Oscar Wilde

He was born in 1854 in Dublin. He studied in Dublin, then he moved to Oxford to England and gradually he became an aesthete (= he believed that the most important thing in our lives was art, feelings, an individual taste, natural behaviour, and fantasy).

In 1880s he became very famous in artistic circles thanks to his wit and flamboyance. He was an Irishman but he mocked and criticized English Victorian society. He mocked Victorian values (good clean life, going to church every Sunday, not even thinking about sex – even thoughts were considered as sins). He claimed that England was a place of hypocrites. He provoked very much society with his ideas, with his ways of dressing. The English didn’t like this Irishman to say what they should do or shouldn’t. It was common that if people lived as they shouldn’t, nobody was supposed to find out about it.

He married Constance Lloyd. They had two children together – 2 boys. But Oscar Wilde was bisexual and he started to live as a homosexual. His friend was lord Alfred Douglas. Unfortunately lord’s father accused  Wilde of homosexuality, which was a crime that time. Oscar Wilde was sentenced to 2 years in prison (1895). He was imprisoned in Reading (closed to London). He was completely psychologically broken. He lost completely faith in people as such.

When he left the prison, he decided to leave Britain for good. He spent his last years in Paris in very poor conditions (as a tramp and beggar). He died in 1900 in Paris.

Wilde’s work

Oscar Wilde is still very famous, even today, for his comedies. He is very sarcastic in them about political events and about society. And the problems in England of the 19^th century are so similar to contemporary problems.

 

• “An Ideal Husband”
• “The Importance of Being Earnest”
• “A Woman of No Importance”
• “Lady Windermere’s Fan”

 

He wrote fairy tales. They are completely different from classic fairy tales – they are too realistic – about poverty, about poor and nasty people or things.

 

• “The Happy Prince”
• “The Selfish Giant”
• “The Nightingale and the Rose”

 

He wrote one important novel. This novel was considered highly immoral. It was forbidden to read. It is said to be a confession of Oscar Wilde, because his life was so similar to that of Dorian Gray. Here is captured the so-called double-life.

 

• “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

 

While he was in prison he wrote a letter-essay to lord Alfred Douglas. It is a criticism of English law and social injustice.

 

• “De Profundis” (= Z hlubin)

 

He also captures a difficult life and feelings other prisoners in his work:

• “A Ballad of Reading Goal”

 

Oscar Wilde is very famous for his epigrams (short, witty sayings).

 

• “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
• “I have nothing to declare except my genius.”
• “There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
• “I can resist everything except temptation.”
• “When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving oneself, and one always ends by deceiving others. This is what the world calls a romance.”
• “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”

 

Oscar Wilde – Fairy Tales

His fairy tales are completely different from traditional ones. They are quite sad and probably for older children. He shows in them sympathy and affection for the poor, for the abandoned. His best known fairy tale is “The Happy Prince.

 

“The Happy Prince”

 

In one city there is a statue of the Happy Prince high on the column. He was happy, because he used to live in some palace surrounded by luxury and he didn’t know how the world look like behind the walls. But as the statue he came suddenly witness of all poverty and misery among ordinary people. Another main character is a little Swallow. It hasn’t flown away to the south, because of its love to the Reed. It is almost winter when it decides finally to leave for the south. On the way the Swallow rests at the Happy Prince ‘s feet. They became friends and the swallow wants to help the Happy prince who is very sad. The Swallow is asked to remove the leaves of fine gold and the jewels from the Prince’s statue and to bring them to all the people need some help. Then it is to late to fly to Egypt and because of the cold the Swallow dies. The Town Councilors decide on their walk around the town that the statue of the Prince looks very ugly and, therefore, it should be removed to the dust-heap. The only thing, which remains from the statue, is its leaden heart, which can’t be melted.

 

“Nightingale and Rose”

 

One student wants to go to a ball where he wants to dance with his beloved girl. But the girl wants him to bring her a red rose. Unfortunately there are no red roses anywhere. The student is very sad. The Nightingale in the garden finds out about the student’s sorrow. And because it likes the student, it wants to help him. It asked the rose-tree what it should do to help the student. The rose-tree is willing to give the Nightingale a rose. But Nightingale has to itself coloured the white rose with its own blood. The Nightingale is ready to bring this sacrifice for the student’s love. The poor bird dies. But the student is happy. He brings the red rose to his girlfriend, but she refuses the flower, because she finds it quite plain in the comparison with the jewels from some other boys. The student gets angry and throws the flower into the gutter.

 

“The picture of Dorian Gray”

This novel was considered highly immoral. It was forbidden to read. It is said to be a confession of Oscar Wilde, because his life was so similar to that of Dorian Gray. Here is captured the so-called double-life.

At the beginning of the story, Basil Hallward, an artist, made a portrait of his friend Dorian Gray, a remarkably beautiful young man. Dorian thinks the portrait is very good, but is then struck by realization that in time his good look will vanish. Dorian can’t bear that he will become hideous in the course of time while the portrait of his stays beautiful forever. He would give everything, even his soul if he could change it. He wants to stay handsome, but the picture will grow old and ugly instead of him.

Dorian lives a double-life, full of hypocrisy and cruelty. For example he deserts his girlfriend in a very cruel manner. He is also not very nice to his friends, he treats them very badly. To his great surprise, after some time Dorian notices the change in the picture. There can be seen the lines of cruelty in his face.

Dorian decides to hide the portrait so that no one can see the changes on the canvas. He lives a life of indulgence and sensual pleasure. He betray his friends, some of them die in mysterious circumstances. Dorian takes to disappearing in sordid opium houses.

The years go by, and Basil, who is a famous painter and is to hold an exhibition of his in Paris, comes to Dorian and asks him to lend him the portrait, which he considers his masterpiece. At first Dorian shows the picture to Basil, but then he realizes that Basil finds out the truth about him. He decides to get rid of him. He stabs Basil to death and he disposes of the body.

Dorian doesn’t want to be burdened by his past and he thinks that the picture is the only evidence of monstrous life. He decides to destroy it, and thus to get rid of his past. He stabs the picture with a knife and at the same time he in fact kills himself. When people come to the room, they can see a beautiful picture but a very hideous dead body of a man lying in the floor. Only when they examine the rings, they can tell who he is.