The Sphinx Without a Secret – A Classic Short Story by Oscar Wilde
From LitReading - Classic Short Stories by Short Storyverses
April 7, 2026 · 15 min
About this episode
The episode explores Oscar Wilde's short story 'The Sphinx Without a Secret', delving into themes of mystery and the complexities of human relationships.
A chance reunion at a Paris café. A photograph of a woman who looks like she's hiding something. And a story that asks a question Wilde never quite answers: What's worse, a woman with a secret, or a woman who simply loves the appearance of having one? Oscar Wilde's "The Sphinx Without a Secret," published in 1887, is a small, perfect jewel of a story about mystery, obsession, and the danger of needing people to be more complicated than they are. Oscar Wilde wrote "The Sphinx Without a Secret" in 1887, when he was thirty-three and already the most quotable man in England. He's remembered for the big things, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," "The Importance of Being Earnest," the trials that destroyed him. But pieces like this one remind you that he could do more with a photograph and a cup of coffee than most writers can do with a hundred pages. f you enjoyed this story, there's a lot more where it came from. At ShortStoryverses.com you'll find all of our podcasts: New Tales Told for original fiction, Season's Readings for holiday stories, Readastorus for the whole family, and FRIGHTLY for when you want to lose a little sleep. And if you've got a second, tap that five-star rating on…
People in this episode
Host: Don
Topics covered
- mystery
- obsession
- secrets
- classic literature
Keywords
- Oscar Wilde
- short story
- Paris café
- photograph
- 1887
Mentioned in this episode
Products: ShortStoryverses.com
Books & works: The Sphinx Without a Secret, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest, New Tales Told, Readastorus, FRIGHTLY
Places: Paris, England
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