THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT OSCAR WILDE

BY ERIC MALOENGLISH LITERATURE

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

 Is best known for writing The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)

It is a dark and ironic novel which was the topic of much controversy at its time.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Wilde was born with three names.

His full name is “Oscar Fingal O'Flaherty Wills Wilde”

He born in Dublin in 1854.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

His mother, Jane Wilde was a successful poet and Irish nationalist whose pen name was “Sperenza.“

His father was also an author

His father was knighted for his work as an assistant commissioner to the censuses of Ireland.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Wilde was an impressive linguist.

He taught French, German, Italian and Ancient Greek.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Wilde embarked on a tour of America in 1882

He talked about a wide variety of subjects like:

“English Renaissance” “Decorative Art”

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Wilde married Constance Lloyd on May 29, 1884 and had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan.

Cyril fought and died in World War I in the Battle of Festubert in France where he is buried.

Vyvyan changed his last name to Holland.

Vyvyan’s son and Wilde’s grandson, Merlin Holland, published the Oscar Wilde biography 'A Portrait of Oscar Wilde' (2008).

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

He only published one novel, The Portait of Dorian Gray (1891).

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

He was a supporter of socialism

He wrote a political essay called 'The Soul of Man under Socialism' (1891)

In there Wilde illustrates an anarchist philosophy

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Before his death due to cerebral meningitis he was conditionally baptized in the Catholic Church.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

During his time in prison Wilde wrote excessively producing some of his greatest essays and letters.

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

Oscar Wilde’s last words were

“My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or other of us has got to go.”

Interesting Facts you must know about Oscar Wylde

His famous tomb was designed by Sir Jacob Epstein

The Angel statue adorning the tomb was originally installed with male genitalia which has since been vandalized.