7 little-known facts about Oscar Wilde, an Irish literary legend

11/2/2016

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History Story: 7 little-known facts about Oscar Wilde, an Irish literary legend

He wrote beautiful prose, satirical plays and broke a lot of social taboos. Here are 7 interesting facts about Oscar Wilde and his remarkable life.

#1 He had three middle names

The famous author was born Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde.

#2 Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker, the renowned author of "Dracula", were involved in a love triangle

Wilde met beautiful Florence Balcombe in Dublin in 1875. He fell in love with this young woman, painted her portraits and composed verse for her. They had dated seriously for the next two years, and, as some historians believe, Oscar was even going to marry. Anyway, things had petered out by 1877. Wilde wasn't in a financial place to lead his beloved to the altar, and by 1878 she was... engaged to another man. The saddest thing is that Bram Stoker was Wilde's family's old friend. Bram wed Florence several months later, and Oscar wasn't happy about that. He wrote a letter to his ex, saying he would leave Ireland and never come back. And he did it, only coming back for brief visits sometimes.

#3 He had a gift for languages, but didn't speak a single word of Irish

Besides being a master storyteller, Wilde also learnt foreign languages in record time. He spoke excellent German and French, studied Greek for many years and had a working knowledge of Italian. Anyway, the famous Irish author never spoke Irish.

#4 "The picture of Dorian Gray" was his only novel

Wilde wrote a lot of essays, numerous short stories for children and nine plays but published only one novel.

#5 His parents and wife were also writers

Wilde's wife, Constance Lloyd, was an accomplished children’s book writer. His mother was a poet, and his father also wrote books but was best known as a talented eye and ear surgeon.

#7 He was imprisoned for being homosexual

Oscar Wilde had many homosexual relationships. At the age of 45, Wilde was tried for sodomy. He was sent to prison, where he contracted meningitis, which later led to his death. Oscar died in 1900, at the age of 46.

#6 He was a talented lecturer

During his lecture tour of North America, Wilde met a lot of influential literary figures (such as Oliver Wendell Holmes, Walt Whitman and Henry Longfellow) and held talks on Aestheticism.

What else do you know about Oscar Wilde? What do you think of his work? We are waiting for your comments!

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100 Comments

Julie Potthoff

That's awful that he felt a need to repent for fear of going to hell. Its sad that he couldn't be whatever and whoever he wanted without all the labels.

Bonnie Duryee

I am a great fan of Oscar Wilde's plays. I especially love "The Importance of Being Ernest" and "Lady Windermere's Fan"

William Laughlin

Kevin Krayeski Loving someone does not imply sexual attraction. You certainly don't know much about what it was like to be homosexual in his day. Because homosexuality was illegal, many men remained in the closet and lived lives that would preserve a facade of heterosexuality. Living the pretense did not make these men any less homosexual. The idea of his homosexuality being a sin and his repentance of said "sin" is nonsense and did not change the truth of what he was. One cannot pray one's sexuality away and wishing doesn't make it so.

William Laughlin

Kevin Krayeski Wow, seriously? Propaganda? Try calling it what it is, the truth. Your dismissive attitude tells me you are not capable of growth or analytical and open-minded thinking. Your so-called Christian judgment tells me you are just a Bible thumper who has no idea what it means to be truly Christian. You wear your holier-than-thou, false piety like a chip on your shoulder, wield it like a weapon, but forget what it means to act Christlike. As Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." In fact, it wasn't until approximately the 12th century when the Church decided homosexuality was wrong, so the decision to call it a sin is arbitrary and hadn't always been seen as such. So much for dogma, judging others, and being like Christ, who NEVER said anything about homosexuality, never mind about condemning it as a "sin". Psychologists agree that homosexuality is normal in a certain percentage of the population and the American Psychological Association no longer considers homosexuality a disease or perversion. Whether you want to consider Wilde a bisexual, heterosexual, or a homosexual is merely labeling. Why get caught up in classifying people? Does everyone have to fit into a neat little pigeon hole so you can judge whether or not they are acceptable to you? It seems to me that you are far more comfortable with labeling him bisexual, rather than homosexual. Why is that? The fact is, although he never divorced, his marriage disintegrated after about two years and the birth of his second child. It's uncertain when his wife learned of his many homosexual affairs, but she certainly knew of them when his two trials came up. There are no references to any other heterosexual relationships after he moved out of his family's home. After the second trial, he was imprisoned for a long standing intimate relationship he had with the son of a friend of his. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... but what of it? What is important is not that he repented and reconciled with his God. The eternal penalty you describe is part of a religious mind-set to which I do not subscribe. What is important is that we as a society learn not to judge those who are different and to be accepting of them as Christ would have done or does that concept upset your tidy, categorized, narrow construct of the world?

Caroline Neumann

An unfair end. I just wish somehow God himself would show up and scold all the bigots!

Whitney Brown

By your very picture of Hillary and a noose, you are showing how really un-Christian you are, Kevin. That is throughly shameful and if that is how you choose to express yourself you are no better than that false prophet (profit) Trump. So very sad indeed.

Lydia Coutts

Kevin Krayeski What horrible words you spout. You consider yourself Christian yet disregard Christ's most fundamental tenets - love your neighbour as yourself; love your enemies; help those society ostracises; turn the other cheek; reserve the judgment of men for God and God alone. Christ taught above all else that we must love and accept all others, yet his message is cynically twisted and manipulated to suit the agendas of those, like you, who claim his name. I was raised a Roman Catholic and I'm embarrassed by your comments. On Judgment Day your soul will be found wanting.

Kevin Krayeski

He obviously wasn't a 'homosexual' as he had loved several women and eventually married one. More accurately, he was bisexual, but repented of his sexual sins and converted to the Holy Catholic Church on his deathbed.

Nina Kamwene

Thank you that was informational.

Spencer Young

He met Flo in 1875 and their relationship petered out in 1977? Too bad they couldn't stick it out a tad longer. LOL Oops

deborahpmercer

To this day "Dorian Gray" is one of the most genuinely creepy books ever written.

jack patti go

I knew nothing about him, till this article! Interesting!

Ellen Duff

Love his plays particularly The Importance of being Earnest He was a true genius and we still hear many of his quotations 100 hundred years on

hector tubens

Interesting facts about Oscar Wilde 👍

Donna Munroe

I have been a fan of Oscar Wilde since 1953 when The Importance of Being Ernest was put on in colour at the movies. Love to get a 1953 DVD of the movie. Think it is possible?

Joy Holbrook

I've been an Oscar Wilde fan for almost 60 years.

dlh

Very interesting.

Joan Smith

Caroline Neumann, He did show up & His name is Jesus & if you read His life in the scriptures, you can observe His response to bigots & others who treated people without respect. It is very interesting especially since He never wavered in His obedience to His Father God. He was pure in heart yet championed justice for all, in particular that character trait of His & our Father. Fascinating to truly study His character & contemplate human behavior in perfection.

Ruth Andrews

Such a great wit and talented man.

Ruth Andrews

A great writer

Fabio Montoya

Great man, my favorite writer; I'm pretty sure if he lived on this age probably would be an iconic famous person like David Bowie or Andy Warhol or even more great.

Ray Zagata

I liked two mules for sister sara.. I know he didn't write it, just wanted U to know

Jean Lurie

HE WROTE THE BALLAD OF READING GAOL,

Michael Powers

I remember watching actor Vincent Price in an interview years ago discussing his one man show about Oscar Wilde. He told the story that as Wilde lay dying in bed & looking at the ugly wallpaper in the room he made the comment ''Either that wallpaper goes or I do.'' Then he passed away. Not sure about its accuracy but it certainly sounds like Wilde's Irish humor.