Known as a playwright, poet, and author Oscar Wilde was easily labeled as one of the most famous and talented artists of the Victorian era (1837-1901). In his lifetime he completed one novel, nine plays, many short stories and even more poems. Besides his obvious talent for literature, he was also infamous for his flamboyance, wit, and his homosexuality (Brdnik). Did Oscar Wilde’s sexual orientation play a role that eventually led to his downfall?
Oscar was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854. Oscar’s mother, Lady Jane Francesca Wilde was a successful writer, poet, and journalist and wrote under the name of “Speranza”. Oscar’s father, Sir William Wilde, was a well-respected ear and eye surgeon who would later publish books
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He spent his two-year sentence first at Newgate Prison, which took a toll on his health, and was later transported to Pentonville Prison. He spent 23 hours a day confined to an unsanitary cell and was only allowed 1 hour of exercise. He was denied paper and pencil, he was not allowed photos of family, and could only write and receive one letter every 3 months. After his mother falls ill he requests leave to see his mother on her deathbed but his request is denied. His current wife Constance visits him on February 19th, 1896 in prison to tell him that his mother has died. They would not meet again before Constance herself died in 1898 following complications after a spinal surgery. Afterwords he is transferred to Wandsworth Prison. While in Wandsworth a parliamentary committee took up his case looking into prison conditions and was successful in having him transferred to a debtor's prison named Reading Gaol, where he would write his final poem “The Ballad of Reading …show more content…
He spent the remainder of his years traveling around Europe and living in cheap motels. Oscar drank heavily and his health worsened. He no longer wrote. Oscar died on November 30th, 1900 in Paris of cerebral meningitis at the early age of 46. Before he died he converted to Roman Catholicism. Douglas paid for Oscar’s funeral and burial. Oscar was buried at Cimetière de Bagneux but was later moved to Le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. His tomb was specially sculpted by Sir Jacob Epstein.
If it were not for Douglas encouragement to sue his father, Oscar could have potentially avoided confrontation in court. If oscar would have been smart about his relationships and been more discreet about his affairs he could have ultimately avoided being tried guilty, or perhaps would have postponed the