Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was an Irish writer of plays, novels, poetry, and essays. He was one of the most popular and influential figures of the late Victorian era, known for his brilliant wit, flamboyant style, and aesthetic philosophy. He wrote several acclaimed works of literature, such as The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Ballad of Reading Gaol. He also challenged the social norms and moral hypocrisy of his time, especially in matters of sexuality and art. He had a tumultuous relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, a young aristocrat who became his lover. He was sued for libel by Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensberry, who accused him of homosexuality. Wilde lost the case and was convicted of gross indecency, a criminal offense for homosexual acts. He was sentenced to two years of hard labor in prison, where he suffered from physical and mental deterioration. He was released in 1897 and exiled himself to France, where he lived in poverty and obscurity under the name Sebastian Melmoth. He died of meningitis in Paris in 1900, at the age of 46. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and a martyr for the cause of gay rights.