Oscar Wilde, página 21 de 82

My own business always bores me to death; I prefer other people's' Lady Windermere has a happy marriage - or, at least, that's what she believes until one of London society's gossips, the Duchess of Berwick, arrives with her daughter to voice her suspicions about an affair Lord Windermere appears to be having. It's not just the Duchess who has evidence, however. Windermere's private bank book shows that he's been giving large sums of money to a 'Mrs Erlynne' - on frequent occasions - and he himself even admits to seeing much of the woman. To add insult to injury, Windermere insists that Mrs Erlynne is invited to the ball that is being held for Lady Windermere's birthday. Employing the witty dialogue, social satire and outrageous paradox for which he is still remembered, Wilde's play shows us the destructiveness of gossip and superficial judgement, examines the ambiguous sexual morality and gender politics at the heart of the British ruling class, while simultaneously challenging our perceptions of what constitutes a 'good woman'. This student edition contains a fully annotated version of the playtext. The introduction includes an account of Wilde's life and a detailed analysis of Lady Windermere's Fan as well as its stage history. Ian Small is Professor of English Literature at the University of Birmingham. He is the author of a number of critical studies on Wilde and has edited several of Wilde's works, including a scholarly edition of Wilde's second society comedy, A Woman of No Importance, also published in the New Mermaids series.

Illus.: Wallace Goldsmith

Editor: E. V. Lucas

En 1890, cuando ya goza de una brillante carrera como escritor, Oscar Wilde publica la primera parte de su ensayo El crítico como artista, que titula La importancia de no hacer nada. Con un lenguaje desenfadado y mordaz, propone que la labor del critico es mas meritoria que la del artista y aprovecha para escandalizar a la sociedad de su epoca con provocaciones y epigramas. Establece que la diferencia entre periodismo y literatura radica en que "el periodismo es ilegible y la literatura no se lee". Afirma que el publico ingles "se siente mucho mas a gusto cuando le habla un mediocre", y defiende los libros de memorias porque estan escritos por personas que "han perdido por completo la memoria o nunca han hecho nada digno de ser recordado".

Sólo publicó tres breves series de aforismos, pero dejó dispersa por su obra una gran cantidad de sentencias memorables que se reúnen aquí por primera vez en castellano. Oscar Wilde (Dublín, 1854-Pa

Morning-room in Algernons flat in Half-Moon Street. The room is luxuriously and artistically furnished. The sound of a piano is heard in the adjoining room.[Lane is arranging afternoon tea on the table, and after the music has ceased, Algernon enters.]Algernon. Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?Lane. I didnt think it polite to listen, sir.Algernon. Im sorry for that, for your sake. I dont play accuratelyany one can play accuratelybut I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life.Lane. Yes, sir.Algernon. And, speaking of the science of Life, have you got the cucumber sandwiches cut for Lady Bracknell?Lane. Yes, sir. [Hands them on a salver.]Algernon. [Inspects them, takes two, and sits down on the sofa.] Oh! . . . by the way, Lane, I see from your book that on Thursday night, when Lord Shoreman and Mr. Worthing were dining with me, eight bottles of champagne are entered as having been consumed.Lane. Yes, sir; eight bottles and a pint.Algernon. Why is it that at a bachelors establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne? I ask merely for information.Lane. I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I have often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand.Algernon. Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralising as that?

Guido[Taking a letter from his pocket and reading it.] The hour noon; the city, Padua; the place, the market; and the day, Saint Philips Day.AscanioAnd what of the man, how shall we know him?Guido [reading still]I will wear a violet cloak with a silver falcon broidered on the shoulder. A brave attire, Ascanio.AscanioId sooner have my leathern jerkin. And you think he will tell you of your father?GuidoWhy, yes! It is a month ago now, you remember; I was in the vineyard, just at the corner nearest the road, where the goats used to get in, a man rode up and asked me was my name Guido, and gave me this letter, signed Your Fathers Friend, bidding me be here today if I would know the secret of my birth, and telling me how to recognise the writer! I had always thought old Pedro was my uncle, but he told me that he was not, but that I had been left a child in his charge by some one he had never since seen.

LE JEUNE SYRIEN.Comme la princesse Salomé est belle ce soir!LE PAGE DHÉRODIAS.Regardez la lune. La lune a lair très étrange. On dirait une femme qui sort dun tombeau. Elle ressemble à une femme morte

'I have nothing to declare,' Wilde once told an American customs official, 'except my genius.' A good part of that genius is evident in the essays and poems included in this volume. There is the intellectual genius of The Soul of Man under Socialism, in which he clearly foresaw the dangers of economic bureaucracy and state-worship: for Wilde socialism meant liberation and individuality, not enslavement. Then there is the emotional genius of De Profundis, the long, introspective and often hostile letter he addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas from prison. And there is the poetical genius of The Ballad of Reading Gaol, in which Wilde's generous nature could movingly express for another's misery the sorrow he found it hard to express for his own. This collection contains, too, many examples of that humorous and epigrammic genius which captured the London theatre and which, by suddenly casting light from an unexpected angle, widened the bounds of truth.

Opereta de Alfonso Sastre sobre "La importancia de llamarse Ernesto" de Oscar Wilde. Su versión no musical se ha representado en el centenario del famoso y vergonzoso proceso a que fue sometido su au

La cabeza de Juan el Bautista a cambio de una danza erótica: la pieza teatral en un acto de Oscar Wilde lo reunía todo para escandalizar a la sociedad victoriana. Escrita originalmente en frances, se publico en Paris en 1893, y un año despues se tradujo al ingles. Provocativa e incendiaria, Salome conocio la censura y el repudio, fue interpretada por Sarah Bernhardt y prohibida en Inglaterra por representar personajes biblicos. La opera de Richard Strauss cosecho, en su estreno en Estados Unidos, feroces criticas que llevaron a la cancelacion de todas sus funciones. Oscar Wilde, condenado a dos años de trabajos forzosos por difamacion publica contra el pudor, no pudo presenciar su estreno el 11 de febrero de 1896 en el Thetre de l uvre de Paris.

Yet each man kills the thing he loves,By each let this be heard,Some do it with a bitter look,Some with a flattering word,The coward does it with a kiss,The brave man with a sword!Some kill their love when they are young,And some when they are old;Some strangle with the hands of Lust,Some with the hands of Gold:The kindest use a knife, becauseThe dead so soon grow cold.Some love too little, some too long,Some sell, and others buy;Some do the deed with many tears,And some without a sigh:For each man kills the thing he loves,Yet each man does not die.

High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.He was very much admired indeed. He is as beautiful as a weathercock, remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; only not quite so useful, he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not.Why cant you be like the Happy Prince? asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy, muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.

Der Kunstler ist der Schopfer schoner Dinge.Kunst zu offenbaren und den Kunstler zu verbergen, ist die Aufgabe der Kunst.Ein Kritiker ist, wer seinen Eindruck von schonen Dingen in eine andere Form oder in einen anderen Stoff zu ubertragen vermag.Die hochste wie die niederste Form der Kritik ist eine Art Autobiographie.Wer in schonen Dingen einen halichen Sinn findet, ist verderbt, ohne anmutig zu sein. Das ist ein Fehler.Wer in schonen Dingen einen schonen Sinn findet, hat Kultur. Er berechtigt zu Hoffnungen.Das sind die Auserwahlten, fur die schone Dinge lediglich Schonheit bedeuten.Ein moralisches oder unmoralisches Buch gibts uberhaupt nicht. Bucher sind gut oder schlecht geschrieben. Sonst nichts.

Oscar Wildes Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a poignant exploration of love, suffering, and the specter of societal judgment, expertly woven into a rich tapestry of verse. The collection showcases Wildes mastery of language and his unique wit, intertwining themes of beauty and despair against a backdrop of late Victorian society. The Ballad of Reading Gaol, perhaps the most notable piece, draws from Wildes own experiences during his imprisonment and examines the moral ambiguities of crime and punishment, challenging the conventional narratives of justice and redeemed innocence with a captivating lyrical style that resonates profoundly with readers. Wilde, renowned for his flamboyant style and societal critiques, penned this collection during and after his tumultuous imprisonment for gross indecency. His personal struggles and encounters with the harsh realities of prison life deeply influenced his writing, offering a darker lens through which to view human emotions and societal conventions. This backdrop not only colors the poems but also highlights Wildes philosophical reflection on the human condition, making them a significant part of his literary legacy. Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol is an essential read for those interested in the intersection of art and life. Wildes heartfelt and reflective prose invites readers to confront their own preconceptions of morality and beauty, illuminating the profound depths of human experience. This collection stands as a testament to Wildes lasting impact on literature and continues to resonate with anyone seeking wisdom wrapped in the brilliance of poetic language.