Oscar Wilde

ICONIC PLAYWRIGHT RIGHT HERE!

Not only was he an author he is a strong LGBT+ icon!

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900)

Specialising in Greek and Roman studies winning some scholarships and rewards. He became an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Oxford. It turns out however Wilde wasn’t the model student considering he followed the aesthetic movement.

The meaning behind the, “Aesthetic Movement,” is, “Art for art’s sake.” Wilde believed in Aestheticism. An intellectual and art movement supporting the emphasis of aesthetic values more than social-political themes for literature, fine art, music and other arts.

1878 he graduated from Oxford and went on to tour America and western Europe teaching lecturers about Aestheticism as well as poetry, and an art critic. In one lecture he met Constance Lloyd who he then went on to get married (1884) with and have two sons, Cyril Holland and Vyvyan Holland.

“Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day.”

He wrote his first and only novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” in 1890.

After his wife had their second son Wilde was seduced into having sex with a man called Robert (Robbie) Ross. By Richard Ellmann’s account, he was a precocious seventeen-year-old who “so young and yet so knowing, was determined to seduce Wilde.”

At the height of his career, Wilde commenced an affair with a young man named Lord Alfred Douglas also known as Bosie. Douglas’s father when finding out about the affair left a calling card on Wilde’s doorstep calling him a Posing Somdomite. Wilde in turned sued him and ending up ruining his own life. Wilde’s affair with a young man led to his arrest on charges of “gross indecency” in 1895. He was imprisoned for two years and died in poverty three years after his release at the age of 46. 

Robbie Ross was the man who helped Wilde after he was released from prison, gave him a home and was by him on his death bed. He brought all the rights to Wilde’s work back and kept the man’s legacy alive!

Some of his most famous plays are:

• Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892)
• A Woman of No Importance (1893)
• An Ideal Husband (1895)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

Oscar Wilde wasn’t afraid to just be himself and that is inspiring to someone like me, he was out and proud in a way, not being ashamed of who he really was! It was unfair what became of him yet his good friend Robbie Ross brought him back to life even in death!

The Importance of being Earnest

The way in which I would describe the movie is, I didn’t get it or not at first anyway. It was quite hard to follow and one I’ll admit I didn’t really get into. It did have it’s eye catching funny moments and made me giggle and question the minds of the men and women back in the 1890’s but overall not my cup of tea. The language was quite hard to follow at times so by the end I did loose the plot and became even more confused when the truth was all revealed. At least it was a happy ending!