“I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china.”
- October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900
- Irish
- Author, poet, playwright
- Written novels, plays, and poems such as “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” “The Importance of Being Earnest,” and “Salome,” he had a great influence on British literature in the late 19th century through his witty social criticism and humor.
Quote
“I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china.”
Explanation
In this witty and somewhat self-deprecating quote, Oscar Wilde uses blue china as a metaphor for the expectations or standards one must uphold. The “blue china” likely refers to a set of fine, delicate, and possibly expensive porcelain—an object that symbolizes refinement, elegance, and a certain social status. Wilde’s comment reflects the difficulty of living in accordance with societal expectations or the idealized image one has created for oneself. He humorously suggests that it becomes progressively harder to maintain a polished, perfect persona, especially when life does not always conform to these high ideals.
Wilde’s use of china—a fragile and often admired object—also implies the tension between appearance and reality. The blue china represents the ideal self or public image that a person is expected to uphold, while the struggle to “live up” to it reflects the challenges of reconciling the image with the messiness of everyday life. This line can be seen as a critique of the pressure to maintain an image of perfection and refinement, something that can become increasingly burdensome.
In modern contexts, this quote resonates with the pressure many feel to meet certain standards, whether in terms of success, beauty, or social image. It reminds us that while striving for excellence is important, the expectations placed upon us can become overwhelming and may not always align with our authentic selves. Wilde’s words encourage us to recognize the limits of perfection and to find peace with the imperfections that make us human.
