Desire Quote by Oscar Wilde
““I wish I could love," cried Dorian Gray with a deep note of pathos in his voice. "But I seem to have lost the passion and forgotten the desire. I am too much concentrated on myself. My own personality has become a burden to me. I want to escape, to go away, to forget. It was silly of me to come down here at all.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1890
Dorian expresses a yearning for love but feels trapped by self-absorption, seeing his own personality as a burden and seeking escape from his emotional emptiness.
In simple terms: Self‑obsession blocks love, prompting a desire to flee.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate self‑awareness and empathy.
Themes
love
self‑absorption
desire
escape
identity
Mood
melancholic
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal therapy
- mindfulness practice
- relationship building
- creative writing exercises
Key Concepts
psychology
existentialism
literary introspection
Questions to Reflect On
- What prevents you from loving fully?
- How can you balance self‑care with caring for others?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize suffering and ignore agency in change.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
