A decadent esthete with vicious passions who conquered the world with one novel. Oscar Wilde

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It happens that poets and writers go down in history not only (or not so much) because of their works, but because of the way of life they lead. Some of the literary geniuses in life had the brightest love stories, others have romantic stories, and still others have become famous for their vices and a riotous lifestyle. But there was one person who had all of the above in his life. Oscar Wilde. The life of this Irishman was full of vicious passions and decadent hobbies, he loved luxury and risk. And the world loved him …

1. Wilde was very well educated

In his youth, Oscar Wilde was an extremely gifted child who loved books and literature. At first he received an excellent education at home, and at the age of ten he was sent to the Royal School of Portor in Enniskillen. At that time, he became interested in the study of Greek and Roman culture. In his last year of study, Oscar Wilde even received a special prize for knowledge of Greek classical texts, as well as a second prize for art and drawing. As a result, at the end of school with a gold medal in 1871, the talented young man was awarded the Royal School Scholarship to study at Trinity College Dublin. There Wilde also showed his best side.

After taking courses in ancient history and culture under the direction of Professor Sir John Pentland Mahaffey, Wilde took first place in the exam in 1872, receiving another foundation scholarship. In 1874, Wilde's academic success earned him the Berkeley Gold Medal for Greek Language and Culture in college. He was given another scholarship, this time Oscar went to the famous Oxford University. There he continued his studies and also participated in the "Aesthetic Movement" and became a supporter of "art for art's sake."

2. Wilde was a supporter of aestheticism

In the second half of the 19th century, British culture was changed by the "Aesthetic Movement" (aka "Art for Art"). This cultural movement was based on the idea that beauty is the most important thing in life. Writers and other artists of the time created works based on this philosophy, which were made simply for admiration for beauty, and not for the purpose of any kind of narrative or moral function.

Directly attracted to this movement, Wilde plunged headlong into an aesthetic lifestyle. He even made the grand announcement that he is the "high priest of aesthetics" and that his messages of ideals should be believed because he truly worships the beauty of life and art. Wilde's aestheticism was based on the need to "break out of a preconceived notion of how to act and behave." The writer believed that one must free oneself from these social restrictions and do everything “beautifully and freely” in order to achieve absolute happiness.

3. Wilde has published only one novel

When it comes to Oscar Wilde, the image of Dorian Gray immediately comes to mind, since this is the most famous novel of the writer. But will anyone else remember even one of Wilde's novels? Unlikely, since the writer has published only one full-length novel during his lifetime. Working as editor for Lady's World, Wilde has produced nearly all of his most significant works for seven years. Dorian Gray, his first and only novel, was published in 1891.

Then, until the end of his life, Wilde was busy creating many other works, including many poetry collections. In 1888 he wrote a collection of children's stories called The Happy Prince and Other Stories. As a supporter of aestheticism, he created a collection of essays entitled "Intentions", which asserted the principles of aestheticism for the masses. Along with poetry, novel and prose, Wilde was also known in the theatrical environment for his skills as a playwright. In the late 1800s, Wilde wrote many plays that were performed throughout Britain. Perhaps the most famous was The Importance of Being Earnest, a whimsical satire about Victorian society.

4. Amazing linguist

Wilde has indeed published many works. But besides his literary skill, the writer was an amazing linguist. Often referred to as the "lord of the language," Wilde used English as a real tool for showing the beautiful nature of language itself. He had a talent for using rhetorical constructions, harmonious diction, the language of paradoxes and witty dialogues to create truly unique works of literary art.

Today, few people know that Wilde was fluent in many languages. He studied ancient Greek for almost nine years and was fluent in English, German and French. On a conversational level, the writer could communicate in Italian and Greek. Wilde was born and raised in Ireland and from childhood was constantly "surrounded" by Gaelic, the Celtic language, which is the traditional formal language of Ireland.

5. Oscar and Bosie: a love story

Although Oscar Wilde was married and raised children, perhaps his greatest love was … a man. The most famous relationship of the writer began in 1891, when he met (and immediately fell in love with him) Oxford bachelor, Lord Alfred Douglas, whom his close people called "Bosie". Almost immediately, their acquaintance turned into a love relationship. Bosie quickly became Oscar's "Dorian Gray" - his muse, his evil genius and, of course, his lover.

During their relationship, Wilde wrote many literary works, including the play "Salome", which is considered one of his greatest works. The relationship between these two men is best seen from a series of creative and romantic love letters. Oscar and Bosie have been communicating by correspondence for many years. Wilde wrote to Bozie: “My dear boy, I cannot live without you. You are so cute, so wonderful. " Their romance ended when Bosie's father discovered a relationship between Wilde and Bosie.

6. Oscar went to jail because of his sexual relationship

Wilde's vicious connections were the cause of his death. Although the two partners are very passionate about each other, Bosie had a difficult personality. He was a real spoiled dandy - depraved and smart (it was these traits that initially attracted Wilde to him). And Alfred Douglas (the same Bosie) received financial assistance from Oscar Wilde. But scandals often arose between them, because of which there was no trace of love, and Wilde went to jail.

During this novel, Wilde wrote Salome in French. Bosey translated the play into English for Wilde, who did not like the translation (the writer felt that the meaning had been misinterpreted and mistranslated). This sparked an altercation between the lovers and led to Bosie's father, John Douglas, getting involved. Annoyed by the constant "suffering" of his son, John Douglas wrote Bosey a letter in which he said that he "hates him." However, to preserve the family's honor, John Douglas, a godly man who did not accept homosexuality, accused Wilde of sodomy and obscenity towards his son Bozi.

Wilde has filed a counterclaim against John Douglas. But since homosexuality was banned at the time, John Douglas won the case, and Wilde was arrested on charges of gross indecency. He was sentenced to two years in prison. The imprisonment eventually broke poor Wilde both physically and emotionally. In prison, he wrote only one play "De Profundis" (Latin "From the Depths"). This play was a long, agonizing letter from Wilde to his lover, Bose. It talked about their relationship and how Bosie's father was the only reason for Wilde's trial and imprisonment. The play can also be seen as Wilde's autobiographical attempt to understand his own life and work, as it reflects art, love, and his own character and flaws.

7. Oscar had a friend "for life"

Although the scandalous Bosie affair attracted public attention, one man was consistently on Wilde's side, regardless of the circumstances. Often considered his first love, Robert (Robbie Ross) was Oscar's longtime friend, lover and confidante. In 1886, Oscar met Ross, who is often referred to as "the first boy Oscar seduced." Ross was also a friend of Bozie, and the three worked together on Salome.

Although Wilde was sent to prison thanks to Douglas's father, that did not stop young Robbie. He never turned down Oscar and visited him regularly in prison. Appreciating Ross' loyalty and friendship, Oscar subsequently made Ross his literary agent after he was released from prison. After Wilde's death, Ross eventually paid off Oscar's innumerable debts to creditors and also annulled the bankruptcy of Oscar's estate. Their friendship has stood the test of time and has survived literally to the grave. Ross and Wilde were so close that after his death, Robert was buried next to Oscar in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

8. An Oscar Wilde quote that doesn't belong to him

"Be yourself. All other roles have already been taken. " This quote is often attributed to Oscar Wilde. However, there is no substantial evidence that he ever said such a thing. There is no record of this in the extensive literary collection entitled The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde by Ralph Keyes.

Wilde did make a few remarks about identity and appearance, but they were directly related to his thoughts about the aesthetic movement, not about actually being oneself. The first massive appearance of this quote actually dates back to 1967. Thomas Merton wrote a memoir published in The Hudson Review in which he talked about "being yourself." Many believe that the statement was attributed to Oscar Wilde because of his many witty quotes and anecdotes.

9. Oscar Wilde left his mark on rock and roll

After the death of Oscar Wilde, his name continued to live on. In the 1960s, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones used Wilde on their albums. John Lennon, an Oscar Wilde fanatic, claimed that Wilde was one of his biggest muses to him. The image of Oscar, so adored by Lennon, even appeared on the cover of the famous album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, right behind Lennon's photo.

Shortly thereafter, the Rolling Stones also adopted the Oscar Wilde image, releasing the song "We Love You" after the drug scandal. The song was a token of gratitude to friends for their support, as well as a statement about the unfair nature of the charges and arrest. During the presentation of the song, Mick Jagger donned Wilde-style clothes, depicting him as a rock star.

10. Oscar Wilde and his grave of kisses

Oscar Wilde had an amazing life. Love affairs, scandals, literature and love. Wilde was adored by everyone who knew him, and the writer was loved even after his death. In his comedy A Woman Not Worthy of Attention, Oscar wrote: "A kiss can ruin human life."And later, ironically, kisses began to destroy the grave of the writer.

For years, Wilde's fans from all over the world flocked to his last resting place and kissed his tombstone. However, this caused serious concern among the Wilde family. The entire grave of the writer was covered with traces of lipstick from kisses, and attempts to peel off the lipstick caused even more damage. To preserve the memorial, in 2011 the grave was surrounded by a protective glass dome.

Continuing the topic, a story about "The Portrait of Dorian Gray", which became the most famous and unsuccessful novel of the writer.