Oscar Wilde

Irish Poet, Playwright, Novelist and Essayist

Brief biography of Oscar Wilde, a celebrated Irish poet, playwright, essayist and novelist

"You don't love someone for their looks, 

or their clothes, or for their fancy car, 

but because they sing a song only you can hear." 

~ Oscar Wilde

An Irish poet, essayist, playwright and novelist, Oscar Wilde was famous for his wit. He is best known for his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his fairy tale The Happy Prince and his play The Importance of Being Earnest.

 

Early Life

Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) was born in Dublin on October 16, the second son of a surgeon, Sir William Wilde. His mother was Lady Jane Francesca Wilde, a poet. Oscar Wilde was a natural scholar, and he did well at both university in Dublin and Oxford. With his flamboyant and charming manner and conversation, he was soon well known in London society.

Beginnings of Writing Career

In 1884 Wilde married Constance Lloyd. They had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. During this time Wilde worked as a journalist and it was not until he was 34 that he had literary success with The Happy Prince and Other Tales, a book of children's fables.

The Novelist

Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, tells a much darker story. The central character is addicted to good living but has a dreadful secret. In the story, he remains young and handsome, but his portrait grows ugly as a result of his moral decline.

The Playwright

He wrote nine plays between the years 1879 and 1895. His most popular is the comedy of manners The Importance of Being Earnest. It is a hilarious satire that dwells on the double lives of two would-be bridegrooms. 

Wilde and Homosexuality

Whilst his professional life was at a peak, Wilde's private life was unhappy. He had been having an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. At the time homosexuality was illegal in Britain, and Wilde was sent to prison in 1895. The Ballad of Reading Gaol, a narrative poem, records his thoughts about imprisonment.

Last Years

After his release in 1897, Wilde went to live in France under the alias Sebastian Melmoth. However, his reputation and health were ruined. He died three years later in Paris, on November 30, 1900, aged 46.

Works by Oscar Wilde

The Happy Prince and Other Tales, 1888

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Novel, 1890

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories, 1891

The Duchess of Padua, play, 1891

Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892

A Woman of No Importance, 1893

The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895

An Ideal Husband, 1895

Salome, 1896

The Ballad of Reading Gaol, 1898  

Photo Credit:

Oscar Wilde.   nndb / Public Domain. 

Sources:

Biographical Dictionary, edited by Una McGovern, Chambers (2002)

Dictionary of the Arts, Gramercy Books, (1994)

Dictionary of Writers, edited by Rosemary Goring, Larousse (1994)   

Note: I originally wrote this piece in full version for Suite101.com in 2008. This is a very short version. / Tel

(c) March 1, 2010. Updated October 16, 2019.  Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved