A popular playwright as well as a great novelist, wilde is known for his distinct and biting wit. His shortstory the canterville ghost parodied the classical ghost stories. Oscar fingall oflahertie wills wilde was born in dublin in 1854. How oscar wilde become the first celebrity famous for being famous. Dec 18, 2008 there are many famous people from dublin. Top 5 best oscar wilde books you should know discover walks. The oscar wilde page at american literature, featuring a biography and free library of the authors novels, stories, poems, letters, and texts. An irish writer like no other, the beloved oscar wilde. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde 16 october 1854 30 november 1900 was an irish poet and playwright.
Poet, playwright and novelist oscar wilde was born october 16, 1854 in dublin. Oscar wilde biography, books and facts famous authors. Oscar wilde must read novels books to read my books dorian gray book thing 1. See all books authored by oscar wilde, including the picture of dorian gray, and the importance of being earnest, and. Oscar wilde books list of books by author oscar wilde. When one thinks of oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray immediately comes to mind as it is his most notable novel. Oscar wilde books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Oscar wilde 18541900, irish dramatist, poet, and author wrote the darkly sardonic faustian themed the picture of dorian gray 1891. Always eager to please, wilde revised the novel but directed the rest of his energies to plays and poetry. I enjoyed reading this book from the master writer. I am so clever that sometimes i dont understand a single word of what i am saying. While his most famous works, the picture of dorian gray and the importance of being earnest, live on, wilde is most frequently remembered for his wit.
He found critical and popular success with his scintillating plays, chiefly the importance of being earnest, while his only novel, the picture of dorian gray, scandalized readers. Oscar wilde was a flamboyant and vivacious playwright of the 19th century. A popular perception persists of oscar wilde as an idle aesthete. This is a kind of speedpaint about dorian gray, for an article about the great tale of oscar wilde in imaginarios digital magazine. Remembered as much for his imprisonment for homosexuality and early death, as for his literary talent, wilde cuts a fascinating figure, and. Elements of a gothic novel in the picture of dorian gray. Oscar wilde books biography and list of works author. The popular novels of oscar wilde made him a household name in the educated society and inspired many over the time. It will help you choose your best oscar wilde book. Oscar wilde wrote plenty of plays and poetry, but the picture of dorian gray 1890 would be his only novel. A caricature of wilde by aubrey beardsley, the caption reads oscar wilde at work. Oct 10, 2019 author oscar wilde was known for his acclaimed works including the picture of dorian gray and the importance of being earnest, as well as his brilliant wit, flamboyant style and infamous. Here are 15 of his best quotes for writers, readers and artists in honor of his 160th birthday.
Women and sex on stage, 18001930, a study of theatrical depictions of illicit sexuality, encompassing prostitution, adultery, bigamy and seduction. Knighted in 1864, oscars father was a distinguished ophthalmologic surgeon and philanthropist who wrote many books. Before writing dorian gray, wilde had already used the wellknown motifs of gothic. The famous comedy plays written by oscar wilde which got a huge fan base are. Wildes essays, plays, and novels led the aesthetic movement for other artists and he was a prominent example of this movement for other authors writing in the 19 th century. Saturated by his famous wit and satire, the novel focuses on themes of extravagance, immorality, and beauty. List of the best oscar wilde books, ranked by voracious readers in the ranker community.
This is a bibliography of works by oscar wilde, a latevictorian irish writer. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. A celebrated 19th century irish writer, oscar wilde s poems, stories, and plays, have earned him dedicated fans the world over. Of all his plays, the importance of being earnest, a trivial comedy for serious people is a symbol of the height of his fame and success, which people still like to watch. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde was born to successful dublin intellectuals, sir william wilde and jane francesca wilde on october 16, 1854 at 21 westland row, dublin. Top 10 books by oscar wilde best book recommendations. How oscar wilde become the first celebrity famous for.
Famous novels famous books dorian gray book of life the book books to read my books old libraries indie. Oct 16, 2014 poet, playwright and novelist oscar wilde was born october 16, 1854 in dublin. Born in 1854, oscar wilde was a prolific writer whose famous work includes novels like the picture of dorian gray originally published in 1890 and a play called the importance of being earnest which premiered in 1895. The first table of contents at the very beginning of the ebook lists the titles of all novels included in this volume. But there is more to the life of oscar wilde than witticisms and dorian gray. Complete fairy tales of oscar wilde signet classics. Society and subversion in the plays of oscar wilde, and acts of desire. His most famous play and the uncontested number one on this list, the important of being earnest is a fantastic farcical comedy that simply must be read by any actor, playwright or decent human being. I bought this book so i can read it and narrate the same in a simpler language to my daughter. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. It is only the shallow people who do not judge by appearances. He was educated at trinity college, dublin and magdalen college, oxford where, a disciple of pater, he founded an aesthetic cult.
In 1891, he published the picture of dorian gray, his only novel which. Complete fairy tales of oscar wilde signet classics simply loved this book. Oscar wilde, author of importance of being earnest, was one of the greatest of irish writers and playwrights known around the world. Author oscar wilde was known for his acclaimed works including the picture of dorian gray and the importance of being earnest, as well as his brilliant wit, flamboyant style and infamous. Oscar wilde biography oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde october 16, 1854 november 30, 1900 was an angloirish playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of londons most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. A celebrated 19th century irish writer, oscar wildes poems, stories, and plays, have earned him dedicated fans the world over.
For example, when he was told to take a scene out of the importance of being earnest by the actormanager george alexander, he replied. What are the names of most famous oscar wilde novels answers. In the centre of the room, clamped to an upright easel, stood the fulllength portrait of a young man of extraordinary personal beauty, and in front of it, some little distance away, was sitting the artist. During his own era he was one of londons most popular playwrights, and today his most famous works remain household names. Chiefly remembered today as a playwright, especially for the importance of being earnest, and as the author of the picture of dorian gray. Author oscar wilde was known for his acclaimed works including the. The portable oscar wilde, selected and edited by richard aldington, viking new york, ny, 1946, revised edition selected and edited by aldington and stanley weintraub, 1981. Oscar wilde, author of importance of being earnest. Oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde 16 october 1854 30 november 1900 was an irish writer and poet.
Oscar wilde was born at 21 westland row, dublin now home of the oscar wilde centre, trinity college, the second of three children born to an angloirish couple. Best oscar wilde plays the must read plays by oscar wilde. There is no evidence he said one of his most famous quotes. Oscar fingall oflahertie wills wilde, 18541900, irish author and wit, b. Writers like bram stoker the author of dracula, oscar wilde and brendan. Oscar wilde was born on october 16, 1854, in dublin, ireland.
It didnt win wilde any friends with literary critics, who called the novel everything from effeminate to unclean. He wrote a number of great plays as well as essays, poetry and novels. Playwright, poet, and essayist oscar wilde may be the most famous quotesmith in literary history. Jane wilde was a niece by marriage of the novelist, playwright and clergyman charles maturin 1780 1824, who may have. The bestknown works of oscar wilde, including the poems, novels, plays, essays, and fairy tales, halcyon house garden city, ny, 1940. In this lesson, youll learn all about the victorian author. For example, they have read the novel as about the dangers of treating life purely as art, as dorian does. Oscar was two years younger than his brother, william willie wilde. See more ideas about oscar wilde books, oscar wilde and dorian gray. In the literary world of victorian london, wilde fell in with an artistic crowd that included w. He was educated at trinity college in dublin and at magdalen college, oxford, and settled in london, where he married constance lloyd in 1884. With commercial success and critical acclaim, theres no doubt that oscar wilde is one of the most popular authors of the last 100 years. Ten of the hottest sex scenes in popular literature.
The picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde, the importance of being earnest by oscar wilde, the canterville ghost by oscar w. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, the early 1890s saw him become one of the most popular playwrights in london. It is a carefully cultivated image that wilde developed. Oscar wilde biography and list of works oscar wilde books.
A collection of short stories by oscar wilde the happy prince and other stories, a house of pomegranates, and others. Wilde wrote nine plays, all in between 1879 and 1894. Oscar wilde is currently considered a single author. Another famous quote of oscar wilde is a man can be happy with every woman, as long he does not love her. Asked in oscar wilde what are the names of most famous oscar wilde novels. Ten of the hottest sex scenes in popular literature queerty.
How oscar wilde become the first celebrity famous for being. His mother, who wrote under the name speranza, was a revolutionary poet and an authority on celtic myth and folklore after attending portora royal school, enniskillen 186471. Best oscar wilde books list of popular oscar wilde books. His private correspondence has also been published. This scene you feel is superfluous cost me terrible exhausting labour and heartrending nervewracking strain. Wilde was born of professional and literary parents. His most famous play and the uncontested number one on this list, the important of being earnest is a fantastic farcical comedy that simply must. His father, sir william wilde, was irelands leading ear and eye surgeon, who also published books on archaeology, folklore, and the satirist jonathan swift. The everquotable oscar wilde once said, anybody can make history. Oscar wilde quotes author of the picture of dorian gray. From the picture of dorian gray to the importance of being earnest, oscar wilde left an indelible mark on literature and theater.
Wildes mother was a prominent poet and nationalist. Oscar wilde, in full oscar fingal oflahertie wills wilde, born october 16, 1854, dublin, irelanddied november 30, 1900, paris, france, irish wit, poet, and dramatist whose reputation rests on his only novel, the picture of dorian gray 1891, and on his comic masterpieces lady windermeres fan 1892 and the importance of being earnest 1895. From his outsize celebrity in victorian london to his authorship of fiction, drama, and poetry that uniquely captured his era, its fair to say that wilde succeeded on both counts. Born in ireland and taking over the globe one grandiose moment at a time, oscar wilde rocked the world with his lush lifestyle, his decadent take on life, and his sordid and passionate love affairs. While working as an editor for ladys world, wilde was struck with an intense bout of creativity, and during seven years, he created nearly all of. Here are his 40 most popular according to goodreads sourced quotations, grouped. Top 10 books by oscar wilde best book recommendations, best. He published only one fulllength novel during his lifetime. Wilde is perhaps most famous for his plays, and for his only novel, the picture of dorian gray. The best books on oscar wilde five books expert recommendations. No 27 the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde 1891. Oscar wilde books biography and list of works author of. Jan 22, 2019 wilde wrote nine plays, all in between 1879 and 1894.
He is most famous for his sophisticated, brilliantly witty plays, which were the first since the comedies of sheridan and goldsmith to have both dramatic and literary merit. Poems, novels, plays, and fairy tails by oscar wilde and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. One of the greatest novelist, storyteller, poet and playwright ever, oscar wilde books were full of relatable characters, intriguing storylines and excellent narrative. This edition has been professionally formatted and contains several tables of contents. Oscar wilde books list of books by author oscar wilde thriftbooks. The everquotable oscar wilde 18541900 was an irish playwright, novelist, essayist, and poet who delighted victorian england with his legendary wit. Musicians like paul hewson also known as bono, sinead oconnor and bob geldof.
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