Quote Of The Day By Oscar Wilde: 'I Am Completely Penniless, And Absolutely Homeless. Yet There Are Worse Things In...'

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Oscar Wilde is one of the most famous literary figures of the 19th century. Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1854, Wilde was a poet, author, and playwright who reached the height of his career during the late Victorian Era in England. A champion of Aestheticism ("art for art's sake"), he gained widespread acclaim for his literary works, including his classic Gothic novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1891). Wilde was also celebrated for his plays and comedies, including "Lady Windermere's Fan" (1893), "The Importance of Being Ernest" (1895), among several others.

But the later years of Wilde's life were plagued by hardship. In 1895, his lover's father, the Marquess of Queensberry, accused Wilde of committing homosexual acts (which were considered a crime in England at the time). Wilde sued him for libel, only for the discovery process to lead to his own arrest. He was tried twice, with the second trial ending in Wilde being found guilty of "gross indecency" and receiving a two-year sentence. His conviction effectively ruined his career and cost him his wife and children, who fled and changed their last names to escape the public scandal. By the time Wilde was released in 1897, his health had declined, and he was living in exile in France. He died on November 30, 1900, at the age of 46.

Wilde has since become one of the most famous and influential writers to exist. Aside from his notable poems and literary works, Wilde's personal experience with injustice has made him even more inspiring to readers. He is also considered an LGBTQ+ icon in many ways. His skillful use of words to tell stories and express his thoughts, feelings, and philosophies is part of the reason why Wilde is so often quoted, making him the perfect person to give us today's quote of the day.

Oscar Wilde once wrote: "I am completely penniless, and absolutely homeless. Yet there are worse things in the world than that. I am quite candid when I say that rather than go out from this prison with bitterness in my heart against the world, I would gladly and readily beg my bread from door to door."

This quote comes from a passage in "De Profundis," (Latin for "from the depths"), a long letter Wilde wrote in 1897 while imprisoned at Reading Gaol in London. He addressed it to his former lover, Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, and included 50,000 words about their relationship, Wilde's conviction, and the spiritual development he experienced in prison.

"De Profundis" was published after Wilde's death by his friend Robert Ross in 1905, though it was an abridged version of the letter. It was later released in its entirety in 1962's "The Letters of Oscar Wilde," edited by Rupert Hart-Davis.

The words Oscar Wilde wrote from his prison cell offered a glimpse into his mental state at the time, revealing that he was able to keep a positive attitude even through the darkest of times. Although he had practically lost everything after his conviction in 1895, he didn't resort to bitterness. Instead of harping on the fact that he would be broke and homeless by the time he was released from prison, he knew that the world hadn't taken from him what mattered most: his inner peace. He understood the importance of speaking positively to himself. 

As he continues in the same passage from "De Profundis," Wilde wrote, "I would not a bit mind sleeping in the cool grass in summer, and when winter came on sheltering myself by the warm close-thatched rick, or under the penthouse of a great barn, provided I had love in my heart." In other words, begging for food and losing material wealth is still a much better option than letting resentment take over your soul. To live by Wilde's words can mean refusing to let the world harden you. Even when unfair circumstances make it feel like you're losing everything, you can still keep what matters most — grace, love, peace, and kindness — in your heart. Carrying bitterness will only prolong your pain and suffering. 

Wilde's quote also provides us with some direction for setting financial boundaries and navigating fiscal hardships. If greed or monetary gains require you to betray your morals or values, you will never truly be rich. If you're left with a choice between empty pockets or a toxic heart, we believe Wilde would suggest choosing empty pockets.

• "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

• "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."

• "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."

• "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

• "Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."