Oscar Wilde

Born in Dublin on October 16, 1854, Oscar Wilde studied at Trinity College and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he won recognition for his poetry and absorbed the aesthetic ideas that shaped his career. He became a celebrated lecturer, editor, poet, novelist, essayist, and playwright, known for his sparkling conversation and distinctive sense of style. His major works include The Happy Prince and Other Tales, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lady Windermere’s Fan, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest.

Wilde’s public success was followed by scandal and imprisonment after his 1895 trials. During his time at Reading Gaol, he wrote De Profundis, a deeply personal letter later published as a book, and afterward produced The Ballad of Reading Gaol. He spent his final years in France and died in Paris on November 30, 1900. His wit, theatrical imagination, and sharp criticism of convention have kept his work widely read and performed.