Oscar Wilde, born Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland, is a name synonymous with wit and flamboyance in English literature. Wilde's paramount contribution to literature includes an array of plays, stories, and one novel. Among his notable works 'A Woman of No Importance' (1893), mirrors Wilde's trademark satirical brilliance, critiquing Victorian society's moral double standards. His other important works include 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1890), his only novel and a classic that encapsulates aestheticism, and the plays 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1895) and 'An Ideal Husband' (1895), which have both enjoyed lasting popularity for their biting social commentary and sparkling dialogue. Wilde's literary style is marked by his ingenuity in the use of paradox and his perceptive, often scathing social wit. He was a vital proponent of the 'art for art's sake' (l'art pour l'art) movement, urging the separation of morality from art and advocating aestheticism. Oscar Wilde's life and works remain studied for their literary genius and contributions to discussions on societal constructs and individualism. His tragic downfall, resulting from a scandalous court case related to his homosexuality in a time of pervasive social hypocrisy, ultimately resulted in his imprisonment and premature death in Paris on November 30, 1900. Despite the notoriety associated with his later life, Wilde's literature continues to be celebrated for its eloquence, humor, and depth.
