Chapter I
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of De Profundis is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Suffering is one very long moment. We cannot divide it by seasons.
De Profundis
Chapter I · Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of De Profundis is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
Suffering
is
one
very
long
moment.
We
cannot
divide
it
by
seasons.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
De Profundis
Chapter I · Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of De Profundis is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Suffering
is
one
very
long
moment.
/ˈsʌfərɪŋ ɪz wʌn ˈveri lɔːŋ ˈmoʊmənt/
Line 5
We
cannot
divide
it
by
seasons.
Learner Dictionary
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
divide
verb
US /dɪˈvaɪd/
separate into parts or portions
From this reading “We cannot divide it by seasons.”
long
adjective
US /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading “Suffering is one very long moment.”
moment
noun
US /ˈmoʊmənt/
a particular point in time
From this reading “Suffering is one very long moment.”
one
pronoun
US /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Suffering is one very long moment.”
seasons
noun
US /ˈsiːzənz/
plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading “We cannot divide it by seasons.”
Suffering
noun
US /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/
a state of acute pain
From this reading “Suffering is one very long moment.”
All words in this reading · 12
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
divideverbUS /dɪˈvaɪd/
separate into parts or portions
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/
a particular point in time
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
seasonsnounUS /ˈsiːzənz/
plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
SufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/
a state of acute pain
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading Suffering is one very long moment.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We cannot divide it by seasons.
Chapter 1 of De Profundis by Oscar Wilde holds 150 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
What does chapter 1 of De Profundis contain?
Chapter 1 holds 150 sentences of De Profundis, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of De Profundis by Oscar Wilde exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
How do I study chapter 1 of De Profundis?
Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Questions about reading De Profundis
Common questions about reading De Profundis by Oscar Wilde on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of De Profundis?
Yes. All 764 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #921 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of De Profundis is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #921, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does De Profundis take to read?
About 63 minutes of reading across 153 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read De Profundis section by section
How to work through De Profundis section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Open a chapter
Choose one of the 5 chapters of De Profundis to begin.
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Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in De Profundis
Words and structures a reader meets early in De Profundis, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Suffering
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of De Profundis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Moment
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of De Profundis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Cannot
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of De Profundis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Divide
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of De Profundis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.