Oscar Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish poet, playwright, and novelist, renowned for his wit and flamboyant style. Born in Dublin to Anglo-Irish intellectuals, he excelled academically at Portora Royal School, Trinity College Dublin, and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he became associated with the Aesthetic movement.
Wilde gained fame in the late 19th century for his plays, including The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), An Ideal Husband (1895), and Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), which showcased his mastery of epigrams and social commentary. His only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), explores themes of aestheticism and moral duplicity.
In 1895, Wilde’s personal life became public when he was tried and imprisoned for “gross indecency” due to his homosexual relationships. He served two years of hard labor, during which he wrote De Profundis, a letter reflecting on his experiences and spiritual journey. After his release in 1897, he lived in exile in France, where he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a poem addressing the harsh realities of prison life.
Wilde died in poverty in Paris at the age of 46. Despite his tragic end, he is celebrated as one of the greatest playwrights of the Victorian era and remains an enduring symbol of wit and artistic freedom.
