In this story by Oscar Wilde, two old college friends discuss a mysterious woman one of them had fallen in love with. The relationship ended when she refused to reveal the secret behind her apparent paranoia about being contacted at home and a clandestine visit to a boarding house. The major themes of the story are love and trust, as evidenced by the narrator’s initial comment: women are meant to be loved, not be understood and his friend’s retort: I cannot love where I cannot trust. Other themes include the allure of mystery, obsession, insecurity, jealousy, privacy, escape.
The Sphinx without a Secret Full Text / PDF / Audio (2,100 words)
Irony
There are several ironic aspects to the story. The first is that Lady Alroy’s “secret” is that she doesn’t have one. Second, if her pretense of mystery was to attract Lord Murchison, it is what drove him away. And finally, while decrying Lady Alroy’s strange behavior, Lord Murchison appears to have some idiosyncrasies of his own (fear of being overheard in the café, and distaste for yellow carriages).
Sphinx Allusion
There are two such allusions that could be read into the story. When the narrator sees Lady Alroy’s photograph, he refers to her as the Gioconda [Mona Lisa] in sables. The Mona Lisa is famous for her enigmatic smile, suggesting a hidden secret. The Great Sphinx of Giza has a similar smile, which some have suggested hints at hidden treasures buried beneath it. Alternatively, the allusion could be to a creature in Greek mythology. This Sphinx, with the head of a woman, body of a lion, and wings of a bird, was known for posing riddles to travelers and killing those who could not answer correctly.
What’s up with Lady Alroy?
Reviewers have suggested several possible reasons for Lady Alroy’s strange behavior. These include a love of mystery, using the allure of the unknown to snare Lord Murchison, and a feminist desire to define herself amid the strict mores of Victorian society. An additional reason, which is supported by her visits to the boarding house, is the need for privacy. It is likely that she lives in her deceased husband’s house, surrounded by servants who have been loyal to him for years. She may simply want time for herself, and prefer that her dealings with other men were not the subject of gossip among them.