On this date in English literary history – October 16,
1854, Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland. A popular society figure known
for his wit and flamboyant style, he published his own book of poems in 1881.
He spent a year lecturing on poetry in the United States, where his dapper
wardrobe and excessive devotion to art drew ridicule from some quarters. After
returning to Britain, Wilde married and had two children, for whom he wrote
delightful fairy tales, which were published in 1888. Meanwhile, he wrote
reviews and edited Women's World. In
1890, his only novel, The Picture of
Dorian Gray, was published serially, appearing in book form the following
year. He wrote his first play, The
Duchess of Padua, in 1891 and wrote five more in the next four years. His
plays, including The Importance of Being Earnest
(1895), were successful and made him a popular and well-known writer.
In 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry denounced Wilde as a
homosexual, accusing him of having an affair with the marquess's son. Wilde
sued for libel, but lost his case when evidence strongly supported the
marquess's observations. Unfortunately, homosexuality was classified as a crime
in England at the time. Wilde was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to two
years of hard labor. He was released from prison in 1897 and fled to Paris,
where his many loyal friends visited him. He started writing again, producing The Ballad of Reading Gaol, based on his
experiences in prison. He died of acute meningitis in 1900.
Michael Thomas Barry is the author of numerous award
winning books that includes the gold medal winning Literary Legends of the British Isles: The Lives and Burial Places of
50 Great Writers. Visit Michael’s website www.michaelthomasbarry.com for
more information. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following
link:
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