Oscar Wilde is a study in arrogance, artistic brilliance and great success, leading to a catastrophic fall and tragic end. After an unusual, precocious childhood and college career, he became a notorious London aesthete and writer and then launched his career to become an enormously successful playwright. He also wrote short fiction, sensitive prose and a memorable novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Wilde’s plays sparkle with wit and clever dialogue. They are amusing and offer insight into the social, intellectual and aesthetic lives of the upper classes in late 19th century London. Anyone who has seen The Importance of Being Earnest and/or his other plays knows Wilde’s skills as an author, wit and entertainer. As if that were not enough, Wilde’s life is a story in itself. It includes fame, notoriety, his trials concerning allegations of homosexual conduct (then criminal in Britain), his conviction and consequent fall from grace, as well as his life and philosophical thoughts after his brilliant public life was over.
An SDG on Wilde’s works alone would be more than justified, but the inclusion of the terrible later events gives context to Wilde, his works, the English audiences of the time and English society generally. We will, of course, read the plays and major prose works. We will pose questions about his life and evaluations of his works, including: Did his chosen life made disaster inevitable? Is there a moral lesson there? Is the philosophy in Reading Gaol, De Profundis and other works sincere or contrived? Is there anything to be learned from the characters in his plays and their interactions? Are his works enduring or simply a witty flash in the pan? What do they say about the English society of the tiime? Do his actions and his conviction disqualify him from serious consideration? Ultimately, do we have sympathy and admiration or contempt for him? In short, we will explore the man and his works and their connections.
The 14 week schedule includes Wilde’s biography, his best known plays, Dorian Gray, his serious essays and selections from his short fiction and poetry. There is a new, complete and excellent biography of Wilde which covers all the aspects of his life and works: “Oscar Wilde: A Life” by Matthew Sturgis. In addition, there are films of his plays on You Tube and elsewhere, audios of his plays and much material on internet sites.
1. Family & Early Life in Dublin
2. College at Trinity (Dublin) and Oxford, Post College Years & Marriage
3. Journalism, Poetry, Short Fiction & Life in London
4. U.S Tour & Increasing Reputation as London Aesthete
5. The Picture of Dorian Gray
6. Lady Windermere’s Fan
7. A Woman of No Importance
8. The Importance of Being Earnest
9. An Ideal Husband
10. Salome
11. Trials: Wilde v. Queensberry & Regina v. Wilde, including factual allegations
12. Imprisonment and Ballad of Reading Gaol
13. Post Prison Life in Exile & De Profundis
14. Evaluation of Life and Works
"Oscar Wilde: A Life" by Matthew Sturgis
"Oscar Wilde: The Complete Works" (includes all of the plays, Dorian Gray, De Profundis and selected prose)
"Oscar Wilde: Selected Plays and LIterary Criticism" ed by Sylvan Barnet
You Tube: all of the plays