Oscar Wilde

Born in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde studied at Trinity College Dublin and later at Oxford, where he became closely associated with the Aesthetic movement and its belief in art for art’s sake. He first gained attention as a poet, lecturer, and brilliant conversationalist before turning to the fiction and drama that made him famous.

Wilde’s best-known works include The Picture of Dorian Gray and the plays Lady Windermere’s Fan, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest. His writing is remembered for its epigrams, theatrical flair, and ability to poke fun at manners, fashion, and hypocrisy while staying wonderfully entertaining.

His life took a tragic turn after the trials of 1895, which led to imprisonment and ruined his career in England. After his release he lived mostly in France, where he died in Paris in 1900. Even so, his reputation endured, and he is now widely regarded as one of the great writers in English.