On the sixteenth of October, in 1854, Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, a renowned ophthalmologist, who was knighted for his work, was Sir William Wilde, and his mother, an acclaimed poet and journalist, was Lady Jane Francesca Elgee.
A Scholar's Academic Life
Oscar Wilde, did very well in school, winning prizes in Classics and Drawing at the Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, in 1864. Later, in 1871, Wilde is enrolled as a Royal School Scholar at Trinity College, where he is awarded the highest honor available to an undergraduate, the Foundation Scholarship to the Magdalen College in Oxford.
As a student at Magdalen College, Wilde met Walter Pater, a tutor and writer, and soon to be mentor to Wilde. It was Pater's works that opened up the Aesthetic movement to young Wilde, which encouraged creating "art for art's sake". It was from this movement that Wilde adopted flamboyant tendencies and became somewhat of a dandy.
In spite of the emotional stress of his father's death in 1876, Oscar continued his schooling and pursuing a literary career. In 1878, Wilde first received recognition as a poet, when he was awarded the Newdigate Prize for his poem Ravenna.
Oscar Wilde graduated in 1879, and moved to London with his friend Frank Mills, and began his writing career.
A Writer's Life
Wilde kicked off his career in 1881 when he published 'Poems', his first collection of poetry. After being portrayed in an operetta, entitled Patience, which satirized the Aesthetic movement, Wilde toured the US, delivering a series of lectures, which were so popular, it was extended from it's expected four months to nearly a year. During his tour Wilde met with literary greats Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Walt Whitman, and Henry James.
In 1882, Vera, Oscar Wilde's first play is performed in a New York theatre and is unfortunately, a complete and utter flop. Following this theatrical set back he toured the UK delivering even more lectures, in 1883. In 1884, after the May wedding of his wife, Constance Llyod, he writes his second play, "The Duchess of Padua"
In 1885, Cyril Wilde is born and his brother Vyvyan is born the following year.
From 1887 to 1889 Oscar Wilde worked as an editor for the popular magazine Women's World. During this time Wilde's compilation of fairy tales 'The Happy Prince and Other Tales' is published. In 1889, Blackwood's Magazine published his story 'The Portrait of Mr. W.H.' and 'The decay of Lying' is published.
in The Nineteenth Century
'The Picture of Dorian Gray' is published in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1890. That following year, Wilde extended this piece into a full length novel. Due to controversy over the morality of Wilde's first and only novel, he received little payment. This year also marked the publication of several of Wilde's works including, The House of Pomegranates and Lord Arthur Savile's Crime. This is also the year he met his ultimate downfall, Lord Alfred Douglas and they quickly became lover's.
In 1892, Oscar Wilde's success as a playwright begins when his domestic comedy, Lady Windermere's Fan, performs at the St. James' Theatre. A Woman of No Importance, adds to his theatrical acclaim in 1893. Over the next two years, Wilde continues writing plays and becoming quite popular throughout the theatre world. In 1895, while having two of his plays being simultaneously performed, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde is accused of being a sodomite and is tried in court for acts of homosexuality. After two trials, he is found guilty and sentenced to Wandsworth prison for two years. His family moves to Italy and adopts the name Holland.
In 1897, Wilde is relocated to the Reading Goal, where he writes De Profundis, a dramatic monologue to Lord Douglas, which doesn't get published until 1905. After his release, he adopts the name Sebastian Melmoth, and goes into exile.
His Final Years in Exile
In 1898, Oscar Wilde published two letters on prison reform, as well as his final piece, The Ballad of Reading Gaol. He spends most of his time traveling throughout Europe, reuniting briefly with Lord Douglas.
In 1900, Oscar Wilde dies of cerebral meningitis, on November 30th, at The Hotel D'Alsace, in Paris, France. It is believed that, on his deathbed, Wilde converted to Roman Catholicism, after a life long interest in the religion.
Impacts after death
Since his death, Oscar Wilde's works have inspired artists all over the world. Including German composer, Richard Strauss, who created a one-act opera, in 1905, entitled Salome', based off of one of Wilde's plays by the same title.
His plays are being performed in theatre's worldwide, and his works, particularly his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, are still generating literary acclaim.
Mitchell Pridemore - Mitchell Pridemore is a man of wondrous ability. He has the unique gift of reading, and with this reading he can absorb knowledge, ideas, ...
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