Oscar Wilde Quotes About Love and Marriage

Oscar Wilde, the renowned Irish playwright, poet, and author, had a distinctive wit and style, and his words were often infused with his thoughts on love.

Today, we will explore some of his most famous quotations about love, marriage, and human nature.

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Who Was Oscar Wilde?

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and wit, who became one of the most prominent figures in London literary and artistic circles during the late 19th century. He was known for his sharp wit, flamboyant style, and keen sense of satire.

Wilde's most famous works include "The Picture of Dorian Gray," a novel about a man who remains youthful while a portrait of him ages, and numerous plays such as "The Importance of Being Earnest," "An Ideal Husband," and "Lady Windermere's Fan." His plays are celebrated for their sparkling dialogue, wit, and social commentary, often satirizing the society of his time.

Wilde's life was marked by both success and scandal. Despite his literary achievements, he became infamous for his involvement in a public trial in 1895, where he was convicted of "gross indecency" for his homosexual relationships, which were illegal in Victorian England. He was sentenced to two years of hard labor, and the trial and subsequent imprisonment had a devastating impact on his health and reputation.

After his release from prison, Wilde lived in exile in France under the name Sebastian Melmoth until his death in 1900 at the age of 46. Despite the scandal surrounding his personal life, Wilde's literary works continue to be celebrated for their wit, humor, and insight into human nature. He is regarded as one of the greatest playwrights and wits of the Victorian era.

Oscar Wilde Quotations About Love

Here are some notable Oscar Wilde quotes about love:

"The aim of love is to love: no more, and no less."

"The heart was made to be broken."

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead."

"The very essence of romance is uncertainty."

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful."

“Only love can keep anyone alive...”

"When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance."

"Love is an endless mystery, for it has nothing else to explain it."

"The more one analyses people, the more all reasons for analysis disappear. Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human nature."

"Who, being loved, is poor?"

"The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring."

"The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death."

“God's law is only Love."

Oscar Wilde on Women

Oscar Wilde, known for his sharp wit and eloquent writing, made numerous memorable remarks on a wide range of topics, including observations and quips about women. Here are some of his notable quotations on the ladies and their relationships with men:

"Men always want to be a woman's first love – women like to be a man's last romance."

"A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her."

"Women are meant to be loved, not to be understood."

"Women love us for our defects. If we have enough of them, they will forgive us everything, even our gigantic intellects."

"Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship."

“Nothing spoils romance so much as a sense of humor in the woman.”

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his."

“Men marry because they are tired; women because they are curious. Both are disappointed.”

“The happiness of a married man depends on the people he has not married.”

“There is nothing in the world like the devotion of a married woman. It’s a thing no married man knows anything about.”

“Beautiful women never have time. They are always so occupied in being jealous of other people's husbands.”

These quotations reflect Wilde's perspective on the complexity and mystery of women, suggesting that they should be cherished rather than analyzed, and hinting at the superficial ways society categorized women in Victorian times.

Oscar Wilde On Marriage

“Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.”

“To be married is to live in a constant battle of compromises.”

“Marriage is the death of hope.”

“The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.”

“Marriage is the bond between a person who never remembers anniversaries and another who never forgets them.”

“Marriage is a gamble and I’m not a betting man.”

“Marriage is the only thing that can make a person feel totally alone.”

“Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?”

“Marriage is a noble institution, but sometimes ignorance gets the better of it.”

“Marriage is the most boring thing anyone can do. Only those who have no imagination get enough of it.”

“Marriage is the bond between two people who never give up on each other.”

“Marriage is a lottery, where men stake everything on a cupidity that can never be satisfied.”

“Marriage is a long conversation, interrupted by disagreements.”

“Marriage is not a union of two people; it’s a union of two families.”

“Marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly.”

“Marriage is the most dangerous game you can play.”

Oscar Wilde - Renowned Irish Wit

Wilde held a unique perspective on love, blending wit, wisdom, and sometimes a hint of cynicism. His words reflect the complexities and paradoxes of romantic relationships.

Wilde's comments often carry a mix of humor, irony, and insight, reflecting his complex views on society, gender roles, and human nature. It's important to consider the historical and cultural context in which he wrote, as well as the satirical and often provocative nature of his work.

I hope you enjoyed this collection of quotations from Oscar Wilde.

Thanks for following my ramblings.