Irony of Wilde's fame
Wilde's fame brought him many wonderful things, as for any revered artist. He is loved by a lot of people and his works are read by masses. But it is this fame that brought many misfortunes and made him believe that when he gets out of prison he will have no place to hide. He compares himself to another common prisoner who, when he gets out of there, will be able to move on with his life and forget about prison life. Wilde, on the other hand, will have nowhere to go because of his fame. He will be constantly reminded of this part of his life, but nevertheless motivated by his discovery of himself he feels motivated to accept whatever comes his way.
Irony of Wilde's self-discovery in prison
Wilde in prison is aware of the type of life he led. He is aware that he was running away from the dark, sorrowful part of life and indulged in the comfortable part. He describes this by saying that he was living his life on a sun-lit side of the garden while ignoring the gloomy, shadowy side. While doing this he is aware that he was escaping from himself; he was losing the grip of his own soul. Surrounded by comfort and purple linen, he was uncomfortable with himself. Ironically, the discomfort and sorrow of prison makes him realize the true beauty of life and encourages him to get a grip of himself and his soul again.
