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but that is not a universally accepted view. Wilde instigated the litigation that led to his downfall.

but that is not a universally accepted view. Wilde instigated the litigation that led to his downfall.

==Early Life==

==Early life==

Wilde was born in Dublin on 16 October 1854. His father was a surgeon and founder of a hospital in Dublin, and his mother was a writer who was active in the early movement for women's rights. The family was Protestant but there is a story that his mother secretly had him re-baptized as a Catholic. Wilde studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and Magdalen College, [[Oxford University]], receiving his BA in 1878. While at Oxford, he came very much under the influence of Walter Pater, the aesthete, who taught a creed of "art for art's sake", a reaction against the sternly moral mission of art in the prevalent Victorian view. He also came to a lesser extent under the influence of John Ruskin, the art historian and socialist. Wilde's poem "Ravenna" won the Newdigate prize.

Wilde was born in Dublin on 16 October 1854. His father was a surgeon and founder of a hospital in Dublin, and his mother was a writer who was active in the early movement for women's rights. The family was Protestant but there is a story that his mother secretly had him re-baptized as a Catholic. Wilde studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and Magdalen College, [[Oxford University]], receiving his BA in 1878. While at Oxford, he came very much under the influence of Walter Pater, the aesthete, who taught a creed of "art for art's sake", a reaction against the sternly moral mission of art in the prevalent Victorian view. He also came to a lesser extent under the influence of John Ruskin, the art historian and socialist. Wilde's poem "Ravenna" won the Newdigate prize.

After leaving Oxford with a double first, Wilde traveled to the USA on a lecture tour, talking about art history and aesthetics. He behaved in a flamboyant and attention-seeking way. The story that he told a Customs official "I have nothing to declare but my genius" originates in the biography by Arthur Ransome written in 1912, long after Wilde's death and there are no contemporary sources for it.<ref>http://www.oscarwildeinamerica.org/quotations/nothing-to-declare.html

After leaving Oxford with a double first, Wilde traveled to the USA on a lecture tour, talking about art history and aesthetics. He behaved in a flamboyant and attention-seeking way. The story that he told a Customs official "I have nothing to declare but my genius" originates in the biography by Arthur Ransome written in 1912, long after Wilde's death and there are no contemporary sources for it.<ref>http://www.oscarwildeinamerica.org/quotations/nothing-to-declare.html

</ref>. In the USA Wilde met the poet [[Walt Whitman]].

</ref> In the USA Wilde met the poet [[Walt Whitman]].

==Marriage and Literary Fame==

==Marriage and Literary Fame==

==Wilde's sexuality==

==Wilde's sexuality==

Although Wilde had relations with women in his youth, he became decidedly [[homosexual]] after his encounter with Robert Ross, and was also a [[pederast]]. Wilde himself believed that he belonged to a culture of "[male love]]" inspired by the [[Greek pederastic tradition]], through his association with the Uranians. This claim does not really accord with the unsavory nature of Wilde's activities.

Although Wilde had relations with women in his youth, he became decidedly [[homosexual]] after his encounter with Robert Ross, and was also a [[pederast]]. Wilde himself believed that he belonged to a culture of "[[male love]]" inspired by the [[Greek pederastic tradition]], through his association with the Uranians. This claim does not really accord with the unsavory nature of Wilde's activities.

Friends such as Aubrey Beardsley and Max Beerbohm record Wilde sitting in the Café Royale in London chatting over dinner about having had relations with five boys in one night, and engaging in analingus.

Friends such as Aubrey Beardsley and Max Beerbohm record Wilde sitting in the Café Royale in London chatting over dinner about having had relations with five boys in one night, and engaging in analingus.

One of his witticisms recorded from this period is "Little boys should be obscene and not heard."

One of his witticisms recorded from this period is "Little boys should be obscene and not heard."

His pronounced pederastic tastes are confirmed by many letters and poems, addressed to youths and choir-boys in erotic terms.

His pronounced pederastic tastes are confirmed by many letters and poems, addressed to youths and choir-boys in erotic terms.

The 1995 film about Oscar Wilde, starring Stephen Fry, omitted any reference to his taste for boys, in order to give the false impression that he was a victim and a martyr.

The 1995 film about Oscar Wilde, starring Stephen Fry, omitted any reference to his taste for boys, in order to give the false impression that he was a victim and a martyr.

<ref> Richard Ellman, Oscar Wilde.(Random House, 1989).</ref>

<ref>Richard Ellman, Oscar Wilde.(Random House, 1989).</ref>

<ref>Neil McKenna. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde, Random House, 2011 </ref>

<ref>Neil McKenna. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde, Random House, 2011</ref>

==Wit==

==Wit==