1. It is a sentence by Oscar Wilde. The original sentence is:
We all live in ditches, but some people still look up at the stars. After years of dealing with this world, are you still as bright and full of interest?
2. The meaning of this sentence is:
The world is unfair, but so what if it is unfair. If it is unfair, I will fight for my own fairness. But the world refuses, so we have to fight the world. So after so many years of fighting, have you been worn down by the world, leaving you with only a dim and lingering resignation? Or do you become braver as you fight?
Extended information:
Biography of Wilde:
Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland, to a distinguished family, and was the second son of the family. His father, Sir William Wilde, was a surgeon, and his mother was a poet and writer.
In 1864, Wilde attended Putola Royal School in Ennischering, which was not particularly popular among boys. While at school, he fell in love with flowers, sunsets and Greek literature. Although he was often criticized by teachers for being lazy, he still won the Putola Gold Medal, which represents the best performance in classical literature, in his last year at this school.
In 1871, at the age of 17, he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin. It was at this school that he met Professor Mahaffy, who had a considerable influence on Wilde's life. Years later, he recalled that Mahaffy "was a good talker, an artist who was good at using eloquence and vivid words."
After Wilde graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, , received a full literary scholarship and entered Magdalen College (Magdalen College) of Oxford University in 1874. At Oxford, Wilde was influenced by the aesthetic concepts of Walter Pater and John Ruskin, and came into contact with Neo-Hegelian philosophy, Darwinian evolution and the works of the Pre-Raphaelites, which paved the way for him to become a pioneer of aestheticism. The writer sets the direction.
After publishing his first "Collection of Poems", he began to emerge in the literary world and came to London to develop. Although the young Wilde had not yet won a literary award, he was already well-known in London social circles for his eye-catching clothes, witty conversation, and maverick style. Some magazines even published satirical articles about him.
In 1875, Wilde traveled to Italy during the summer vacation and wrote one of his early poems, "San Miniato", but this poem would not be published until several years later.
In 1877, Wilde and two other young people accompanied Professor Mahaffy on a trip to Greece. They were so fascinated by the natural scenery and exquisite architecture of Greece that they lingered and delayed classes. After returning to Oxford, he was fined 45 pounds by the school. The fine was returned the following year due to his academic excellence.
In 1878, Wilde's last year at Oxford was extremely successful. Not only did he rank among the best in academic performance, he also won a school poetry competition with his poem "Raffena". The winning poem was funded by the school and became Wilde's first published work. Wilde moved from Oxford to London and called himself a professor of aestheticism.
In 1880, by this time Wilde was already prominent in London social circles, and Paw magazine began to make fun of his appearance. His first play "Vera" was completed in the same year, but it did not have a big response and was not staged in London due to political reasons.
In 1881, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote the aesthetically humorous short play "Peanuts," which unintentionally brought Wilde a bad reputation. A collection of Wilde's poems was published in the same year, probably at the poet's own expense.
In 1882, Wilde gave a wonderful lecture tour in the United States. Two years later, he fell in love and married Constance Lloyd, and they had two sons, Cyril and Victoria. Vyvyan was also born in 1885 and 1886 respectively.
In 1887, Wilde became the executive editor of a women's magazine called "Women's World" (originally called "Lady's World", Wilde thought it was tacky and changed the name), and published some of his works in the magazine Fiction, criticism and poetry. Wilde's works are famous for their beautiful words, novel ideas and clear opinions.
In May 1888, "The Happy Prince and Other Stories" was published.
On June 20, 1890, the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was serialized in the newspaper, establishing his status as a decadent artist. His first novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was published in 1891. The opportunity for writing the novel came from Wilde visiting a famous old painter one day. The painter's male model looked very young and beautiful, so Wilde couldn't help but Sighing: "It's a pity that such a beautiful creature will still age one day."
The painter replied: Yes, it would be great if the person in the painting could age instead of him. Later, Wilde wrote the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray". In order to thank the painter, Wilde named the painter in the novel after him. Later, he published the essay "The Soul of Man Under Socialism", Both works were very successful, but it was his plays that truly won Wilde his fame.
It can be said that each of his dramatic works was warmly welcomed. At one time, three of his works were performed on the London stage at the same time. His plays have been called the best comedies since Sheridan's "The School of Rumors."
In 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry discovered that his son Lord Alfred Douglas (nicknamed "Bosie") had been dating Wilde for four years. Accused Wilde, and went to the celebrity club that Wilde frequented to post a note: "To Oscar Wilde - the pretentious sodomite."
Blatantly denounced Wilde as a lecherous "sodomite" (at that time The term "homosexuality" had not yet been coined). This accusation caused Wilde to immediately write to his friend Ross.
The Marquis of Queensberry was a tyrannical father and had long-standing disputes with Douglas. In response, the angry Alfred Douglas asked Wilde to appeal immediately and sue the Marquis for ruining his reputation. As a result, Wilde's appeal failed, and he was even accused of "committing acts of gross indecency with other male persons."
According to Part 11 of the then harsh 1855 Criminal Law Amendment Act, Wilde was found guilty and served two years of hard labor in Reading and Bentonville Prisons. In the past two years, Wilde stopped writing dramas and wrote the poem "Song of Reading Gaol" and the collection of letters "Letter from the Abyss" in prison. In these two works, his style has changed, and it is difficult to find the influence of aestheticism.
While Wilde was serving his sentence, his wife Constance and their two children changed their surname to Holland and moved to Italy. Most of his friends in social and literary circles shunned him. Only a few people, such as the playwright Bernard Shaw, still stood up to defend him. ?
On May 1, 1895, the jury could not agree on Wilde's guilt, and one juror agreed to release Wilde on bail. On May 7, he was released from prison on bail. On May 20, the case was heard for the second time. On May 25, Wilde was sentenced to two years of forced labor for "gross indecency". He was first detained in Bentonville Prison, London, and then transferred to Wandsworth Prison, London, on July 4. He was transferred to Wandsworth Prison in London on November 20. Reading Gaol, 30 miles west of London.
On September 24 and November 12 of that year, the court conducted two bankruptcy investigations on Wilde, and then declared him bankrupt.
After his release in 1897, Wilde set off for Paris. He was extremely disappointed with Britain and no longer had any nostalgia for it. He tried to get back together with Constance for the sake of their two children, but Alfred Douglas took the initiative to meet with him and expressed his desire to rebuild his old relationship with Wilde. Wilde chose Douglas.
While living in France under a pseudonym, he completed and published "The Ballad of Reading Gaol". In 1898, Wilde and Douglas traveled to Italy together, but in the end the two still broke up. When they got back together, they were no longer as good as before. After being released from prison, Wilde's glory was no longer good, and Douglas also began to understand that Wilde was no longer the successful married man who was admired by everyone.
Although they once loved each other and were tired of chatting together to the end, the willful Douglas had said to Wilde earlier: "If you are no longer the superior Wilde, then everything will no longer be interesting. ."
In 1900, Wilde finally converted to Catholicism with the help of his friend and former homosexual lover Robert 'Robbie' Ross (Ross was Wilde's first lover). A homosexual lover, Wilde once claimed that it was the temptation of Ross that led him to homosexuality. Ross was 17 years old and Wilde was 32 years old.
Although Wilde later became obsessed with Douglas, Ross loved Wilde for many years and became a lover. Granting him help, Ross's ashes were buried with Wilde's in accordance with his wishes). Wilde died of meningitis at the Alsace Hotel in Paris on November 30, 1900, at the age of 46. Only Ross and another friend were with him when he died. Wilde's grave in Paris is carved into a small sphinx based on the imagery in his collection of poems "The Sphinx".
At the end of the 20th century, after being vilified for nearly a century, Britain finally gave Oscar Wilde the honor of erecting a statue. On November 30, 1998, a statue of Oscar Wilde, sculpted by Maggie Hamlin, was unveiled on Adelaide Street near Trafalgar Square in London.
The statue is titled "A Conversation with Oscar Wilde" and features Wilde's oft-quoted quote: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us still look up at the stars.
”(We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the st)
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia: Oscar Wilde - Biography