--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too…" description: "\"Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules. Lady Windemere (LW): If we had 'hard-and-fast rules'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/oscar-wilde-16_adjectives_lord-darlington-ld-i-think-life-too-comp_779771.jpg" --- # Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to… ![“Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules. Lady Windemere (LW): If we had 'hard-and-fast rules' we would find life much simpler. LD: You allow of no exceptions? LW: None! LD: Ah, what a fascinating Puritan you are, LW. LW: The adjective was…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/oscar-wilde-16_adjectives_lord-darlington-ld-i-think-life-too-comp_779771.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/oscar-wilde-16_adjectives_lord-darlington-ld-i-think-life-too-comp_779771.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/oscar-wilde-16_adjectives_lord-darlington-ld-i-think-life-too-comp_779771.jpg) > “Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules. Lady Windemere (LW): If we had 'hard-and-fast rules' we would find life much simpler. LD: You allow of no exceptions? LW: None! LD: Ah, what a fascinating Puritan you are, LW. LW: The adjective was unnecessary, LD.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life cannot be reduced to rigid rules; flexibility is needed for true understanding. **In simple terms:** Life is too complex for strict rules. Key Takeaway Embrace nuance over rigidity. Themes complexity rules flexibility Mood thoughtful critical Type dialogue theatrical When to use this quote - personal decisions - legal systems - education - relationships Key Concepts philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance rules with compassion? - When are exceptions necessary? A Different Perspective Strict rules may ignore context and cause injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Lds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lds/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Puritan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puritan/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-think-life-too-complex-a-thing-to-be-settled-by-these-hard-and-fast/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Never call your office while you’re on vacation. That’s always been one of my hard and fast rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-manchee/never-call-your-office-while-you-re-on-vacation-that-s-always-been/) William Manchee > [There are no hard and fast rules. Sometimes you work for free and get no credit or courtesy. That's why you make sure you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalah-hathaway/there-are-no-hard-and-fast-rules-sometimes-you-work-for-free-and-get/) [Lalah Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalah-hathaway/) > [I don't want to bring myself down to place where there are hard and fast rules. In general I try to be compassionate, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-want-to-bring-myself-down-to-place-where-there-are-hard-and/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [There are no hard and fast rules. Your sensibilities change as you grow older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shobana/there-are-no-hard-and-fast-rules-your-sensibilities-change-as-you/) [Shobana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shobana/) > [“No son of mine should ever take the side of the Puritans: that is always an error.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-son-of-mine-should-ever-take-the-side-of-the-puritans-that-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't mind plain women being puritans. It is the only excuse they have for being plain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-mind-plain-women-being-puritans-it-is-the-only-excuse-they/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Don't let anyone else decide how you live your life. No book, no teacher, no parents, no priest. You are responsible for you, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaisa-winter/don-t-let-anyone-else-decide-how-you-live-your-life-no-book-no/) [Kaisa Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaisa-winter/) > [“It’s because you’re different. You can’t live life by rules others give you. In that way, you and I are the same. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayad-akhtar/it-s-because-you-re-different-you-can-t-live-life-by-rules-others/) [Ayad Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayad-akhtar/) > [There are 3 simple rules in life: 1. If you dont go after what you want, youll never have it. 2. If you dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-3-simple-rules-in-life-1-if-you-dont-go-after-what-you-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [You see everything is about belief, whatever we believe rules our existence, rules our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-see-everything-is-about-belief-whatever-we-believe-rules-our/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [There's no one who has more authority over my life than me. And I can learn things myself and how to communicate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-christensen/there-s-no-one-who-has-more-authority-over-my-life-than-me-and-i-can/) [Erika Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-christensen/) > [“had also decided to quit following the socially approved rules for how life is supposed to work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/had-also-decided-to-quit-following-the-socially-approved-rules-for/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Adjectives quotes > [To write or even speak English is not a science but an art. There are no reliable words… Whoever writes English is involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/to-write-or-even-speak-english-is-not-a-science-but-an-art-there-are/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Avoid the ecstatic adjectives that occupy such disproportionate space in every critic's quiver - words like "enthralling" and "luminous."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/avoid-the-ecstatic-adjectives-that-occupy-such-disproportionate-space/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [In the history of the concept of number has been adjective (three cows, three monads) and noun (three, pure and simple), and now ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mazur/in-the-history-of-the-concept-of-number-has-been-adjective-three-cows/) [Barry Mazur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mazur/) > [In my opinion, using different kinds of epithets and adjectives in connection with the word democracy is a sign of mere hypocrisy, to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/in-my-opinion-using-different-kinds-of-epithets-and-adjectives-in/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [But what is memory if not the language of feeling, a dictionary of faces and days and smells which repeat themselves like the verbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/but-what-is-memory-if-not-the-language-of-feeling-a-dictionary-of/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [Eschew all those beastly adjectives...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/eschew-all-those-beastly-adjectives/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [I will give you my definition of a nation, and you can add the adjective 'Jewish.' A Nation is, in my mind, an historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/i-will-give-you-my-definition-of-a-nation-and-you-can-add-the/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [The mind that thought of light, heavy, grey, yellow, still, swift, also conceived of magic that would make heavy things light and able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-mind-that-thought-of-light-heavy-grey-yellow-still-swift-also/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Whatever you want to say, there is only one word to express it, only one verb to give it movement, only one adjective to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/whatever-you-want-to-say-there-is-only-one-word-to-express-it-only/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English―it is the modern way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-notice-that-you-use-plain-simple-language-short-words-and-brief/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Purity of action guided Janis's behavior. If she was going to be good, she was very, very good. If she was going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/purity-of-action-guided-janis-s-behavior-if-she-was-going-to-be-good/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [I have been called 'Bongshell' the day I stepped into showbiz. So, any adjective coming my way, I take it positively. Sometimes it's also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-have-been-called-bongshell-the-day-i-stepped-into-showbiz-so-any/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I like that 'Mad Men' is now an adjective I use to describe clothing when I'm shopping: 'I like this top. It's very 'Mad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-brie/i-like-that-mad-men-is-now-an-adjective-i-use-to-describe-clothing/) [Alison Brie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-brie/) > [anything being perceived as being superior takes the noun. And everything that isn't, that's judged to be inferior, requires an adjective. So there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/anything-being-perceived-as-being-superior-takes-the-noun-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The only sort of descriptive adjective or catch phrase for my music would be 'eclectic.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-only-sort-of-descriptive-adjective-or-catch-phrase-for-my-music/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) Browse all 239 Adjectives quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lord Darlington (LD): I think life too complex a thing to be settled by these hard and fast rules. 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