He was born oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde on october 16, 1854, at 21 westland row, dublin, ireland. Oscar wildes unconventional life began with an equally unconventional family. It is a carefully cultivated image that wilde developed. From his outsize celebrity in victorian london to his authorship of fiction, drama, and poetry that uniquely captured his era, its fair to say that wilde succeeded on both counts. Cyril, born in june 1885, who died in world war i, and vyvyan, born in november 1886. Oscar wilde by richard ellmann is a very detailed biography which brings out wilde s enormous generosity and his boundless intellect. Oscar wilde oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde, 16 october 1854 30 november 1900 was an irish writer, poet and playwright. His father was sir william wilde, a respected surgeon. Oscar was especially influenced by his mother, a brilliantly witty raconteur, and, as a child, he was frequently invited to.
A pleasure seeking prince, a selfish giant, and more. Oct 10, 2019 author oscar wilde was known for his acclaimed works including the picture of dorian gray and the importance of being earnest, as well as his brilliant wit, flamboyant style and infamous. She wrote patriotic irish verse under the pseudonym speranza. Oscar wilde and myself 1914, largely ghostwritten by t. It was published a few months after ellmanns death and is a triumph.
Scott red leatherette brentanos 19 the poems and fairy tales of oscar wilde antique book. Set on two continents, it tracks a largerthanlife hero on an unforgettable adventure to make his name and gain international acclaim. Oscar wilde psychologically and sexually complicated, enormously quotable, central to an. This is a bibliography of works by oscar wilde, a latevictorian irish writer. Winner of both the national book critics circle award and the pulitzer prize, oscar wilde is the definitive biography of the tortured poet and playwright and the last book by renowned biographer and literary critic richard ellmann. Richard ellmann, oscar wilde this was the final work by richard ellmann, a distinguished literary biographer whose biography of james joyce is considered one of the best examples of the genre. Author oscar wilde was known for his acclaimed works including the picture of dorian gray and the importance of being earnest, as well as his brilliant wit, flamboyant style. In addition to the controversies that caused his sexual orientation at that time. He studied the classics at dublin and oxford before moving to london. Chiefly remembered today as a playwright, especially for the importance of being earnest, and as the author of the picture of dorian gray.
Oscar wilde was born in 1854 in dublin, the capital of ireland. Oscar fingall oflahertie wills wilde was born in dublin in 1854. According to a story she warded off creditors by reciting aeschylus. At just shy of 1,000 pages the first major biography of oscar wilde in three decades is a truly formidable achievement. A gifted poet, playwright and wit, oscar wilde was a phenomenon in 19thcentury england.
Matthew sturgis, the author, knows both the era in which wilde lived and his subject cold. Scroll below and check more details information about current net worth as well as monthlyyear salary, expense, income reports. However, the irish playwrights personal lifestyle, rather than his artistic achievements, still remains the. He found critical and popular success with his scintillating plays, chiefly the importance of being earnest, while his only novel, the picture of dorian gray, scandalized readers. In 1954 wildes son vyvyan holland published his memoir son of oscar wilde, which recounts the difficulties wildes wife and children faced after his imprisonment. Oscar wilde books biography and list of works author of. Wilde was the leader in the aesthetic movement that was based on the principle of art for arts sake. Merlins son lucien is a classics major at oxford, just like oscar wilde. Oscar wilde was born in 1854 in dublin, ireland to prominent intellectuals william wilde and lady jane francesca wilde. His father, sir william wilde, was an eminent victorian and a doctor of aural surgery. His life and confessions, volume i illustrated usually ships within 1 to 2 months. Writer oscar wilde is arrested after losing a libel case against the marquess of queensberry wilde had been engaged in an affair with the marquesss son. Wildes homosexuality and the indecency trial it spurred in 1895 have. In my view, this is the best onevolume biography of wilde now available to readers.
Oscar wilde 18541900 was born in dublin to unconventional parents. Oscar wilde the irish writer and poet, oscar wilde is best known for writing the picture of dorian gray 1891, a dark and sardonic novel which was the topic of much controversy at its time. The daughter of horace lloyd, an angloirish barrister. He wrote his only novel, the picture of dorian gray, in 1890 but his reputation arose from the success of his plays. His mother, francesca elgee wilde, was a flamboyant, dramatic persona who, before her marriage, published revolutionary poems under the pen name speranza. In 1864, his father wille wilde was knighted for his services to medicine.
He was educated at trinity college, dublin and magdalen college, oxford where, a disciple of pater, he founded an aesthetic cult. His parents were socially prominent angloirish protestants, each with eclectic interests, a belief in. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. A stellar book on that rare lord of language, oscar wilde. His father was a doctor, but he probably got his sense of humor and writing abilities from his mother, who was also a poet. Oscar wilde books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. It was revised and updated by merlin holland in 1989. Though they were not aristocrats, the wildes were welloff and provided oscar with a fine education. The first more or less objective biography of wilde came about when hesketh pearson wrote oscar wilde. Vyvyan became a writer using the surname holland, and his own grandson, merlin holland, has written two books about his grandfather, wilde album and after oscar. He was a wellknown writer for his short stories, his essays, and his novel the portrait of dorian gray.
Oscar wilde was an irish author and the most popular playwright in 1890s london. The revival of his 1895 play, an ideal husband, on broadway and in a 1999 film proved very successful. Born oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde on october 16, 1854, in dublin, ireland. A house birthday celebration is in full swing at lady hunstantons united states of america home, whilst its far announced that gerald arbuthnot has been appointed secretary to the sophisticated, witty lord illingworth. The book was bound in enamel parchment, the cover was embossed with a gilt blossom, and the poems were printed on handmade dutch paper.
The author has been the subject of many biographies, both in book and film version, notably richard ellmanns 1988 work, oscar wilde, and the dramatic film wilde, released in the late 1990s. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde entered the world on october 16th, 1854. Author bio born in ireland in 1856, oscar wilde was a noted essayist, playwright, fairy tale writer and poet, as well as an early leader of the aesthetic movement. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde was born to successful dublin intellectuals, sir william wilde and jane francesca wilde on october 16, 1854 at 21 westland row, dublin. Oscar wilde s unconventional life began with an equally unconventional family. She was also the wife of irish playwright oscar wilde and the mother of their two sons, cyril and vyvyan.
When i was sixteen, i was obsessed with oscar wilde. Oscar wilde 18541900, the author of the importance of being earnest and the picture of dorian gray, has been gaining in popularity and academic respect for his literary achievements. For example, when he was told to take a scene out of the importance of being earnest by the actormanager george alexander, he replied. The book was the basis for the 1997 film wilde, directed by brian gilbert and starring stephen fry as the title character.
Wilde became devoted to aestheticism during these oxford years see oscar wildes aesthetics in critical essays at the end of this book for more information on the aesthetic movement. Knighted in 1864, oscars father was a distinguished ophthalmologic surgeon and philanthropist who wrote many books. Oscar wildes audacious drama of social scandal centres around the revelation of mrs arbuthnots lengthyconcealed mystery. He was educated at trinity college, dublin and magdalen college, oxford. Educated at the portora royal school, trinity college in dublin, and oxford university, he married contance lloyd in 1884 and had two children, cyril and. The magazines editor feared the story was indecent, and without wildes knowledge, deleted roughly five hundred words before publication. In 1994, melissa knox published her psychobiography, oscar wilde. This book explores the ways in which wildes literary styles and the events of his life developed in response to his desires, conflicts, and suffering. Just as wilde the playwright and poet established his place in the literary canon, so wilde the correspondent has been the object of critical examination.
In oscar wilde, the love that dare not speak its name found a somewhat involuntary spokesman. More about oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde biography and profile. Richard ellmann wrote his 1987 biography oscar wilde, for which he posthumously won a national usa book critics circle award in 1988 and a pulitzer prize in 1989. Mendelssohns is the first wilde biography to assert the centrality of american culture to his formation as a thinker, an artist, a spectaclemaker, and ultimately as an irishman. The picture of dorian gray is a philosophical novel by the writer oscar wilde, first published complete in the july 1890 issue of lippincotts monthly magazine. A popular perception persists of oscar wilde as an idle aesthete. Sturgis marshals vast amounts of information with skill and flair to present the definitive account not just of the man but his era. The 10 most popular misconceptions about oscar wilde books. Oscar wilde was born on 16 october 1854 in dublin, ireland. Making oscar wilde reveals the untold story of young oscar s career in victorian england and postcivil war america. This scene you feel is superfluous cost me terrible exhausting labour and heartrending nervewracking strain. Oscar wilde, in full oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde, born october 16, 1854, dublin, irelanddied november 30, 1900, paris, france, irish wit, poet, and dramatist whose reputation rests on his only novel, the picture of dorian gray 1891, and on his comic masterpieces lady windermeres fan 1892 and the importance of being earnest 1895. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde was born on 16 october 1854, in dublin, ireland, the second of three children born to writer jane francesca agnes nee elgee 18211896 and surgeon sir william robert wills wilde 18151876.
Browse oscar wildes bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. Oscar wilde the everquotable oscar wilde 18541900 was an irish playwright, novelist, essayist, and poet who delighted victorian england with his legendary wit. Merlin holland is oscar wilde s grandson and the sole executor of his estate. Wilde moved to london, living the life of a bachelor with a friend, portraitist frank miles. 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. Wilde was the leader in the aesthetic movement that. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde yes, its a mouthful was born 16 october 1854 in dublin, ireland. Oscar wilde s audacious drama of social scandal centres around the revelation of mrs arbuthnots lengthyconcealed mystery. May 06, 2003 merlin holland is oscar wilde s grandson and the sole executor of his estate. His parents were well known and attracted a degree of gossip for their extravagant lifestyles. Lord alfred douglas wrote two books about his relationship with wilde. Wildes mother was a prominent poet and nationalist.
An ideal husband, salome, a woman of no importance, and lady windermeres fan. In 1881 he published a collection of his works, poems, which sold out in its first printing. Oscar wilde books list of books by author oscar wilde. Oscar wildes 11 best quotes anyone with an interest in the concepts of beauty, wealth and morality will find intrigue and humour in this ode to a young man who sells his soul in. The 10 most popular misconceptions about oscar wilde. Oscar wilde, angloirish novelist, playwright, poet and critic, and a celebrity, was born in dublin on 16 october 1854. Ellmann dedicated two decades to the research and writing of this biography, resulting in a complex and richly detailed portrait of oscar wilde. Wilde lived a life of tremendous fame i finally finished it and although it took me a year to read it, i finally did it.
By turning her archival eye to historical representations of race and ethnicity, mendelssohn also manages to give us an oscar wilde for our time. He was able to laugh at the movements superficial excesses as well as his own. The difference between journalism and literature is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. Oscar wilde was born in 1854 to william ralph willis, a surgeon, and jane francesca elgee wilde, who supported the movement for irish independence. In retrospect, i realize it was because he was the first queer person that confirmed for me that queerness had a history those were the days before internet access, before i was really aware of my own sexuality i just felt a connection i couldnt yet name. The biography sensitive to the tragic pattern of the story of a great subject. Oscar s mother, lady jane francesca wilde 18201896, was a successful poet and journalist. He wrote the picture of dorian gray, and the plays salome, the importance of being earnest, an ideal husband, and lady windermeres fan. The book was the basis for the 1997 film wilde, directed by brian gilbert. The best books on oscar wilde five books expert recommendations. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. He was illustrious for preaching the importance of style in life and art, and of attacking victorian narrowmindedness. Oscar wilde was born in dublin on 16 october 1854 to sir william wilde and his wife jane.