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Oscar Wilde's Birth
Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Sir William Wilde was a eye surgeon, and Jane Wilde was a poet and Irish nationalist. -
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Attended Portora Royal School
Attended Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, it was here that Wilde began to make a reputation for himself by winning the school's prize for the top classics student. as well as second prize in drawing during his final year. -
Awarded a Scholarship for Trinity College Dublin
Wilde was awarded the Royal School Scholarship to attend Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland -
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Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
At the end of his first year at Trinity in 1872, Wilde placed first in the classics examination and earned the prestigious Foundation Scholarship. Excelling in classics, he later won the Berkeley Gold Medal for Greek in 1874. Confident in his abilities. -
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Magdalen College, Oxford
At Oxford, Wilde excelled academically, earning first-class marks in classics while also making his first serious attempts at creative writing. -
Wins a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford
Wilde, confident in his knowledge in classics, took an exam on June 23rd, 1874, earning a Demyship (scholarship) to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he continued his studies. -
Oscar Wilde At Oxford
Photo by Hills and Sanders, Oxford -
"Ravenna" Wins Oxford’s Newdigate Prize
In 1878, the year of his graduation, Wilde won Oxford’s Newdigate Prize for his poem Ravenna, awarded for the best English verse composition by an undergraduate. -
Moves to London, England
After graduating from Oxford, Wilde moves to London to live with his friend Frank Miles, a popular portraitist. Facing an uncertain future without a friends or money, he focused on writing poetry during his time in London. -
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Playwriting
Though Wilde wrote nine plays between 1879 and 1894, his reputation as a dramatist rests on four comedies Lady Windermere's Fan (1893), A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1899), and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). along with his controversial Salomé. He is considered one of the greatest playwrights of the Victorian era. -
Publishes his first poetry Collection
Wilde published Poems, his first poetry collection, which reflected the influence of Swinburne, Rossetti, and Keats. Though it received mixed reviews, the book helped establish him as an emerging writer. -
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Poet
He published his first collection of poems, Poems, in 1881. His only enduring work in poetry is The Ballad of Reading Gaol, published in 1896. -
Goes to the America and Canada For the First Time
In 1882, Wilde embarked on a lecture tour across the U.S. and Canada, delivering 140 lectures in nine months. Despite media criticism of his flamboyant style, he captivated audiences with discussions on aesthetics, encouraging Americans and Canadians to embrace beauty and art. -
Oscar Wilde In New York
Photo taken by Napolean Sarony in New York, 1882 -
"Vera; or, The Nihilists" Premiers
Vera; or, The Nihilists is a tragedy, set in Russia in 1800 and loosely based on Vera Zasulich. Wilde completed a draft in 1880, and the play premiered on August 20, 1883, at New York’s Union Square Theatre. Starring Marie Prescott as Vera, it was not a success and closed after just one week. -
Marries Constance Lloyd
On May 29, 1884, Wilde married Constance Lloyd, the daughter of a wealthy Queen’s Counsel. They had two sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886), but their marriage began to deteriorate after Vyvyan’s birth.
Oscar, Constance and Cyril Wilde in 1892 -
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Becomes an Editor for Woman's World magazine
To support his family, Wilde became editor of Woman’s World magazine (1887–1889), elevating its quality and reputation by featuring contributions from his wife, mother, and literary peers. After two years, he grew weary of the role and left to focus on his own fiction and prose. -
"The Happy Prince and Other Tales"
A collection of short stories for children which contains five stories: The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Selfish Giant, The Devoted Friend, and The Remarkable Rocket. -
"The Decay of Lying" (Essay)
Wilde presents the essay in a interesting dialogue, with the characters of Vivian and Cyril having a conversation throughout the essay. The conversation, although is playful and whimsical (unusual and strange in a way that might be funny or annoying), shows Wilde’s view of Romanticism over Realism. -
"Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime and Other Stories"
A collection of short semi-comic mystery stories. It includes: Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, The Canterville Ghost, The Sphinx Without a Secret, and The Model Millionaire -
"The Picture of Dorian Gray"
Wilde's only full-length novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, initially faced critical but has since become a classic and a cornerstone of his literary works. The novel tells the cautionary tale of Dorian Gray, a beautiful young man who wishes for his portrait to age instead of him, allowing him to live a life of indulgence and sin without facing the consequences. -
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Starts having a Affair with a Man
At the height of his literary success, Wilde began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, known as "Bosie," who he met in 1891. Their passionate relationship was a secret but by Bosie’s recklessness, drew the attention of his father, the Marquess of Queensberry. Outraged by the rumors, Queensberry confronted Wilde, demanding he stay away from his son and threatening to expose his private life. -
Premieres Lady Windermere's Fan
One of Wilde’s first successful plays, Lady Windermere's Fan, premiered on February 1892. Its success lead him to focus on playwriting. The story follows Lady Windermere, who suspects her husband of affair and plans to leave him out of spite, only for his supposed mistress to intervene in an unexpected twist. -
Douglas "Bosie" and Wilde
Photographed by Napoleon Sarony in 1893 -
"A Woman of No Importance"
Premiering at the Haymarket Theatre in London, A Woman of No Importance ridicules English upper-class society and critiques social hypocrisy. Though it has been revived occasionally since Wilde’s death, it is considered the least successful of his four major drawing-room plays (a type of play, developed during the Victorian period). -
Publishes Salomé in English
Originally in French in 1893 and later translated into English, Salomé is a tragedy depicting the biblical story of Salome, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She seduces Jokanaan (John the Baptist) with her dance of the seven veils and demands his execution, ultimately meeting her own death on Herod’s orders. Premiered at the Comédie-Parisienne in Paris, the play was later banned in England for its portrayal of biblical characters. -
"An Ideal Husband"
First produced at the Haymarket Theatre in London in 1895, An Ideal Husband is a comedic play centered on blackmail and political corruption, exploring themes of public and private honor. It was a success, running for 124 performances. -
Premieres The Importance of Being Earnest in London,
One of Wilde’s most celebrated plays, The Importance of Being Earnest remains a comedic masterpiece. This silly comedy follows two young men who lead double lives—both adopting the name "Ernest"—to escape social obligations while courting their love interests. Mocked Victorian society, the play humorously minimizes serious institutions like marriage, making it as hilarious today as it was at its 1895 premiere. -
Wilde sues the Marquis of Queensberry for libel
On February 18, 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry, furious over Wilde’s affair with his son, left a calling card at Wilde’s home addressed to “Oscar Wilde: Posing Somdomite.” Though Wilde’s homosexuality was an open secret, he was so outraged that he sued Queensberry for libel. a disastrous decision that led to his own arrest for "gross indecency" and ultimately ruined his life. -
Wilde is convicted of "Gross Indecency"
In March 1895, Wilde’s libel case against Queensberry collapsed when the defense presented evidence of his homosexuality, including homoerotic passages from his works and love letters to Douglas. The case’s dismissal led to his arrest for "gross indecency," and on May 25, he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, where he struggled with harsh conditions and declining health. -
While imprisoned, Wilde writes "De Profundis"
De Profundis is a letter Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas while in prison, reflecting on his past relationship and extravagant lifestyle that led to his conviction. The first half recounts his downfall, while the second explores his spiritual development, portraying Jesus Christ as a romantic, individualist artist. Wilde entrusted the manuscript to journalist Robert Ross, who published it in 1905, five years after Wilde’s death, under the title De Profundis, taken from Psalm 130. -
Wilde is released from prison and moves to France
After his release, Wilde moved to France, living in cheap hotels and friends apartments. He briefly reunited with Douglas, but their families threatened to cut off financial support if they stayed together. -
Publishes "The Ballad of Reading Gaol"
Wilde’s final major work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), is a long poem inspired by his prison experiences. Written in exile in France after his release from Reading Gaol, it reflects on the brutality of the penal system and the execution of a fellow inmate. It remains one of his most touching and powerful works. -
Oscar Wilde's Death
Wilde died of meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord) on November 30, 1900, at the age of 46. More than a century after his death, Wilde is still better remembered for his personal life and his bright personality, and infamous imprisonment for homosexuality, than for his literary accomplishments. -
