The Ballad of Reading Gaol and Other PoemsBorn in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde dazzled the salons of his day with supremely witty conversation and his ardent championship of a philosophy of aestheticism. As a writer, he produced "The Importance of Being Earnest, " one of the finest comedies in English, and other classic plays. His one novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," is still widely read, as is "The Ballad of Reading Gaol," a powerful poetic indictment of the degradation and inhumanity of prison life. This carefully edited volume focuses on Wilde's poetic legacy. In addition to the title poem, readers will find twenty-three other important works: "The Sphinx," "The Grave of Keats," "Requiescat," "Impression du Matin," "Panthea," "Silentium Amoris," "The Harlot's House," "To L. L." and others. While Wilde's fame rests mainly on his achievements as a dramatist and critic, these poems offer important clues to the themes and subjects that preoccupied him in his other works. Original Dover (1992) selection of 24 poems from standard texts. |
