Oscar Wilde (1969) is a celebrated biography by American literary critic Richard Ellmann, chronicling the life and work of Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet, playwright, and aesthetician. Drawing extensively from Wilde’s letters and private writings, Ellmann provides fresh insights into Wilde’s art and situates him within the cultural context of the fin de siècle. Wilde, born in 1854, demonstrated an early aptitude for learning, a love for literature, and disdain for athletics. His time at Oxford was marked by struggles against rigid academic structures, and it was there he contracted syphilis, an incurable condition at the time. After graduating, Wilde pursued a career in playwriting, initially supported by his mother, Lady Wilde. His wit and talent soon made him one of London’s most popular playwrights. Despite professional success, Wilde’s life was marred by societal prejudice against his homosexuality. His relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas led to public scandal, his conviction for homosexual acts, and a two-year prison sentence. These events shattered his career, family life, and finances. Following his release, Wilde lived in exile, where he continued writing, including the poignant The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Ellmann portrays Wilde’s tragic demise at 46 from meningitis, exacerbated by syphilis, as a profound loss to literature and a commentary on the harsh treatment of homosexuality in his era. Though Wilde died disgraced, his legacy as a literary genius and pioneer for LGBTQ+ rights endures, cementing his place in British literary history.
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