Dossier 1 Oscar Wilde: Life and Work

Oscar Wilde: Life and Work

Quick facts

Name: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde Born: Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854 Died: in Paris, France on November 30, 1900 (aged 46) Nationality: Irish Married to: Constance Lloyd Children: two sons - Cyril and Vyvyan Education: Classics* at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford Key works: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

After Wilde’s death an envelope appeared with the lines ‘My Isola’s Hair’ and ‘She is not dead but sleepeth.’ Early life

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1854. His father, Sir William Wilde, was an important ear and eye surgeon*, but he also wrote books. His mother, Lady Jane Francesca Elgee, was a poet and journalist. Oscar had an older brother, Willie, and a younger sister, Isola Francesca, who died aged 10 when Oscar was 12; some say the character of Virginia is based on her. Though his home life was full of culture*, it was not easy. He was very close to his mother, but his father was well known for relationships outside his marriage. Oscar caused public scandal* when details of his own relationships came out after he fought a libel case*.

History later repeated itself in Oscar Wilde’s own life.

6 classics (n.pl.) the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and history surgeon (n.) a doctor who cuts open people’s bodies in hospital culture (n.) music, writing and other arts scandal (n.) a situation where important people do things which shock society libel case (n.) a legal decision in the courts about whether something written about someone is true or not

Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

Education

Oscar was homeschooled until the age of nine by French and German teachers. After that, he studied at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, before getting a scholarship* to read classics at Trinity College Dublin. He was an excellent student, winning many prizes, and another scholarship to Magdalen College in Oxford. While at Oxford University he became involved in the Aesthetic Movement and was a well-known poseur* and a wit*. He also won the Newdigate Prize for his long poem, Ravenna, in 1878.

He spoke perfect French and German all his life. The Aesthetic Movement in 1880s England believed in ‘art for art’s sake’ not art as a way to teach people right from wrong.

The Newdigate Prize is a prize for students of the University of Oxford for poetry.

The collection of poetry was less successful in England than in America.

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.

Travel, writing and family

After university, Wilde published* his first collection of poetry, Poems. Then he travelled around the United States and Canada for a year, giving lectures* about art and beauty. Back in Great Britain he gave lectures about his experiences in America.

scholarship (n.) money given to a clever student to study poseur (n.) showing that you think a lot of yourself wit (n.) someone who uses words in a funny and clever way publish (v.) write and sell somethings that people want to read, watch or play lecture (n.) talking about something in front of an audience 7

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

On May 29, 1884, Oscar married Constance Lloyd, daughter of a rich lawyer. They had two sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886). During this period Oscar worked as a journalist for different newspapers and as the editor* of Woman’s World magazine. He also published three collections of short stories, including The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888).

Wilde first told these stories at dinner parties, intending them for adults, although many children read them.

Dorian Gray is a young man who sells himself to the devil so that he can stay young and beautiful. Important works

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), was Wilde’s only novel*, and people attacked it because of its dangerous ideas. Wilde wrote his best work for the theatre: Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). The plays were clever and made fun of Victorian society.

Many of the lines from his plays have become famous sayings still used today.

8 editor (n.) a person who corrects a book, newspaper or magazine novel (n.) a long, invented story.

Scandal, prison and death

Wilde began a relationship with Bosie, Lord Alfred Douglas, and his marriage ended. In April 1895 he took a libel case out against Bosie’s father, the Marquis of Queensberry, after he accused him of homosexuality, which was against the law at that time. Wilde lost and the police arrested him. He went to prison for two years of hard labour. There, he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898) about the terrible life in prison. He died without any money in Paris on 30 November 1900.

The Marquis of Queensbury first wrote the rules of boxing, named after him. Men had to do hard physical work in prison, which often killed them.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

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