Derniers essais de littérature et d'esthétique: août 1887-1890

A rich assortment of Oscar Wilde’s later critical pieces gathers here, offering a glimpse into the mind of a writer who prized beauty, wit, and the power of imagination above all else. In these essays he turns his razor‑sharp insight toward the very foundations of literature and aesthetics, questioning the dominance of strict realism and championing the liberating effect of art that dares to dream beyond the mundane.

One standout essay unfolds an argument for the historical novel, using a vivid Russian tale as its exemplar. Wilde describes a young man of unknown birth, raised in a Polish household, whose striking bearing and mysterious emerald cross lead to a startling revelation of royal lineage. Through this narrative he illustrates how distance in time can sharpen perception, allowing ordinary life to shine through a clearer, more poetic lens. The essay invites listeners to reconsider the value of fiction that reaches back into history, revealing the enduring allure of stories that blend fact and invention.