Oscar Wilde

About him:

• Born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland
• Did very well in school and won multiple scholarships
• Married Constance Lloyd on May 29, 1884, and had 2 sons with her, Cyril and Vyvyan
• Had an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas and was eventually arrested and convicted on May 25, 1995, because of it
• Was released from prison 2 years later, broke and mentally and physically exhausted
• Eventually died on November 30, 1900, at the age of 46 from meningitis

Famous Works:

• The Happy Prince and Other Tales – a collection of children’s stories https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/wilde/oscar/happy/contents.html
• The Picture of Dorian Gray  – his first and only novel and his most well-known work
• Lady Windermere’s Fan – first play https://www.gutenberg.org/files/790/790-h/790-h.htm
• The Importance of Being Earnest – his most popular play https://www.gutenberg.org/files/844/844-h/844-h.htm
• “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” – from his time in prison https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/ballad-reading-gaol
• Salome – Different from the comedic themes he tended to write about, a tragic and haunting play https://www.gutenberg.org/files/42704/42704-h/42704-h.htm
• De Profundis – a letter written to Bosie while in prison http://upword.com/wilde/de_profundis.html

      

The Picture of Dorian Gray

• When the Picture of Dorian Gray was published in 1890, it was met with harsh critical opprobrium for being immoral and pervasive, and promoting themes of moral degeneracy, narcissism, and even homosexuality.
• The book follows young Dorian Gray, and his degeneration into vanity, hedonism, and selfishness in his quest for eternal youth and beauty.
• The harsh criticism sparked Wilde’s strong rhetoric opposing the idea of dangerous morality within writing, which is addressed directly in the book itself.

Style and Emulation:

The Ballad of Reading Gaol – https://m.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/ballad-reading-gaol

Quotes:

“Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic.” – The Picture of Dorian Gray

“It is dangerous to meet a woman who fully understands you. It may end up in marriage.”

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants. The other is getting it.”

 

My Emulation:

The moon stayed silent in the shadows,

always watched from behind

He never tried to outshine her

or take more than he was given

He only looked upon the sun,

and drank the morning air

as she brought light into the world

and chased away nightmares

At night he gratefully borrowed her leftover light

and glowed proudly,

surrounded by her daughters

as they twinkled brighter than him

and bathed in the crisp midnight breeze