Publisher's Synopsis
The Decay of Lying is a philosophical essay written by the famous Irish playwright, poet, and author, Oscar Wilde. Published in 1889, the essay presents Wilde's ideas on art and aesthetics, and it is considered one of his most important works.In the essay, Wilde argues that art should not be a reflection of reality, but rather, it should be an idealized representation of it. He also claims that lying, or the ability to create and believe in beautiful fictions, is essential to the creation of art. Wilde suggests that the pursuit of truth in art is a futile exercise, as the truth is often mundane and uninteresting.The essay is structured as a dialogue between two characters, Vivian and Cyril, who debate the role of art in society. Vivian represents Wilde's ideas, while Cyril represents the opposing view. Through their conversation, Wilde explores themes such as the nature of beauty, the purpose of art, and the relationship between art and life.The Decay of Lying is a witty and thought-provoking essay that challenges conventional ideas about art and aesthetics. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy of art and the works of Oscar Wilde.VIVIAN. Please don't interrupt in the middle of a sentence. ""He either falls into careless habits of accuracy, or takes to frequenting the society of the aged and the wellinformed. Both things are equally fatal to his imagination, as indeed they would be fatal to the imagination of anybody, and in a short time he develops a morbid and unhealthy faculty of truthtelling, begins to verify all statements made in his presence.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
