Essays and Lectures

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

774

Title

Essays and Lectures

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This collection features Oscar Wilde's early Oxford essays on historical criticism and art history, alongside his famous lectures on the English Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The volume also includes his unique 'Poems in Prose,' blending wit, philosophy, and storytelling to explore beauty, individuality, and the nature of genius.

Summary up to 500 words

Oscar Wilde's *Essays and Lectures* offers a profound cross-section of his intellectual evolution during his Oxford years and early career. The volume opens with "The Rise of Historical Criticism," an essay originally submitted for the Chancellor's Prize at Oxford in 1879, where Wilde traces the evolution of critical thought from ancient Greece to modern times. He posits that historical criticism is a facet of the revolt against authority, emerging not from despotisms like Egypt or Asia, but from the Hellenic spirit's search for light. Wilde argues that this critical spirit borrows intolerance of dogma from democracy, analogies of order from science, and unity from philosophy. He distinguishes between sacred history, which requires ethical canons to strip mythology of immoral attributes, and secular history, which investigates causes and general relations of phenomena. The text shifts to art history with "The English Renaissance of Art," where Wilde contextualizes the Pre-Raphaelite movement not merely as a style but as a reaction against Victorian mediocrity. He champions the Brotherhood's return to nature, their intense individuality, and their rejection of facile abstractions in favor of vivid realism. Wilde further explores the relationship between art and life, distinguishing between the 'Hellenic spirit' of type and the 'romantic spirit' of exception. He praises John Keats as the absolute incarnation of the artistic spirit, valuing his clear vision and self-control over the rebellious passions of Byron or the dreaminess of Shelley. Wilde also examines the influence of the French Revolution on English aesthetics, arguing that the desire for equality paved the way for a new appreciation of pure beauty. He notes that great eras in art history are defined by new technical improvements rather than just increased enthusiasm. The volume concludes with "Poems in Prose," a series of short, invented stories designed to be told at dinner parties. These tales feature Wilde's characteristic wit and philosophical depth, often exploring themes of wisdom, the nature of God, and the human condition through allegorical narratives involving hermits, robbers, and divine judgment. While some friends felt the written versions were overly ornate compared to his spoken delivery, these poems remain a testament to Wilde's ability to invent stories on the spur of the moment.

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Categories

• Essays