Saying: I can resist everything except temptation
Info
- Title: I can resist everything except temptation
- Type: Sayings
- Category: { Humor and Wit }
- Print: Download as PDF for printing
Oscar Wilde is among Ireland's most significant authors and dramatists. Known for his sharp wit and pointed irony, he continues to influence literature through memorable quotations. One of his most famous quotes is "I can resist everything except temptation." This statement humorously highlights human weakness.
Herkunft und Verwendung des Spruches
The quote originates from the Irish writer Oscar Wilde. The original English wording is: "I can resist everything except temptation." Wilde introduced this line in his 1892 play "Lady Windermere’s Fan", a comedy critiquing Victorian society. It remains popular in literature, speeches, and cultural contexts, humorously pointing out human frailty.
Bedeutung und Interpretation des Spruches
Oscar Wilde employs a paradoxical irony in this quote. Initially, he suggests resisting temptation is easy, only to immediately claim the opposite. This highlights a fundamental human tendency to succumb to life's attractions.
Beyond humor, Wilde also provides social critique, addressing the hypocrisy of Victorian society, where people concealed their vices instead of openly accepting their weaknesses.
At the same time, Wilde suggests that life is not strictly about morality. Instead, he acknowledges temptation as an inevitable aspect of human nature.
- Humorous Critique: Wilde uses humor and irony to expose human weaknesses and societal hypocrisy.
- Acceptance of Human Nature: The quote acknowledges temptation as an inherent human experience.
- Social Irony: Wilde indirectly criticizes societal norms as unrealistic and contradictory.
Today, the quote is frequently used humorously to express that people often yield to impulses despite good intentions.