , or beauty in human form. He never failed to express detailed thoughts on Beauty.

Another theme that features heavily in his works , is Love. Oscar Wilde had a bittersweet relationship with Love throughout his life. His earthly life was painted in shades of black and white because of love. Love gave him forbidden pleasures, but left his life in shambles. Love gave him a delightful Muse , but left him broken by it's ultimate betrayal. He died alone , abandoned and scorned by his family, friends and above all , his love. Perhaps that is the reason it is depicted thus, in his works. It is depicted as beautiful & pure (Lord Arthur Savile’ s crime ) , forbidden by the society (The Fisherman and His Soul) or platonic love exemplified ( The Selfish Giant).

Like his life , his works had a tinge of bittersweetness , a true reflection of the world. So , in these days of restlessness, let us remember the artist who said :

“To live is the rarest thing in the world . Most people exist, that is all”