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The Complete Short Stories and Other Works
Leather Bound
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About the author
Oscar Wilde
5,648 books39.2k 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 21, 2025
So cool!
August 24, 2011
If you follow my blog, you've already seen most of this. Just a friendly warning so you don't have to read the entirety of this massive review I'm about to compile.
I don't even know where to begin. I simply can't discuss everything, which greatly saddens me. But Oscar Wilde is beautiful. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with the language, to laugh at its oddities and cry—yes, I cried—when he expressed pain.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray has his portrait painted by his friend, Basil Hallward, which depicts him as the beautiful youth that he is. After a discussion with mutual friend Lord Henry about the importance of beauty, Dorian panics and wishes that the beautiful portrait may grow old and he may keep his youth.
...Which is exactly what happens.
The tale explores Dorian’s downfall, the youthful-looking man with the corrupted soul. Dorian himself reflects my emotion toward the novel—beautiful, yet heartbreaking. We watch as Dorian becomes obsessed with beauty in life, not seeing the wrong he does. And the people around him are oblivious to the degree of his corruption.
Lord Henry, however, continued to annoy me. He’s flippant and arrogant, and he’s the type that views himself as right and everyone else as wrong. It’s Lord Henry that has corrupted Dorian from the start, and you resent him for that. Dorian was a lovely, mild-mannered man until he first spoke to Lord Henry. Even in that first conversation, you knew it couldn’t be good.
Dorian Gray is wonderful and tragic. And, as I just learned, Wilde’s only novel. I regret not having read it sooner.
De Profundis
This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Somehow I had never previously heard of De Profundis, so when I reached it in my Wilde anthology I knew absolutely nothing about it. But then I learned it's all true. That he wrote it to his friend/lover Lord Alfred Douglas while he was imprisoned, due to a downward spiral caused by Douglas and his family.
It's just something you have to read. Wilde goes into detail about their relationship, pointing out all their faults. Douglas depended on—no, demanded—Wilde to pay for his extravagant lifestyle, and wouldn't leave him alone. Wilde's art suffered because of it. His life suffered because of it. The first part of this text is filled with so much bitterness; Wilde's desperation to separate himself from Douglas is painfully apparent. He says, "It may be strange, but I had once again, I will not say the chance, but the duty of separating from you forced upon me." Their relationship was toxic but they kept on reuniting, again and again. He also renounces the society he was once part of, convincing himself that he would rather have the freedom of poverty than go back to the lifestyle he once loved.
The second half is a tangent that compares Christ to an artist, which is the most beautiful depiction of Christ I have ever read. I can only relay it in quotes:
Or this one.
One more:
I would quote this entire section, if I could.
And after all this, after my heart is already broken from its beauty and desperation, Wilde asks why Douglas never wrote to him. He provides instructions on how to send him a letter. He signs it, "your affectionate friend." Despite all the hatred, and the fact this man contributed to his bankruptcy and imprisonment, he felt no malice. He came full-circle. That's true love. That is Christ-like.
One more quote, and probably the most ironic of them all: (And the most true.)
I wasn't completely in love with Oscar Wilde until I read this letter. This piece is the reason this collection has gained a spot on my "top ten favorites" shelf.
Short Stories
Rather than discuss them all, I'll just tell you my favorites: The Model Millionaire, The Young King, and The Fisherman and his Soul. Check them out. Really.
Plays
And what review of Wilde would be complete without mentioning The Importance of Being Ernest? It's ridiculous and hilarious. A Woman of No Importance is also worth a mention; it had a tendency to get wordy in the middle (all right, a lot of his plays did that) but the story itself is just fantastic.
My only regret is that I hadn't read Wilde earlier in life. I was somehow intimidated by him. But he really is wonderful, and I had already recommended him to several people before I even finished this collection. I want to read more from him, but I'm afraid there isn't much left after this.
I don't even know where to begin. I simply can't discuss everything, which greatly saddens me. But Oscar Wilde is beautiful. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with the language, to laugh at its oddities and cry—yes, I cried—when he expressed pain.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray has his portrait painted by his friend, Basil Hallward, which depicts him as the beautiful youth that he is. After a discussion with mutual friend Lord Henry about the importance of beauty, Dorian panics and wishes that the beautiful portrait may grow old and he may keep his youth.
...Which is exactly what happens.
The tale explores Dorian’s downfall, the youthful-looking man with the corrupted soul. Dorian himself reflects my emotion toward the novel—beautiful, yet heartbreaking. We watch as Dorian becomes obsessed with beauty in life, not seeing the wrong he does. And the people around him are oblivious to the degree of his corruption.
Lord Henry, however, continued to annoy me. He’s flippant and arrogant, and he’s the type that views himself as right and everyone else as wrong. It’s Lord Henry that has corrupted Dorian from the start, and you resent him for that. Dorian was a lovely, mild-mannered man until he first spoke to Lord Henry. Even in that first conversation, you knew it couldn’t be good.
Dorian Gray is wonderful and tragic. And, as I just learned, Wilde’s only novel. I regret not having read it sooner.
De Profundis
This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Somehow I had never previously heard of De Profundis, so when I reached it in my Wilde anthology I knew absolutely nothing about it. But then I learned it's all true. That he wrote it to his friend/lover Lord Alfred Douglas while he was imprisoned, due to a downward spiral caused by Douglas and his family.
It's just something you have to read. Wilde goes into detail about their relationship, pointing out all their faults. Douglas depended on—no, demanded—Wilde to pay for his extravagant lifestyle, and wouldn't leave him alone. Wilde's art suffered because of it. His life suffered because of it. The first part of this text is filled with so much bitterness; Wilde's desperation to separate himself from Douglas is painfully apparent. He says, "It may be strange, but I had once again, I will not say the chance, but the duty of separating from you forced upon me." Their relationship was toxic but they kept on reuniting, again and again. He also renounces the society he was once part of, convincing himself that he would rather have the freedom of poverty than go back to the lifestyle he once loved.
The second half is a tangent that compares Christ to an artist, which is the most beautiful depiction of Christ I have ever read. I can only relay it in quotes:
Nobody is worthy to be loved. The fact that God loves man shows us that in the divine order of ideal things it is written that eternal love is to be given to what is eternally unworthy. Or if that phrase seems to be a bitter one to bear, let us say that everybody is worthy of love, except him who thinks he is.
Or this one.
[Christ] was the first person who ever said to people that they should live 'flower-like-lives.' He fixed the phrase. He took children as the type of what people should try to become. He held them up as examples to their elders
One more:
[Christ] does not really teach one anything, but by being brought into his presence one becomes something. And everybody is predestined to his presence.
I would quote this entire section, if I could.
And after all this, after my heart is already broken from its beauty and desperation, Wilde asks why Douglas never wrote to him. He provides instructions on how to send him a letter. He signs it, "your affectionate friend." Despite all the hatred, and the fact this man contributed to his bankruptcy and imprisonment, he felt no malice. He came full-circle. That's true love. That is Christ-like.
One more quote, and probably the most ironic of them all: (And the most true.)
Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
I wasn't completely in love with Oscar Wilde until I read this letter. This piece is the reason this collection has gained a spot on my "top ten favorites" shelf.
Short Stories
Rather than discuss them all, I'll just tell you my favorites: The Model Millionaire, The Young King, and The Fisherman and his Soul. Check them out. Really.
Plays
And what review of Wilde would be complete without mentioning The Importance of Being Ernest? It's ridiculous and hilarious. A Woman of No Importance is also worth a mention; it had a tendency to get wordy in the middle (all right, a lot of his plays did that) but the story itself is just fantastic.
My only regret is that I hadn't read Wilde earlier in life. I was somehow intimidated by him. But he really is wonderful, and I had already recommended him to several people before I even finished this collection. I want to read more from him, but I'm afraid there isn't much left after this.
March 19, 2016
"The portrait of Mr. W.H." was bbrrrriiillliaaaaaannntt. Had the "explanatory notes" section permanently bookmarked throughout all twenty stories, though, seeing as there were infinite references (many of them biblical) of all sorts that required explaining to obtain the slightest understanding of the narratives. Many references to Greek mythology as well, and those I always enjoy very much.
Apart from "The Portrait of Mr. W.H.", my favorites include "The House of Judgement" from "Poems in Prose" and "The Canterville Ghost", especially the second-half! (Love me some ghost stories).
And of course the Wilde classic "The Happy Prince"; great to see the fairytale-esque side of him that he so often kept hidden.
Was slightly reluctant to finish this collection because, now that I have, I have finished all of his works in prose. Unless, someday, unpublished works of his are exposed to the public eye. (Fingers crossed). Until then, I plan on devouring the rest of his plays and essays.
As for the writing, same as always: beautiful. Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
Would leave my favorite quotes below but there are too many to choose from. So read the stories for yourselves, heh. Cheers
Apart from "The Portrait of Mr. W.H.", my favorites include "The House of Judgement" from "Poems in Prose" and "The Canterville Ghost", especially the second-half! (Love me some ghost stories).
And of course the Wilde classic "The Happy Prince"; great to see the fairytale-esque side of him that he so often kept hidden.
Was slightly reluctant to finish this collection because, now that I have, I have finished all of his works in prose. Unless, someday, unpublished works of his are exposed to the public eye. (Fingers crossed). Until then, I plan on devouring the rest of his plays and essays.
As for the writing, same as always: beautiful. Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
Would leave my favorite quotes below but there are too many to choose from. So read the stories for yourselves, heh. Cheers
January 2, 2017
Oscar Wilde's short stories collection was an overall wonderful and charming classic! His stories were all beautifully written, and his way of storytelling reminded me very much of other fairytale authors' works--such as the Grimm Brothers. By incorporating fantasy and magical creatures into the 18th century setting, he is able to persuade one that the magic just doesn't stop in past time eras--magic can still be found in everyday living and even in the simple things around us.
My Book Review: https://thepearlsofreading.wordpress....
My Book Review: https://thepearlsofreading.wordpress....
January 28, 2013
As I mentioned before, I got off guard and became an Oscar Wilde fan through The Importance of Being Earnest, but to be honest, the thing I most love Mr. Wilde for are his short stories. The Happy Prince is a story less than 5 pages and still makes me cry each time I read through it.
April 30, 2008
Enjoying a departure from the usual novels to read some of Wilde's short fiction.
May 11, 2009
Beautiful...Just beautiful writing.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews