Oscar Wilde, born Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the most iconic and charismatic figures in late Victorian literature. His writing is marked by sharp wit, flamboyance, and a probing satire of contemporary society and its mores. Wilde's literary output spans a variety of genres, including plays, poetry, and one novel for which he is particularly famous, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1890). This novel is a masterpiece of aestheticism and a cautionary tale of the dangers of unchecked vanity and the pursuit of eternal youth. Wilde's unique style combines lush, poetic language with a critical edge that questions the values of his day, often exposing the hypocrisies underlying Victorian social conventions. Wilde's works were immensely popular in the 1890s, but his career was overshadowed by a scandalous and famous criminal trial. He was convicted of 'gross indecency' due to his homosexuality, a topic that, while subtly present in his works, was considered taboo and illicit at the time. After serving two years in prison, Wilde's health and spirit were broken, and he died in Paris on November 30, 1900. However, his literary legacy endures, and his works continue to be read and celebrated for their beauty, wit, and insight into the human condition.
