Celebrate the Classics is a new feature where I highlight authors of the past. Last week featured Bram Stoker. I love reading the classics and have done since I was little. So each Wednesday I will choose an author and write a little about their life and works. It won’t be anything too extensive, just enough to highlight that particular author and what they wrote.
So, this week I have chosen Oscar Wilde.
A Few Facts:
Born: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, October 16, 1854 – Dublin, Ireland
Died: November 30, 1900 (Aged 46) – Paris, France
Nationality: Irish
Writing Period: Victorian Era
Occupation: Playwright, novelist, poet
Wilde’s most well known works are the plays The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windermere’s and his one and only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is one of my most favourite novels ever! I have read most of Oscar Wilde’s plays and of course The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian Era in London and one of the biggest celebrities of his time.
Wilde married in 1884 and had two sons, although his sexual orientation swayed towards other men. Wilde described his sexual identity as Socratic inspired by Greek paederastic tradition. Unfortunately, Wilde suffered a dramatic down turn in his career when he was imprisoned for two two years after being convicted of “gross indecency” with other men. When Wilde was released from prison he left the UK and headed to France where he ended his days.
“One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry.”
– “A Woman of No Importance”
“I am sick of women who love one. Women who hate one are much more
interesting.”
– “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Literary Works
Ravenna (1878)
Poems (1881)
The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888)
The Decay of Lying (1889)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)
Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime and Other Stories (1891)
Intentions (1891)
Salome (1891)
The House of Pomegranates (1892)
Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892)
A Woman of No Importance (1893)
The Duchess of Padua (1893)
The Sphinx (1894)
An Ideal Husband (1895)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898)
4 Comments
Wow, usually pictures of people from centuries ago look different, but he could easily fit in with people now! When I first glanced at it, I thought it was a current black and white photograph, lol.
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The classics are definitely something I lack. I was deprived as a youth! What were those teachers doing with us in high school? Anyway, I throw this out before I tell you that I've not read anything of Wilde. One of these years, I am just going to read nothing but classics. Maybe then I will get caught up with the rest of you!
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I read Dorian Gray earlier this year and really enjoyed it. I got all excited when I saw they were making a movie (with Ben Barnes and Colin Firth), but it doesn't look like they're releasing it in the US
.
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I remember the first time I saw that picture of Oscar Wilde, I thought he was rather handsome.
Anyway, Wilde has been on of my favorite authors since I read his complete works when I was nine.
I think he's one of the most accessible 'classic' authors and I still read the Lady Windemere's fan every year.
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