Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) was a proponent of the Aesthetic movement, which emphasized aesthetic values more than moral or social themes. This doctrine is most clearly summarized in the phrase 'art for art's sake'.
Oscar’s
Mother made a huge impression on his life. However she was an upright catholic
and Wilde struggled in sharing her ideals. Wilde was very sceptical of the
church, especially by the stronghold it had in Irish society and this is
obvious in his literary works.
Early
life
Oscar
Wilde was born
in Dublin on 16
October 1854 to Sir William Wilde and his wife Jane. Oscar's mother, Lady Jane
Francesca Wilde (1820-1896), was a successful poet and journalist. She wrote
patriotic Irish verse under the pseudonym "Speranza". Oscar's father,
Sir William Wilde (1815 - 1876), was a leading ear and eye surgeon, a renowned
philanthropist and gifted writer, who wrote books on archaeology and folklore.
Oscar had an elder brother, Willie, and a younger sister, Isola Francesca, who
died at the early age of 10.
Education
He was
educated at Portora Royal School
(1864-71), Trinity College, Dublin
(1871-74), and Magdalen College, Oxford
(1874-78). While at Oxford,
he became involved in the aesthetic movement and became an advocate for 'Art
for Art's Sake' (L'art pour l'art). Whilst at Magdalen, he won the 1878
Newdigate Prize for his poem Ravenna
On May 29,
1884, Oscar married Constance Lloyd (died 1898), daughter of wealthy Queen's
Counsel Horace Lloyd. They had two sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886). To
support his family, Oscar accepted a job as the editor of Woman's World
magazine, where he worked from 1887-1889.
Scandal
In 1891,
Wilde began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed 'Bosie', who became
both the love of his life and his downfall. Wilde's marriage ended in 1893.On 25 May 1895 Wilde and Bosie were convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years' hard labour.
Later
life
Upon his
release in 1897, he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol, revealing his concern for
inhumane prison conditions. He spent the rest of his life wandering Europe, staying with friends and living in cheap hotels.
He died of cerebral meningitis on November 30, 1900, penniless, in a cheap Paris hotel.
Wilde’s works:
•
The
Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888)
•
The
Picture of Dorian Gray
(1890)
•
Lord
Arthur Saville’s Crime and Other Stories (1891)
•
Lady
Windermere’s Fan (1892)
•
Salomé (1893)
•
A
Woman of No Importance
(1893)
•
An
Ideal Husband (1895)
•
The
Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
•
The
Ballad of Reading Gaol
(1898)
•
De
Profundis (1905)
Words to
describe Oscar Wilde
•
Eccentric
•
Flamboyant
•
Witty
•
Humorous
"Always forgive your enemies -- nothing annoys them so much".Picture: Statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin.
By Leila Islam.
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