Oscar Wilde: Poetry and aesthetics

Take a closer look at the Irish playwright’s life and the fashionable, indulgent myth he built up around himself

Even though the Picture of Dorian Gray is an extremely well-known classic work of fiction, the Importance of Being Earnest is one of the most frequently produced plays, and he’s literally the most quoted person, according to the Oxford Dictionary, it’s not very common knowledge that Oscar Wilde wrote poetry.

Don’t want to read? Listen to this story and hear a reading of “Hélas” on the tiff loves words podcast.

Oscar Wilde was a world-famous writer, playwright, and man of society. He was one of our first real celebrities. And he represented people who felt marginalized and like the world wasn’t made for someone who looks like them or thinks like them.

Oscar Wilde was a fascinating person and there are layers upon layers we could explore about his life, but let’s take a look at Wilde the poet.

Oscar: the early years

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. Wilde was born with writing in his blood.

His father, Sir William Wilde was a well-known surgeon and wrote several publications about…