Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

The scandalous, sensational events of the life of the celebrity Oscar Wilde have always attracted as much (or more) attention than his literary accomplishments. Scholars and critics have also examined Wilde’s literary works, of course. Wilde’s insistence that art not be judged by its "sincerity" or "morality" was strongly contested by his contemporaries, but later found critical and general approval. Scholars have studied Wilde’s literature (and life) in the context of the Aesthetic Movement in late Victorian England. The fairy tale forms and features of many of Wilde’s short stories have been analyzed, as has his fictional endorsement of the value of individuality and eccentricity over conformity. Feminist and theorists have discussed the sexual symbolism and homoerotic overtones in Wilde’s writing.

Author Links

Oscar Wilde: An Overview
This excellent site provides an extensive biography of Wilde, along with scholarly essays on Wilde’s themes, characters, imagery, social and political context, and more.

The World Wide Wilde Web
An annotated, but unorganized list of websites on Wilde and his works.

Mr. O.W. Oscar Wilde
This unusual site presents a short biography, contemporary critical reaction, "woman’s guide" to Wilde, Wilde’s views on other writers, and an Oscar Wilde quiz.

Oscar Wilde: Comedy as Tragedy
This article re-examines Wilde as genius. (Please note that you may need to register to the NY Times website before you can view this page.)

oscariana
Images and comments from Wilde and his contemporaries.