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==Biography==

==Biography==

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. Wilde studied at Trinity College Dublin and Magdalen College Oxford, receiving his BA in 1878.

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. Wilde studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and Magdalen College, Oxford, receiving his BA in 1878.

Wilde married Constance Lloyd in 1884, and they had two sons, but the relationship ended in 1893. Wilde then had a romantic relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, which eventually led to a conviction for [[homosexuality]] and indecency in 1895 for which he was sentenced to two years hard labor. He later wrote ''The Ballad of [[Reading]] Gaol'' and ''De Profundis'' about his experiences in prison.

Wilde married Constance Lloyd in 1884, and they had two sons, but the relationship ended in 1893. Wilde then had a romantic relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, which eventually led to a conviction for "gross indecency" in 1895 for which he was sentenced to two years hard labor. He later wrote ''The Ballad of [[Reading]] Gaol'' and ''De Profundis'' about his experiences in prison.

Wilde died in 1900, three years after his release from prison. In the past he was thought to have died of syphilis, but more recent studies by Dr Ashley Robins of the University of Cape Town in South Africa report that he died of meningoencephalitis, following a serious ear infection. <ref>http://classiclit.about.com/cs/profileswriters/p/aa_oscarwilde.htm</ref>

Wilde died in 1900, three years after his release from prison. In the past he was thought to have died of syphilis, but more recent studies by Dr Ashley Robins of the University of Cape Town in South Africa report that he died of meningoencephalitis, following a serious ear infection. <ref>http://classiclit.about.com/cs/profileswriters/p/aa_oscarwilde.htm</ref>

==Wilde's Sexuality==

==Wilde's Sexuality==

Wilde's sexual orientation has been debated over the years and some considered him as either [[bisexual]], homosexual, and even paederastic. Wilde himself believed that he belonged to a culture of male love inspired by the Greek paederastic tradition.{{fact}} This tradition believed that it was an adult male's duty to bring boys into manhood via sexuality.  

Wilde's sexual orientation has been debated over the years and some considered him as either [[bisexual]], [[homosexual]], and even pederastic. Wilde himself believed that he belonged to a culture of male love inspired by the Greek pederastic tradition.{{fact}} This tradition believed that it was an adult male's duty to bring boys into manhood via sexuality.  

In describing his own sexual identity, Wilde used the term Socratic. He may have had significant sexual relationships with Frank Miles, Constance Lloyd (Wilde's wife), Robert Baldwin Ross, and Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde also had numerous sexual encounters with working-class male youths, who were often called rent boys.

In describing his own sexual identity, Wilde used the term Socratic. He may have had significant sexual relationships with Frank Miles, Constance Lloyd (Wilde's wife), Robert Baldwin Ross, and Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde also had numerous sexual encounters with working-class male youths, who were often called rent boys.

==Wit==

==Wit==

Wilde was a well known playwright and celebrity, and is still renowned for his wit today. Some of his lines in stories such as ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' are still often quoted:  

Wilde was a well-known playwright and celebrity, and is still renowned for his wit today. Some of his lines, such as the following from ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'', are still often quoted:  

''"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written."''

:"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written."

Other memorable lines from ''The Critic as Artist'' include:

Other memorable lines, from "The Critic as Artist", include:

''"The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius."''

:"The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius."

''"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."''

:"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."

''"There is no sin except stupidity."''

:"There is no sin except stupidity."

''"...nothing worth knowing can be taught."''

:"...nothing worth knowing can be taught."

Wilde's most frequently-produced play is the high comedy ''The Importance of Being Earnest''. This includes such gems as:

Wilde's most frequently produced play is the high comedy ''The Importance of Being Earnest''. It includes such gems as:

''"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."''

:"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."

''"London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years."''

:"London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years."

''"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!"''

:"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!"

==Works of Oscar Wilde==

==Works of Oscar Wilde==

* Vera; or, The Nihilists (1880)

* Vera; or, The Nihilists (1880)

* The Duchess of Padua (1883)  

* The Duchess of Padua (1883)  

* Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act: Translated from the French of Oscar Wilde by Lord Alfred Douglas with illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley (1894)  

* Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act: Translated from the French of Oscar Wilde by Lord Alfred Douglas with Illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley (1894)  

* La Sainte Courtisane and A Florentine Tragedy Fragmentary. First published 1908 in Methuen's Collected Works  

* La Sainte Courtisane and A Florentine Tragedy Fragmentary. First published 1908 in Methuen's Collected Works