Oscar WildeOscar Wilde was an Anglo-Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest playwrights of the Victorian Era.In his lifetime he wrote nine plays, one novel, and numerous poems, short stories, and essays.Wilde was a proponent of the Aesthetic movement, which emphasized aesthetic values more than moral or social themes. This doctrine is most clearly summarized in the phrase 'art for art's sake'.Besides literary accomplishments, he is also famous, or perhaps infamous, for his wit, flamboyance, and affairs with men. He was tried and imprisoned for his homosexual relationship (then considered a crime) with the son of an aristocrat.

Birth name:Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills WildeBirth date:October 16, 1854Birth place:Dublin, IrelandNationality:IrishOccupation:Playwright, novelist, poet, editor, criticPeriod:Victorian era (18371901)Literary movement:AestheticismFamous Works: The Picture of Dorian Gray (novel) The Importance of Being Earnest (play) The Ballad of Reading Gaol (poem)Died:November 30, 1900 (aged 46) in Paris, FranceResting place:Le Pre Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France

aguecoldness, or shiveringantinomianismheretical Christian belief holding that predestination frees people from moralityasphodela white flower that symbolizes death, as ancient mythology holds that it covers the Elysian fieldsbeatera man responsible for driving game into a hunter's line of sight by beating plants and bushes with a stickbismutha metal-based whitening powder used primarily as theatrical make-upBlue-book (or "English Blue-book")a book listing the names and addresses of important people, such as government officials; like a selective telephone directorybroughamscovered carriages used as cabs for the wealthy in Victorian Londoncassonea small chest, or strongboxchaudfroidmeat or fish served in gelatin; a French delicacycopea broad, rounded cloak worn by priests and other members of the clergy during church processionsdandya word used amongst members of British high society in Wilde's day to describe a fashionable young man with effeminate affectationsdoctrinairea derogatory term for an intellectual who is doggedly devoted to the theories and ideas of othersdowagera rich widowennuithe French word for boredomensconcedsettled securely; surrounded byespritthe French word for liveliness, spiritedness, or sprightlinessfopsee "dandy"frangipannia strong, exotic perfumegamekeepera man employed by an estate to care for the birds and other animals that are kept for hunting purposesoboe

hedonisma doctrine from ancient Greece stating that the pursuit of pleasure is life's greatest aim; Lord Henry's form of "new hedonism," a popular term during Wilde's life, was a variation on this idea, holding that the pursuit of new sensations through art takes precedence above all elsehigh stockshigh, stiff collars worn by fashionable menidolatrousadoring something excessively, bordering on or exceeding worshipiniquitiestransgressions or sinsjarviesnineteenth century slang for coach driverslanguidnonchalant, apathetic, and lacking energy; Wilde often uses this word to describe the mannerisms of his characters, especially Lord Henrylitheflexible; suppleLouis-Quinzean ornate style of fashion and furniture named after Louis XV of Francemouea pout or frownnacrepearl, or mother-of-pearlnarcissismthe love of one's own appearance; named for Narcissus, a figure from Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection in a pond, was drowned when he tried to embrace it, and was transformed into a narcissus flower.opium dena place, generally located in a slum, where opium is bought and smoked, usually along with other illicit activities, such as prostitution and gambling. Opium use was common among artists of the romantic period, and retained its popularity well into Wilde's dayparadoxa true statement that seems to contradict itselfparsemea French word meaning strewn or speckledprecisa French word indicating a synopsis of important factsprotegea French word referring to a person under the tutelage of a master or mentor; an apprenticesalona French word for "living room" that is used to denote a regular social gathering of artists and intellectualssudariaa highly decorative, fringed ceremonial handkerchiefvictoriaa small, covered carriage