“we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars”- an analysis
“we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars” is one of the most commonly quoted oscar wilde lines of all time. out of context, it’s a beautiful quote about how humanity can dream of becoming better. with context, though, the quote takes on a completely different meaning. (be aware that this analysis completely spoils the plot of lady windermere’s fan, so if you would like to read it independently, i encourage you to keep scrolling.)
(disclaimer: all opinions and interpretations are my own. you’re free to disagree with me if you wish! all excerpts used come from lady windermere’s fan.)
this quotation is taken from lady windermere’s fan, a play written by oscar wilde and first performed in the year 1892. giving away as little of the plot as possible, the play focuses on lady windermere, the young wife of lord windermere, whom she suspects of having an affair with a woman named mrs. erlynne. lord darlington, a friend of lady windermere’s, confesses his love for her. he then attempts to convince her to run away with him due to her husband’s alleged infidelity. let’s take a look at lord darlington’s confession:
based on lord darlington’s words, we can form several conclusions. first, lord darlington really does love lady windermere, and wants her to be happy. second, lady windermere would become a social outcast if she ran away with him. in victorian times, members of the upper class were held to strict moral codes that, if broken, could push them out of so-called polite society. in particular, women were expected to uphold this code especially rigorously. leaving one’s husband for another man is one of the many ways that a woman could become dishonored in victorian times. because of this, lady windermere’s responses show that she is doubtful of her prospects if she leaves with lord darlington.
however, lady windermere eventually decides to leave her husband. she goes to lord darlington’s rooms to meet him, but is stopped by mrs. erlynne, who convinces her to stay with her husband and child to avoid becoming a societal outcast. suddenly, lady windermere and mrs. erlynne hear lord darlington and his friends approaching, and quickly hide to avoid being discovered. the men settle in and begin to talk, eventually striking up a conversation about love and women. here is when the famous quote appears:
i included a lot of context for this quote because i think it’s important to understand the true meaning. lord darlington is speaking of a woman who he believes has rejected him and who does not care for him. he still speaks incredibly highly of her, saying that she has all the “purity and innocence” that men lack.
with this understanding, we can return to the quotation itself. “no, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” lord darlington is saying that all men are “in the gutter,” meaning that they lack the virtue that women try to instill in them. however, some of them still have the capacity to hope and dream of something more beautiful. but in this case, lord darlington compares his dreams to stars to signify how incredibly out of reach they really are. he can no sooner reach his hopes of winning lady windermere’s heart than he could reach the stars in the night sky. either goal is impossible, and the best he can hope to do is watch from afar, wishing that things could be different. read in context, this quote paints a portrait of a man longing for something that he can never have, a far cry from the meaning that most people assign to it today.
