An Irish professor friend of mine, who teaches Archaic English Literature at the University of Dublin, wrote to me a week ago and said that the world seems to be evincing a renewed interest in Oscar Wilde’s works, wit and wisdom. British universities call it the 4Ws: Wilde, Works, Wit and Wisdom. This is indeed happening. Leading Indian English dailies are also regularly explaining and elucidating Wilde’s wildly witty aphorisms and quotes. What’s there in Wilde’s oeuvre that draws us to his witty persona? Let’s have some insights. By the way, Oscar Wilde was born on October 16. He was an Irish writer and playwright.

The entire world is witnessing gloom and turbulence. Witless world leaders are aggravating the dismal scenario and making it all the more deplorable. There’s no genuine wisdom coming from any direction. Wars are raging everywhere. Proverbially speaking, humanity is at its wit’s end. So, in these harrowing and horrendous times, the mind seeks some kind of succour in the form of quick wit and avoids the ponderous wisdom of so-called ‘enlightened’ spiritual gurus and motivational speakers. Enough of Gyan and Dhyan!

Here comes quick-witted Wilde with his haazir-jawabi and pratyutpannamati (Sanskrit for quick wit). Moreover, wit makes us feel innately and intrinsically happy. Oscar Wilde’s wit has an element of relatability. That’s why he aptly said of himself in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.”

So, when he says, “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it,” you nod in agreement. This famous quote challenges the conventional wisdom of resisting temptation and instead advocates embracing it. Wilde suggests that by succumbing to our temptations, we can truly understand and experience them, thereby diminishing their power over us. This provocative statement forces us to reconsider our understanding of........

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