Intentions

Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 333K words
Chapters: 34

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Intentions by Oscar WildeAuthor: Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Apr 1, 1997

Editor's review

Intentions is a key collection of Wilde's criticism and essays, embodying his "art for art's sake" aesthetic and his dazzlingly witty argumentative style. In dialogue and prose forms, the book discusses the relations among art, criticism, lying, and life; its core lies not in reaching conclusions but in displaying a critical stance that advances thought through paradox and irony. Its value lies in the charm of the language itself: aphorisms are dense and arguments playful, so even readers who do not fully agree will be drawn in by the rhetoric and rhythm of thought. As a public-domain ebook, it serves as an accessible introduction to late nineteenth-century aestheticism and Wilde's intellectual profile. It suits slow reading and excerpting in a quiet setting, and can also supplement courses in writing or critical theory; but it is not recommended as a systematic aesthetics textbook, since its views are often expressed through exaggeration and irony and require contextual discernment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Wilde and his aestheticist thought
Students of literary criticism who enjoy aphorisms and argumentative prose
Readers seeking writing inspiration and appreciating irony and paradox
Beginners wanting an introduction to late nineteenth-century British artistic currents

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic textbook of aesthetic theory
Those uncomfortable with irony and paradox who want plain conclusions
Beginners still struggling with English who cannot follow long argumentative sentences

Reading tips

Read one piece at a time and restate its core argument in your own words after each.
Excerpt aphorisms and note their context to avoid misreading the irony out of context.
Start with one dialogue-form essay to feel the argumentative rhythm before reading the prose pieces.
Consult background on late nineteenth-century aestheticism to help distinguish exaggeration from genuine intent.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is Intentions mainly about?

It centers on topics such as art and criticism, lying and life, and embodies Wilde's "art for art's sake" aesthetic. The pieces mostly proceed in dialogue and prose forms, focusing on a stance of thought and verbal wit rather than systematic conclusions.

Can the views in the book be taken directly as theoretical conclusions?

They should not be taken directly as conclusions. Wilde often advances his argument through exaggeration, irony, and paradox; aphorisms are dense but context matters. Readers should discern genuine intent from rhetorical play in context, treating the book as inspiration for thought and writing rather than a systematic aesthetics textbook.

Is it suitable for English beginners?

Not very suitable for English beginners. The text is known for long argumentative sentences and rhetoric, demanding considerable vocabulary and syntax. Those with modest English can start with the shorter pieces or an annotated edition, reading slowly piece by piece to avoid losing the reading rhythm to long sentences.

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About the author

Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 Author

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Irish writer known for his plays, fiction, fairy tales and epigrams. The collection here contains 55 of his works, including the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (also appearing as Das Bildnis des Dorian Gray, Le portrait de Dorian Gray and Dorian Grayn muotokuva) and the fairy-tale collection The Happy Prince, and Other Tales. The Picture of Dorian Gray centres on a portrait and its subject's fate, exploring beauty, youth, morality and indulgence through polished dialogue and an aesthetic style; The Happy Prince, and Other Tales uses fairy-tale form to portray sacrifice and compassion in clear, gently ironic prose. Wilde's writing is witty and ornate, marked by paradox and epigram, and his works have long circulated in many languages. Beyond his dates, public information is limited, so no biographical details are conjectured here.