Oscar Wilde: Overview Born: 1854 in Dublin, Ireland Key Movement: Promoted the Aesthetic Movement ("art for art's sake") Known for being a "dandy" – fashionable, witty, and flamboyant One of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London Imprisoned in 1895 for "gross indecency" due to homosexual relationships Died: 1900 in Paris, France Famous Wilde Quotes: "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." "I have nothing to declare except my genius." "Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes." "A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her." "One should always be in love. That is the reason why one should never marry." "Art is the most intense form of individualism that the world has known." Wilde's Major Works: Poetry:
Poems (1891) The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898) Fairy Tales:
The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888) The House of Pomegranates (1891) Novel:
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) Plays:
Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) A Woman of No Importance (1893) The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) Salomé (1893) The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) Setting: Late Victorian England Main Characters:
Ernest Worthing (actually named Jack): A young aristocrat who creates an alter ego, "Ernest," for his escapades. Algernon Moncrieff: Another young aristocrat who also leads a double life. Plot:
The characters assume false identities, leading to humorous misunderstandings. Marriage is a central theme, mocked as a hypocritical social institution, often used for social advancement. The play satirizes Victorian social norms and exposes the absurdities of aristocratic life. Themes & Concepts: Irony: The central paradox is the difference between being "Ernest" (honest) and "earnest" (sincere). None of the characters are truly truthful. Marriage: Satirized as a social tool rather than a romantic institution, often depicted as absurd and hypocritical. Social Hypocrisy: Wilde critiques the superficiality and materialism of the Victorian aristocracy. False Identities: The characters’ use of false identities highlights the theme of deception and social pretension. Characters: Lady Bracknell: Embodies the stereotypical Victorian aristocrat—arrogant, concerned with social status, and materialistic. Comedy of Manners: The play is a "comedy of manners", a genre focused on the behaviors and hypocrisies of high society. Key Insights on Wilde's Work: Wilde’s plays, especially The Importance of Being Earnest, are a satire of Victorian norms, especially marriage, morality, and social status. Irony and wit are central to Wilde’s style, often revealing contradictions within the society he critiques. Aestheticism: Wilde’s emphasis on art for art’s sake and his rejection of moral didacticism are evident in his works.