Oscar WildeIn this long-awaited biography, Wilde the legendary Victorian--brilliant writer and conversationalist, reckless flouter of social and sexual conventions--is brought to life. More astute and forbearing, yet more fallible than legend has allowed, Wilde is given here the dimensions of a modern hero. The author depicts Wilde's comet-like ascent on the Victorian scene and his equally dramatic sudden eclipse. He presents Wilde's Irish background, the actresses to whom he paid court, his unfortunate wife and lovers, his clothes, coiffures, and the decor of his rooms. The saga of his 1882 American tour is recounted with a wealth of new details; also his later impact on the bastions of the French literary establishment. The London of the Nineties, of Whistler and the Pre-Raphaelites, Lillie Langtry and the Prince of Wales, is evoked alongside Paris of the "belle époque" and the Greece, Italy and North Africa of Wilde's travels. This critical account of Wilde's entire oeuvre shows him as the proponent of a radical new aesthetic who was perilously at odds with Victorian society. After his period of success and daring, the fatal love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas is followed by exposure, imprisonment, a few wretched years abroad and death in exile. The tragic end of Wilde's life leaves the reader with a sense of compassion and grief for the protagonist. |
Contents
Toil of Growing Up | 3 |
Wilde at Oxford | 37 |
Rome and Greece | 53 |
Copyright | |
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A. J. A. Symons Adey aesthetic aestheticism Alfred Douglas artist asked beautiful Beerbohm Bodley Bosie brother called Carson Catulle Mendès Clark Constance copy dear dinner Dorian Gray Douglas's dress Dublin England English father feel Florence Balcombe Frank Harris Gide Greek Henry homosexual Hunter Blair Irish June knew Lady Wilde Lady Windermere's Fan later lecture letter to Wilde Leverson Lillie Langtry live London looked Lord Lord Alfred Douglas Magdalen Mahaffy Max Beerbohm mother never November offered once Oscar Wilde Oxford painting Paris passion Pater play poem poet portrait praise prison Profundis published Queensberry Raffalovich Ricketts Robert Ross Rodd Ruskin Salome Sherard sonnet soul story Street Swinburne talk tell Theatre thing thought Tite Street told took Turner Whistler Whitman wife Wilde replied Wilde wrote Wilde's William Willie woman write Yeats York young