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America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.
Oscar Wilde
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes that prior discoveries of America were overlooked or ignored before Columbus's time.

Oscar Wilde's quote suggests that the history of America is rich with discoveries that predate Columbus, yet these events were not properly acknowledged. This highlights the idea that historical narratives can be shaped by those in power, and that many significant truths may remain hidden or unrecognized in mainstream discourse.

Themes

HistoryDiscoveryColumbusNarrativeTruth

In practice

Example use cases

In a lecture about the importance of recognizing underreported historical figures, one might say, 'As Oscar Wilde pointed out, America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.'

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When one has never heard a man's name in the course of one's life, it speaks volumes for him; he must be quite respectable.
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A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.
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His morality is all sympathy, just what morality should be
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Quote by Oscar Wilde | QuoteProject