Alvin Redman

An epigram is a short, witty, and often paradoxical statement or poem that expresses a single thought or observation. It is a form of concise and memorable expression that is often used to convey a complex idea or emotion in a few words.

Epigrams can be humorous, satirical, or serious, and they often employ wordplay, irony, or other rhetorical devices to make their point. They are typically written in a pithy and memorable style, making them easy to remember and quote.

The term "epigram" comes from the Greek word "epigramma," which means "inscription." In ancient times, epigrams were often inscribed on monuments or other public structures as a way of commemorating important events or individuals. Over time, the form evolved into a literary genre in its own right, and writers such as Oscar Wilde and Ambrose Bierce became famous for their use of epigrams in their work.

Oscar Wilde was known for his witty and memorable epigrams. Here are some of his most famous ones:

- "I can resist everything except temptation."
- "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."
- "I am not young enough to know everything."
- "Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."
- "I have nothing to declare except my genius."
- "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
- "The truth is rarely pure and never simple."
- "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."
- "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
- "I don't want to go to heaven. None of my friends are there."

Oscar Wilde was a master of wit and satire, and his epigrams are some of his most memorable and enduring creations. Here are a few more examples:

- "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."
- "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself."
- "I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible."
- "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means."
- "I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do the day after."
- "All art is useless."

Wilde's epigrams were often paradoxical, cleverly turning conventional wisdom on its head. They were also often infused with a sense of humor and irreverence that made them both memorable and entertaining… (meer)