He completely lacked any ardent interest that might have occupied his mind. His interior life was impoverished, had undergone a deterioration so severe that it was like the almost constant burden of some vague grief. And bound up with it all was an implacable sense of personal duty and the grim determination to present himself at his best, to conceal his frailties by any means possible, and to keep up appearances. It had all contributed to making his existence what it was: artificial, self-conscious, and forced–until every word, every gesture, the slightest deed in the presence of others had become a taxing and grueling part in a play. .Thomas Mann
About This Quote
This quote from the book Private Thoughts of a Public Man, by George Jean Nathan, is a description of Oscar Wilde's character. A man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but never knew the true meaning of luxury. He rose to be a great playwright and poet, but was always living out of his time and understanding. When he died, he became a symbol for the decadent age of gay men.
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