october november irish playwright novelist poet writing different forms 1880s london popular early 1890s remembered novel picture gray plays circumstances imprisonment early death parents successful intellectuals son fluent french german early life university read proved outstanding dublin oxford known involvement rising philosophy led university moved london fashionable cultural social circles spokesman tried hand literary activities published book poems united_states canada new english renaissance art returned london worked journalist known biting wit flamboyant dress conversation best known personalities day turn 1890s refined ideas supremacy art series dialogues essays incorporated themes beauty novel picture gray opportunity construct aesthetic details precisely combine larger social themes drew write drama wrote french paris refused licence england absolute prohibition biblical subjects english stage produced society comedies early 1890s successful late victorian london height fame success masterpiece importance earnest stage london prosecuted libel father lover lord charge carried penalty years prison trial unearthed evidence caused drop charges led arrest trial gross men trials convicted imprisoned years hard labour prison wrote published long letter discusses spiritual journey trials forming dark earlier philosophy pleasure release left immediately france return ireland britain wrote work ballad reading long poem commemorating harsh rhythms prison life died paris age early life born dublin home oscar centre second children born sir years william mother pseudonym italian word hope wrote poetry revolutionary lifelong irish nationalist read poetry oscar love poets sons interest neo classical revival showed paintings ancient greece rome home ireland leading ear eye surgeon services medical adviser assistant commissioner ireland wrote books irish peasant folklore renowned philanthropist care city poor rear dublin forerunner located adelaide road father descended colonel went ireland king william orange invading army mother ancestors included emigrated ireland baptised infant local anglican church church closed records moved nearby street references second baptism catholic priest father befriended oscar mother circa according fox testimony written years later visit chapel mass sons asked father fox sons fox described way sure catholic long asked children future erratic genius weeks baptized children present occasion addition children wife sir father children born marriage born emily born respectively different henry sir william acknowledged illegitimate children provided education relatives wife legitimate children family moved square sister born new home larger parents success soon unique medical cultural guests salon included educated home french german taught languages attended county early twenties villa father built county young brother played died aged poem written memory lightly near snow speak gently hear grow university education 1870s dublin left royal scholarship read classics dublin sharing rooms older brother trinity leading classical schools placed scholars tutor inspired interest greek literature student worked book greece despite later reservations called best teacher scholar showed love greek things boasted having created later named provided education discussing intellectual artistic subjects weekly quickly established member members suggestion book contains pages mocking presented paper entitled aesthetic morality trinity established outstanding student came class year won scholarship competitive examination second finals won university highest academic award greek encouraged compete oxford won easily having studied greek years oxford read applied join failed elected attracted dress secrecy ritual petitioned apollo lodge oxford soon raised sublime degree master mason interest year commented sorry protestant deeply considering converting catholicism discussing possibility clergy times left audience rome read books met reverend priest received high profile converts father threatened cut funds thought plan supreme minute formal creed appointed day baptism father received bunch altar instead retained lifelong interest catholic theology particularly known role aesthetic movements wore hair long openly sports occasionally boxed decorated rooms feathers blue china art remarking friends entertained find harder harder day live blue china line quickly famous accepted slogan critics terrible elements attitudes costumes recognised pose physically attacked group fellow students dealt single surprising critics year truly begun create myth saw learning developing larger ways merely prescribed texts attitude resulted term returned college late trip greece meet year studies history renaissance published final year trinity argued man sensibility beauty refined moment felt extent years later called studies book strange influence life learned tracts book heart carried travels later years gave sense devotion art gave purpose self arguing importance art lies potential society admired beauty believed allied applied moral good attended lecture series aesthetic schools art florence learned aesthetics simply non mathematical elements painting despite given early rising manual labour volunteered project convert country lane smart road edged flowers won prize poem reflected visit year duly read november graduated double wrote friend words bad boy end 1880s debut society graduation oxford returned dublin met childhood sweetheart engaged married disappointed wrote remembering sweet years years youth spent stated intention return england probably good briefly visiting ireland twice unsure step wrote acquaintances classics positions oxford cambridge submission chancellor essay prize longer student eligible enter subject historical criticism ready skill composition ancient learning struggled find voice long flat scholarly style unusually prize awarded year inheritance sale father houses set bachelor london listed street society painter head household spent years london paris united_states travelled deliver lectures publishing lyrics poems magazines entering especially years old poems collected revised expanded poetic efforts book generally received sold print run copies prompting bound rich cover printed hand dutch paper presented copies dignitaries writers received years condemned book alleged tight vote librarian requested book library returned presentation copy note apology argues poem sincere flamboyant attempt explain saw drift passion till soul winds play punch enthusiastic poet poetry verdict america sufficiently vogue gilbert sullivan patience english invited lecture tour north_america simultaneously pump tour patience selling charming american public arriving january following day originally planned months continued year commercial success sought beauty saw art daily life practical philosophical project oxford surrounded blue china lectures interior design asked explain reports london carrying lily long hair flowing replied important people believed believed artist hold forth higher ideals pleasure beauty replace ethics criticised press springfield republican instance commented behaviour visit boston lecture suggesting conduct bid notoriety devotion beauty aesthetic abolitionist wrote general concern distinction written thin volume mediocre verse influence behaviour men women press reception hostile received diverse settings america drank whiskey miners colorado fashionable city visited london life marriage earnings plus expected income allowed paris february mid whilst met entertained constantly dining tonight declare taking fancy restaurant august briefly returned new_york production play turned london reportedly entertained passengers poem england rise fall victorian poets describes lyric england verse poetic invocation play initially received audience critics wrote lukewarm reviews attendance fell sharply play closed week opened left return england topics including value art modern life dress london introduced daughter wealthy queen counsel happened visiting dublin proposed married london annual generous young woman equivalent current value relatively luxurious tastes preached long subject design people expected home set new standards street duly renovated seven months considerable expense couple sons sole literary petition pardon arrested later executed massacre chicago read poems met victorian prohibition homosexuality extent family account seventeen year old young knowing determined seduce according long alluded greek love initiated homosexual sex ross marriage begun wife second pregnancy left physically repelled prose writing journalism criticism artistic matters mall gazette provoked letter self defence soon contributor journals years enjoyed reviewing journalism form suited style organise share views art literature life format tedious reviews largely positive like parents supported cause irish nationalism falsely accused murder wrote series columns defending flair having previously suited journalism unnoticed youth nearly family support editor magazine prominently appearing cover promptly renamed raised tone adding articles culture politics keeping discussions fashion arts pieces fiction usually included read children ladies worked hard good contributions wide artistic acquaintance including wife literary notes popular amusing initial excitement brought job began fade administration office life tedious time interest publishers concerned circulation sales relatively high price remained low increasingly sending instructions magazine letter began new period creative work column appeared regularly october finally found voice prose end second volume left woman world magazine volume period helm magazine mixed success organizational point view argue played pivotal role development writer facilitated ascent fame whilst journalist supplied articles guidance editors editor forced learn manipulate literary marketplace terms shorter fiction published happy prince tales regularly writing fairy stories magazines published collections lord crime stories september house dedicated portrait begun published july short story reports conversation theory shakespeare written poet love boy actor advanced retracted evidence supposed anonymous narrator believing finally reader concludes great deal said theory shakespeare end fact fiction wrote read shakespeare fascinated theory despite lack biographical evidence historical existence instead writing short essay question tossed theory characters story allowing background plot story early masterpiece elements interested conversation literature idea shed oneself idea convince truth concludes succeeds precisely literary criticism unveiled touch containing special pleading says possible build castle spain imaginary continue listening nonetheless telling believe told acquaintance essays dialogues having tired journalism busy setting aesthetic ideas fully series longer prose pieces published major literary intellectual journals day january decay lying dialogue appeared nineteenth century poison satirical biography review edited friend writings aesthetics dialogues evolved professionally lecturer writer retained oral tradition sorts having excelled wit composed assembling phrases longer cohesive work concerned effect art believed art developmental powers art disturbing force lies immense value seeks type slavery custom habit reduction man level machine political text soul man socialism argued political conditions establish concluded government artists government society freed human effort burden necessity effort instead expended artistic creation summarised effect world populated artists perfection way best point view align intellectual advocated state apparatus change social conditions classes previously entertained pearson introducing collection essays remarked soul man socialism inspirational text revolutionaries russia era doubtful places hidden considered including pamphlet portrait essay story shakespeare new anthology eventually decided limit purely aesthetic subjects intentions packaged revisions essays decay lying pen pencil poison published critic artist parts pearson biographer essays dialogues exhibit aspect genius character wit lecturer scholar concludes productions varied appeal turned apart collections produced novel picture gray version picture gray published lead story july edition story begins man painting picture gray gray face like ivory rose leaves sees finished portrait breaks distraught beauty fade portrait stays beautiful inadvertently makes bargain painted image grows old stays beautiful young purpose art guide life beauty object gray portrait allows escape sought beauty saw art daily life reviewers immediately criticised novel homosexual allusions example called poisonous heavy moral spiritual vigorously responded writing editor clarified stance ethics aesthetics art work art rich vital complete artistic instincts beauty ethics appeal strongly moral lesson revised extensively book publication new chapters added overtly passages preface included consisting books written badly written contemporary reviewers modern critics numerous possible sources story search argues futile tapped root western folklore deep story escaped origins returned oral tradition claimed plot idea old history literature given new form modern critic considered novel technically mediocre saying plot guaranteed fame device pushed theatrical career census records residence lived wife sons content better known london returned paris october time respected writer received including famous renowned poet time plays 1880s met success continued interest theatre finding voice prose thoughts turned dramatic form biblical filled mind evening discussing depictions history returned hotel noticed blank lying desk occurred write saying result new play written rapidly french tragedy tells story stepfather dismay mother delight requests head john baptist silver reward dancing dance seven returned london christmas referred great event season rehearsals play starring began play refused licence lord chamberlain depicted biblical characters published jointly paris london performed paris later comedies society set victorian society dress talking points outrage novel vice hidden beneath art finally found way critique society terms fan performed february packed cream society surface witty comedy subtle underneath concludes collective disclosure audience like forced harsh social codes favour nuanced view play enormously popular touring country months largely conservative critics followed victorian comedy revolving illegitimate mistaken identities late revelations commissioned write plays ideal husband written followed january said essentially english plays pitched eye dramatic genius commercial competition london targeted audience precision family introduced lord undergraduate oxford time known family friends handsome young man intimate friendship sprang douglas douglas regularly affair relatively flamboyant way acted douglas reckless public earning week plays salary douglas material artistic sexual douglas soon dragged victorian underground gay prostitution introduced series young working class male prostitutes onwards rendezvous usually took form meet boy offer gifts privately hotel room unlike relations ross douglas remained aesthetic circle knew literature soon public private lives sharply divided wrote douglas like danger half excitement know strike pay douglas oxford friends founded journal sent page originally destined saturday review phrases use young come attack months later trial forced defend magazine sent work case unique published lord alfred father known outspoken manner creation modern rules boxing feuded regularly son confronted lord alfred nature relationship times able june called appointment clarified stance look pose bad catch son public restaurant responded don know rules oscar rule shoot sight account triumphant library street waving small hands air fury father stood foul word foul mind think screaming threats carried described scene saying shown white feather meaning acted way trying remain calm saw brutal family quarrel wish bear insults knew confront lead disaster disclosed publicly importance earnest final play returns theme switched identities play protagonists engage maintenance alternative town country allows escape victorian social earnest lighter tone earlier comedies characters rise themes moments crisis earnest lacks stock characters woman past villainous simply idle young women innocent set drawing rooms completely lacking action violence earnest lacks self conscious found picture gray play considered masterpiece rapidly written artistic maturity late performed february london second collaboration actor manager author producer revised prepared rehearsed line scene setting months premiere creating carefully constructed representation late victorian society simultaneously mocking rehearsal alexander requested play acts author james like brilliant parties opening importance earnest exception played recalled pearson years acting remember greater triumph night earnest immediate reception best work date finally fame solid artistic reputation remains popular play professional success mirrored feud planned insult publicly throwing rotting vegetables stage tipped barred entering theatre weeks later prison trials february left calling card club inscribed posing sic encouraged douglas advice friends initiated private prosecution libel note amounted public accusation committed crime arrested charge criminal libel charge carrying possible sentence years prison libel act act avoid conviction libel demonstrating accusation fact true furthermore public benefit having accusation openly lawyers hired private detectives find evidence homosexual prove fact accusation decided strategy portraying older man naive youths life vicious homosexuality demonstrate public interest making accusation openly ostensibly warn youths friends advised prosecution saturday review meeting café royal march warned going prove advised flee france douglas walked saying moments sees true friends scene witnessed recalled day trial douglas confirmed said literary book douglas rivalry arguments father resulted public disaster wrote douglas lost case included account argument harris douglas preface play dark lady libel trial cause details private life taylor douglas began appear press team private detectives directed lawyers led world victorian underground association male prostitutes cross homosexual recorded persons involved interviewed appear witnesses crimes accused trial opened april amid scenes near press public galleries extent evidence forced declare prosecutor case lawyer sir opened case pre asking suggestive letters written douglas defence possession characterised prose admitted language strange court claimed intent innocent stated letters obtained attempted money refused suggesting equal today offered unusual prose piece length claimed regard letters works art ashamed fellow attended dublin time cross examined perceived moral content works replied characteristic wit claiming works art capable moral immoral poorly views art stupid art leading diverged normal practice asking closed questions pressed topic angle meaning answers removing aesthetic context portraying won laughs court scored legal points undermine credibility justify description posing drew witness admission capacity posing demonstrating lied age oath playing returned topic cross examination moved factual evidence questioned acquaintances younger lower class men admitted basis gifts insisted occurred men merely good friends repeatedly pointed unusual nature relationships men prostitutes replied believe social barriers simply enjoyed society young men asked directly kissed certain servant boy responded dear particularly plain boy unfortunately ugly pressed answer repeatedly asking boy relevant time sting insult try times says things ought speak seriously opening speech defence announced located male prostitutes testify sex advice lawyers dropped prosecution found guilty court declared accusation posing sic justified true substance fact libel act rendered legally liable considerable expenses incurred defence left bankrupt regina left court warrant arrest applied charges gross found men advised dover try boat france mother advised stay fight train gone late arrested gross section criminal law amendment act term meaning homosexual acts amounting offence separate statute instruction ross butler forced way bedroom library street packing personal effects manuscripts letters imprisoned received daily visits douglas events moved quickly prosecution opened april pleaded guilty douglas leave london paris douglas complained wanting evidence pressed soon fled hotel fearing persecution ross left united_kingdom time cross examination hesitant spoke love dare speak love dare speak century great affection elder younger man david basis philosophy find shakespeare deep spiritual affection pure perfect great works art like shakespeare letters century misunderstood misunderstood described love dare speak account placed beautiful fine form affection unnatural intellectual repeatedly exists older younger man older man intellect younger man joy hope glamour life world understand world puts response counter productive legal sense served reinforce charges homosexual behaviour trial ended jury unable reach verdict counsel sir finally able magistrate allow friends post bail reverend required court having disagreed treatment press courts freed attention went hiding house firm friends approached solicitor general asked let fellow answered like feared case dropped final trial presided justice convicted gross sentenced years hard labour judge described sentence maximum allowed totally inadequate case case worst case tried response lord drowned cries shame courtroom imprisonment entered prison released entered prison london week processing moved hard labour sentenced consisted hours walking picking separating old navy ropes prisoners allowed read bible progress prisoners allowed speak cells required wear cap thick veil recognised prisoners months later moved london inmates followed hard labour hard fare hard bed wore harshly delicate health november collapsed chapel illness hunger right ear drum fall injury later contributed death spent months liberal reformer visited transferred november reading miles west london november transfer lowest point crowd railway platform spent remainder sentence assigned cell floor ward addressed identified number cell cell floor ward months arrived brought reading await trial murdering wife march june sentenced death returned reading execution took place tuesday july hanging reading years hanging later wrote ballad reading allowed paper pen eventually succeeded allowing access books writing materials requested bible french italian german texts new french novel christian redemption route essays january march wrote word letter douglas allowed send permitted release reflective mode examines career date colourful agent victorian society art like seeking stood symbolic relations art culture age heights life douglas began examines particularly closely finally sees arrogance forgotten douglas remark ill pedestal interesting blamed ethical degradation character allowed douglas bring took responsibility fall having tried father prison half concludes douglas sake douglas second half letter traces spiritual journey redemption prison reading realised ordeal filled soul fruit experience bitter time wanted eat fruit trees garden world went lived mistake confined exclusively trees sun lit garden shadow released prison sailed immediately france return britain ireland release gave manuscript ross carried instructions send copy douglas later denied having received partially published complete correct publication occurred letters oscar decline exile health suffered greatly diet prison feeling spiritual renewal immediately wrote requesting month catholic retreat request denied intend received catholic_church long told journalist asked religious intentions spent years impoverished exile took titular character gothic novel great uncle wrote long letters editor describing brutal conditions english prisons advocating reform discussion dismissal giving child prisoner repeated themes corruption punishment earlier outlined soul man socialism spent seaside village grand northern france wrote ballad reading execution murdered wife rage infidelity moves objective story telling symbolic identification prisoners attempt assess justice laws convicted poem highlights punishment share executed man line man kills thing loves separated wife sons adopted ballad form author credited cell number suggested published widely criminal classes belong read peers new experience immediate commercial success going seven editions years oscar added title page literary circles known author brought little money douglas cause reunited august meeting disapproved friends families men refusing meet allow sons sent money pounds week douglas lived near naples months separated families threat cutting funds final address known des paris poverty breaks heart sale utterly depressing hopeless pray wrote publisher corrected published ideal husband importance earnest according man command play refused write write lost joy writing spent little money alcohol series embarrassing encounters english visitors known better days drowned spirit soon sufficiently confined hotel joke final trips outside fighting duel death got october sent telegram ross terribly weak come moods fluctuated relates mutual friend turner found depressed nightmare died dead sure turner replied life soul party turner old circle remained right end died death november developed cerebral arrived november sent priest baptised catholic_church priest dublin doctrine baptised having baptised having catholic baptism child fact later attested minister recorded baptism rolled dark streets night sad story repeated assisting best administered baptism answering responses gave extreme man recited prayers dying man semi condition venture administer holy add state presence gave signs conscious fully satisfied understood told receive catholic_church gave repeated close ear faith hope charity acts humble resignation god tried words died cerebral november different opinions given cause claimed grandson thought noting followed surgical intervention physicians court tucker reported condition stemmed old right ear prison injury treated years allusion burial initially buried outside paris remains transferred inside city tomb designed sir commissioned asked small compartment ashes duly transferred modernist angel depicted relief tomb originally complete male current whereabouts unknown artist installed silver replace tomb cleaned marks left glass barrier installed prevent marks damage verse alien tears fill pity long broken men biographies life continues subject numerous biographies death earliest memoirs knew personal accounts good character sketches unreliable friend editor wrote biography life confessions prone inaccurate offers good literary portrait lord wrote books relationship largely ghost written reacted douglas discovery addressed defensively tried distance reputation authors later regretted work later oscar autobiography sympathetic close friends literary variously published biographies correspondence objective biography came pearson wrote life wit published memoir son recounts difficulties wife children faced imprisonment revised updated critical study published book briefly mentioned life subsequently sued libel lord trial april way run trial trial resulted douglas rivalry need money douglas lost read trial claims ross shown text life waiting independent true scholarship began researching biography posthumously won pulitzer prize book basis film directed starring title character biography secret life oscar offers exploration sexuality speculative nature widely criticised pure lack scholarly oscar books explores reading childhood dublin death paris tracking books belonged street library dispersed time trials wright examine charm lasting effect produced original biographies strange effect wrote features journals earlier translated books french produced modern books include danger justice nos oscar affair danger allowing justice nose sheets french religious historian selected works poems happy prince stories fairy stories lord crime stories stories house fairy stories intentions essays dialogues aesthetics picture gray published july book form novel soul man socialism political essay fan play woman importance play ideal husband performed published play importance earnest performed published play written published variously poem tributes inducted legacy walk outdoor public display celebrates lgbt history people
Oscar Wilde