Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet, was born on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland. Renowned for his sharp wit, flamboyant style, and scathing satire, Wilde became one of the most famous and controversial figures of his time. His works remain widely celebrated for their brilliant dialogue, satirical wit, and exploration of moral and societal issues.
Wilde’s early life was marked by academic excellence. He attended Trinity College, Dublin, and later Oxford University, where he excelled in classics and became known for his involvement in the aesthetic and decadent movements, advocating for art’s sake. His early literary works included poetry, and he published his first collection in 1881.
Wilde’s fame as a playwright soared in the 1890s with a series of highly successful plays. “Lady Windermere’s Fan” (1892) and “A Woman of No Importance” (1893) were well-received, but it was “The Importance of Being Earnest” (1895), a farcical comedy ridiculing Victorian social norms, that cemented his status as a master playwright. Wilde’s only novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (1890), was also significant, known for its exploration of hedonism, morality, and the nature of beauty.
Despite his success, Wilde’s life was marked by controversy. His flamboyant personality and sharp wit often attracted both admiration and disdain. In 1895, after a series of trials related to charges of “gross indecency” due to his homosexual relationships, Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labor. The trials and imprisonment took a considerable toll on his health and reputation.
After his release in 1897, Wilde lived in France under the pseudonym Sebastian Melmoth. His later works from this period include “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” reflecting on his prison experience. Oscar Wilde passed away on November 30, 1900, in Paris, at the age of 46. His literary legacy, however, has endured, and he is remembered as one of the most iconic writers of the Victorian era.
Wilde’s body of work, with its wit, eloquence, and critique of societal norms, continues to influence literature and theatre. His life and writing embody the complexities of art and morality, making him a significant and enduring figure in the world of literature.
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
The Canterville Ghost
(1887)
The Picture of Dorian Gray
(1891)
The Portrait of Mr. W. H.
(1904)
Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas
The Sphinx Without a Secret
(1887)
Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime
(1887)
The Nightingale and the Rose
(1888)
The Selfish Giant
(1888)
The Remarkable Rocket
(1888)
The Devoted Friend
(1888)
The Birthday of the Infanta
(1891)
Star-Child
(1891)
The Young King
(1891)
The Fisherman & His Soul
(1891)
A Florentine Tragedy
(1906)
Publication Order of Plays
Vera or the Nihilists
(1880)
The Duchess of Padua
(1883)
Salomé
(1891)
Lady Windermere’s Fan
(1893)
An Ideal Husband
(1893)
A Woman of No Importance
(1894)
The Importance of Being Earnest
(1895)
Selected Plays
(2004)
Publication Order of Collections
The Model Millionaire
(1887)
The Happy Prince(By: P. Craig Russell)
(1888)
Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime
(1891)
A House of Pomegranates
(1891)
Intentions
(1891)
The Ballad of Reading Gaol and Other Poems
(1896)
The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings
(1898)
Complete Works of Oscar Wilde
(1908)
Reviews
(1908)
The Prose of Oscar Wilde
(1909)
The Harlot’s House
(1929)
The Selfish Giant & Other Classic Tales
(1967)
Fairy Tales and Stories
(1980)
The Complete Illustrated Stories, Plays and Poems of Oscar Wilde
(1991)
Oscar Wilde’s Stories for All Ages
(2009)
Lies
(2020)
Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books
The Decay of Lying
(1889)
Oscariana
(1895)
De Profundis
(1897)
The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde
(1962)
Sixteen Letters from Oscar Wilde
(1974)
Nothing… Except My Genius
(1997)
Publication Order of Poetry Collections
Ravenna
(1878)
Poems
(1881)
Poems in Prose
(1894)
The Sphinx
(1894)
Ballad of Reading Gaol
(1896)
Publication Order of Anthologies
Spells of Enchantment
(1991)
100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories
(1993)
The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales
(1993)
Thrillers
(1994)
Classic Victorian & Edwardian Ghost Stories
(1996)
The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction
(1999)
A Tangled Web
(2005)
Stories to Get You Through the Night
(2010)
Penny Dreadful Multipack Vol. 2
(2013)
The Further Crossovers of Sherlock Holmes
(2017)
Writers: Their Lives and Works
(2018)
The Occult Fiction Collection
(2019)
30 Eternal Masterpieces of Humorous Stories
(2019)
30 Occult & Supernatural Masterpieces You Have to Read Before You Die
(2019)
Victorian Anthologies of Classic Spectral Stories to Chill and Thrill the Senses
