Oscar Wilde Resources

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an immensely gifted writer who produced a large variety of work ranging from humorous to tragic. He had the capacity to be ridiculous (The Importance of Being Earnest) as well as deadly serious (De Profundis).

Brief biography

Oscar Wilde, as photographed by Elliott & Fry in 1881, from the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Oscar Wilde
by Elliott & Fry

half-plate glass negative, 1881 (NPG x82203)
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Creative Commons License

Here are a few of Wilde’s works in print and performance.

The Happy Prince: A short story from his 1888 collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales.

On the Massacre of Christians in Bulgaria

De Profundis

The Ballad of Reading Gaol

From The Importance of Being Earnest:

Clips from the 1952 film

Listen to an audio clip of John Gielgud and Edith Evans doing a stage performance of the handbag scene in The Importance of Being Earnest. I think this is the funniest part of a very funny play.

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Oscar Wilde also influenced many other writers, including Saki (aka H. H. Munro).