Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was a famous Irish playwright, author, wit, and poet during the Victorian Era.

A major figure in the Aesthetic Movement, he references the philosophy in many of his works, such as The Picture of Dorian Gray. Combining aesthetic beliefs with his social beliefs and wit, Wilde wrote many successful plays, such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windmere’s Fan. His political beliefs lead to multiple essays, most famously, The Soul of Man Under Socialism.

The largest criticisms against Wilde’s writing are from the reception of The Picture of Dorian Gray when it was first published – the novel was accused of being homosexual and unclean; additionally, Wilde’s poetry (with the exception of Ballad of Reading Gaol) has not been considered up to par with his prose writing.

At the pinnacle of Wilde’s career, he was persecuted by the Marquess of Queensberry (the father of Lord Alfred Douglas who was Wilde’s secret lover). Wilde was imprisoned for 2 years in Reading Gaol for gross indecency. After Wilde’s traumatizing prison experience, his writing moved away from its focus on beauty and love and became darker and more grounded in realism.

The letter he wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas during prison, De Profundis, as well as his long-poem Ballad of Reading Gaol, reflect his spiritual and emotional journey of prison life.

Oscar Wilde died on November 30, 1900 from cerebral meningitis. He was only 46. His tomb in Paris, known for being covered in kiss marks, has a verse from the Ballad of Reading Gaol carved on it:

And alien tears will fill for him
Pity’s long-broken urn,
For his mourners will be outcast men,
And outcasts always mourn.

Genius-Annotated Poetry Foundation Biography here

Official Oscar Wilde Website here