Oscar Wilde was an Irish-born writer, poet and journalist. He wrote in several literary genres: novels, short stories, plays, poetry and more. Although some of his works were written in French, the majority appeared in English.
Oscar Wilde is a colorful character. He described himself as a dandy and a proponent of the theory of “art for art's sake”, which is reflected in his works. Indeed, his best-known work, the fantasy novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, deals with the themes of art, beauty, decadence and eternal youth.
With his lover, Alfred Douglas, the author has an unbridled relationship and flaunts himself in the open, which is unusual for the time. The lover's father, the Marquis of Queensberry, disapproved of the union. He and Wilde fought in court. Due to the mores and laws of the time in England, Oscar Wilde was accused of immoral activities and imprisoned for two years. On his release, he left Britain and settled in France.
Portrait of Oscar Wilde
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1854: Oscar Wilde is born on October 16, in Dublin.
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1881: After studying at Oxford University, Oscar Wilde moves to London. He publishes his first collection of poems a year later.
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1882: Wilde begins a lecture tour of the U.S. and Canada, explaining the rules of British aestheticism to listeners.
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1884: He marries Constance Lloyd. Together they have two children.
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1890: The first edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray is published.
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1891: The author, now comfortably famous, meets Lord Alfred Douglas of Queensberry. They become lovers.
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1895: Alfred Douglas's father, unhappy with his son's socializing, attempts to cause a scandal by distributing information about Oscar Wilde's personal life in a public house. Wilde sued him for defamation. Wilde loses the case.
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1895: Oscar Wilde is arrested and, following two trials, imprisoned. After a few months, he is granted access to a notebook and pencil. He writes a letter to his lover, later published as De Profundis.
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1897: Heavily affected by his time in prison, Oscar Wilde wins his freedom. He goes into exile in France, living under the pseudonym Sébastien Melmoth.
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1900: Oscar Wilde dies in Paris on November 30.