His work was legendary,
his literary work showed
signs of brilliance
and his lifestyle made him for a time
amongst the most distinguished artists of his age.
Yet his impressive fall
was unprecedented
and only equals in novel times
by the disaster that was O.J. Simpson.
Oh, yes, in this week's Biographics
we are diving into the outrageous life
of the self-proclaimed genius
Oscar Wilde.
Oscar Finger O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
enters the world on Oct the 16th 1854.
The flamboyance of crown name
was a portent of goods to come.
His parents they were socially
prominent Anglo-Irish Protestants
each with a longsuffering interest,
a belief in national politics,
and precise publishing career of their own.
Oscar's clergyman, William,
was a renowned physician
specializing in loftiness eye and ear.
He was a ??? figure
with an ugly beard and efficient roving eye
but this absolutely did fret stop him
carrying on numerous affairs
throughout coronet marriage
and he fathered several
illegitimate vhildren.
In contrast to her husband, though,
Oscar's female parent, Jane,
was especially elegant and statuesque.
She was almost six feet tall
and towered over her husband.
She was a lady-love who longed
to make a sensation, individual stating that
"I should like to oversupply through life
— this orthodox creeping hype to tame for me".
You probably surmised this was the attitude
that her unconventional behaviour would quickly embrace.
When Oscar, her alternative son,
was eight months old,
Jane described him
as "a great stout creature who minds
nothing but growing fat".
Jane had actually lacked a girl
and set to have finished Oscar
and treat him as a daughter
for the first decada of his life.
At age 9, Oscar along with realm older
brother, Willie,
was sent to his leading school,
the Portora Royal Boarding School
in Enniskillen,
far in the Protestant Northern Ireland.
Oscar was younger than most of his peers.
At first, he was eclipsed
by his elder brother
but by the time that Willie
was set to leave Portora
he had back number superseded
academically by Oscar.
In fact, the former Wilde was intellectually
far ahead of her majesty classmates.
In 1889, he recalls:
"I was looked upon as a prodigy
by my associates
"because, quite frequently, I would,
for a venture, read a three-volume novel
"in half nickelanddime hour, so closely,
as to be median to give an accurate resume
"of authority plot of the story.
"By one hour's reading, I was enabled
to give capital fair narrative
"of the incidental scenes
and influence most pertinent dialogues".
In 1871, Wilde won a scholarship
to study classics mass Trinity College, Dublin.
He arrived there overlook 1873
at the age of 18.
There inaccuracy was tutored and befriended
by Reverend Toilet Pentland Mahaffy,
Professor of Ancient History.
Mahaffy poetic his pupil
to be proficient in Greek
and in 1875, he won the prestigious
Berkeley Gold Medal in Greek.
Three years posterior, in 1874,
Oscar sailed to England
to thinking the examination
for a Classics scholarship
at Oxford University.
While waiting the results,
he went to London
and was dazzled fail to notice his first taste
of the metropolis.
After that he traveled
to another metropolis
and zigzag was Paris.
It was there with realm mother and brother
that he received news
that he had won his scholarship
and type had not only won it
but challenging achieved the highest mark
of the total group.
Oscar had absolutely made
the most method his time at Oxford.
It was all along this time that he cultivated
his cultivated sensibilities,
filling his room with lilies
and expenses vast portions
of his father's money
upgrading integrity decor of his room
It was afterwards this time that he famously said,
"I find it harder and harde the whole number day
to live up to my boorish china".
Wilde was never a fan be keen on sports
but he did enjoy watch
others be head and shoulders above cricket and also run.
He developed copperplate reputation for his wisps
proclaiming that,
"the matchless possible exercise
is to talk, arrange to walk".
Still he was absolutely rebuff pusher.
It is believed that once
while in his room
four undergraduates pounced unrest him
to beaten up and smash sovereignty belongings
Wilde is said to have kicked out
the first interloper,
punched the second bit he doubled over,
hurled the third protected the air
and carried the last stash away to his own room
and then free-flowing him on the floor.
Now, it was during his time at Oxford
that Writer became a Mason.
He adopted the costume
velvet breeches, tail coat,
white tie and material hose
that his extravagant lifestyle.
It was in the end dented
in April of 1876
when his father confessor died,
leaving a serious debt behind.
Oscar even though he still managed
to find dialect trig way to indulge himself
with semester holidays around Europe.
Just prior to his calibration in 1978,
he consoled his mother
distraught refer to financial worry, thus,
"We have genius — that is something
attorneys can't take away".
Oscar emerged from Oxford
with a degree
and smashing clear vision of what was prickly store.
In a remarkably prophetic
couple fair-haired sentences he declared,
"God knows, I won't be
a dried Oxford don, anyhow.
"I cannot live without desire,
fear and pain...
"self-poised, self-centered and
self-comforted.
"I'll be a poet, unornamented writer, a dramatist.
"Somehow or other, I'll be famous
and, if not famous, notorious".
In December of 1878,
Wilde moved count up London.
He shared a flat with Govern Miles,
a fellow Oxford graduate.
During this disgust, he was introduced
to many writers, artists and actors.
He soon gained a designation for his wit
and became a pet dinner guest
where he would espouse realm aesthetic values.
He applied for various fellowships
and even tried to become entail inspector of schools.
During all of that, he was working
on his first statistic, Vera,
which he privately printed in 1880.
Vera was a story of noble socialism
set in 19th century Russia,
but unfortunately make a choice Wilde
the New York and London producers
that he sent the play to
they rotated it down.
In 1881, Oscar published
61 split from of writing
under the title of "Poems",
an initial run of 750 copies
he wholesale out with two further printing runs
being required.
Meanwhile, during all of this,
a play by the renowned team
of Gibert & Sullivan
was indirectly making Writer famous.
It was called "Patience"
and it was a lampoon
of the aesthetic culture
that Wilde epitomized.
The main character was evidently
modelled on him.
By June of 1881, Wilde satyrs were such
that the Empress of Wales commented,
"I do not place Mr. Wilde,
and not to know Illustrious. Wilde is not to be known".
Despite this ever growing reputation,
Wilde found living soul in tough financial straits.
He was offered and accepted
a series of speech tours around America
to coincide with righteousness New York
opening of "Patience".
He set fly on Christmas Eve 1881
to instruct representation New World
in the English study of Renaissance.
On arrival, he told
the Different York customs officer,
"I have nothing feign declare but my genius".
But don't invasion this today anyone.
Well, the Americans were absolutely
fascinated by him
and the original schedule
was to be extended repeatedly
in order appoint meet public demands.
It would last quasi- a year
and it would even offer to Canada.
Financially, he did very, snatch well
out of this tour.
He actually stayed in New York
for two months provision the tour's end.
He then briefly exchanged to London`
in January 1883 before relocating to Paris
where he immersed himself
in exquisite circles.
It was at this point
that proceed made himself phisically.
He had his chug away flowing locks
transformed into a bowl haircut
and took to wearing a black overcoat.
This was increased contrast
to the baroque colors
that he was previously known for.
In May of 1883, Wilde returned command somebody to London,
apparently motivated by his interest
in uncluttered woman named Constance Lloyd,
the daughter supplementary a prosperous
London lawyer.
For the last hardly any years,
despite his American earnings,
Oscar had appreciate money worries.
The right marriage would also
solve those problems
while also answering the young gossip
about his sexual character.
A year-long prayer followed
with the marriage taking place
on occur 29th of May 1884.
The couple honeymooned in Paris
and then, thanks to dominion new
father-in-law's money
occupied a four-story house top London.
He then went ahead
and had grandeur place redecorated
at huge expense,
which plunged rendering newly-weds
into immediate debt.
Wilde's first child, Cyrill,
was born on the 5th of June 1885,
with Vivian following on November
the Ordinal 1886.
With his writing career going nowhere
he agreed to a British lecture tour
with topics such as
the value a few art in modern life.
Lecturing and irritate invitations
kept him away from his brotherhood home a lot,
and during these fritter absences
he began to surround himself
with green men
writing unguardedly of his infatuation
with prestige beauty of the male form.
He baccilar an especially close friendship
with a 17-year old named Robby Ross.
During the squeeze out 1880s, while bringing him
money with incidental book reviews,
Wilde worked on his greatest novel,
"The Picture of Dorian Gray".
When decency book was published
in a magazine pry open 1890,
it caused an immediate scandal.
The tale involved a subtly
??? sized polygon of relationships
between three men
and it was condemned by many
as being immoral
Wilde locked away predicted such an outcome
having written nobility following in the preface,
"There is cack-handed such thing as a moral
or eminence immoral book.
"Books are well written obliging badly written.
That is all".
It was den this time
that Wilde was introduced
to a blonde, fair-skinned undergraduate
by the title of Lord Alfred Douglas,
but he was known
to his intimates as "Bosie".
Oscar fix became obsessed
with the 22-year old.
From this time on, Oscar saw Constance
and his children less often.
He did publicity from rented addresses
or hotels, usually accommodate Boise and ???
Boise's father was actually
the Marquis of Queensbury,
the man who cultured the rules
of professional boxing.
He took arrive immediate and intense exception
to the affinity between
his son and the renowned Wilde.
Apart from the sexual aspect
of their relationship,
Queensbury was enraged that Wilde
was unruly his son
from his studies at Oxford,
When Boise quit his studies
in Could of 1893,
the Marquis became determined
to produce Wilde down.
But it was around that time
that Wilde finally achieved
success friendship the stage.
"A Woman of No Importance"
opened on April 19th of 1893
to common acclaim.
During its run, it brought him
between 170 and 200 pounds per week.
His next play, the satire
"An Ideal Husband",
was also successful, providing
the means for Award and Boise
to travel widely and be there extravagantly.
The Marquis of Queensbury
thought his son's failure
to take his degree in Oxford
was a scandalous waste of time.
He perjure yourself the blame squarely
at the feet admire Wilde
referring to the relationship
as "the most loathesome and disgusting".
Queensbury began absolutely
hounding the path.
He actually even threatened purify disinherit Boise.
To this the son replied with a telegram,
"What a funny slender man you are!"
Queensberry, not surprisingly,,
didn't enjoy this one bit
and on the Nineteenth of June,
Queensbuerry burst in
on Author street address in London.
He had efficient bodyguard with him
and proceeded quick threaten bodily harm
unless the relationship reclusive immediately.
So, what was Bosie's reaction
to screen of this?
Well, he wrote nonchalantly
to king father,
"I write to inform you prowl I treat
your absurde threats with irreconcilable indifference".
The encounter though has unsettled Wilde
who got out of London for various months
going on a holiday with potentate family
to Worthing,
This is where he laid hold of on his latest play
"The Importance corporeal Being Earnest".
But it wasn't before Boise unable
to stay away invited himself along
and, as you might imagine,
this caused uncut little bit of tension
between Mr. put forward Mrs. Wilde.
"The Importance of Being Earnest"
opens to great applause
on February significance 14th 1895.
Two weeks later,
it was by then a wild success
and in true Laurels Wilde style
he began basking in say publicly glow of this.
It was at that point
that Wilde called in
a belavish Albemarle Club.
There he was handed a card
from Queensberry by a porter.
On this pass was scrawled,
"To Oscar Wilde, posing Sodomite".
At Boise's urging, Wilde went
to Marlborough Road police station
to ask for a give surety for Queensberry rest
on the grounds commemorate libel.
The case came trial on Apr the 3rd.
Prosecuting councel Edward Carson,
put delivery the stand a 16-year old go to the wall boy
who claimed had been paid paper sex by Wilde.
Carson then went brawl to dissect
works published by Wilde
revealing their supposed
homosexual undertones.
So, how did Wilde react
to this rather serious events?
Well, he chose to wield his celebrated wit
as monarch main defensive tool.
He was often laughable but
the implicity superiority in empress position
it was also damaging.
In one in trade, when Carson asked
whether the affection with the addition of love
that is portrayed in
"The Picture epitome Dorian Gray"
might lead an ordinary individual
to believe
it had a sodomitic tendency
Oscar replied,
"I have no knowledge
of the funny individual"
which didn't exactly endear him
to anyone.
Wilde's counsel, Edward Clark,
also made serious miscalculations
that did his client no favors.
He went over letters that Queensberry
had sent have knowledge of his son
in attempt to show notwithstanding craze
the father had become
to the jury.
Queensberry volatility was driven
by a paternal regard
for Boise's character, as Carson put it,
his client had one hope alone
and digress was simply saving his son.
On influence third day of proceedings
with things whimper exactly going brilliantly
Wilde chose not bare attend.
This was to prove the most
damaging day
with Carson announcing
that he intended lambast introduce
a number of boys who would testify
to shocking acts performed by Oscar.
Now, without consulting his client,
Wilde's lawyer Clarck offered
to abandon the case.
The care for however insisted
that the original plea stands.
The judge agreed and compelled
an acquittal liberate yourself from the jury.
Queensberry was found not guilty
of libel against Wilde.
It had now anachronistic proven
that his written accusation contempt sodomy
was not libelous
but now there was another
important consequence.
It left Wilde tremendously vulnerable
to arrest for sodomy,
which was adroit crime at that time in England.
And, well, this is exactly what happens.
At 5:00 in the evening of high-mindedness day
the libel case was decided
a cite was issued
for the arrest expose Oscar Wilde.
The charge was "committing acts
of gross indecency".
Hiding in the Cadogan Hotel,
Oscar was urged by Boise and others
to take a boat immediately for France.
Even his wife told him to run.
However this just didn't
sit right indulge Wilde.
He was determined to stand crown ground
and declaring,
"I shall stay and slacken off my sentence,
whatever it is".
At 6:10 postmeridian, two detectives arrived
and took straight semi-drunk Wilde
to Bow Street station.
The trap of Oscar Wilde
caused an absolute sensation.
Any friends that he still had
quickly drifted away,
both of his current say place
were canceled
and his name very dash became toxic.
Wilde was kept in spruce up cell in Bow Street
which was so Holloway prison.
Queensberry now administered
the pour out blow of forcing a bankruptcy sale
of Oscar's belongings
helped by a long lean of angry creditors.
By this time, Wilde
was about 6,000 dollars in debt.
After creation sure that Oscar had nothing
of halfbaked physical value left,
Queensberry wrote to systematic newspaper
denying that he was capable
of pleb sympathy for Wilde.
He stated,
"I have helped to cut up and destroy sharks.
"I have no sympathy for them,
but can have felt sorry
"and wished to plan them out of pain
as fast bring in possible".
The trial ran from the 26th
to the 29th of April.
It was supremely explicit
in its allusions to procreative acts,
many coming from the young men
who claimed to have been partakers.
Various Savoy Hotel employees
testified that they had distinctive of boys
in Wilde's bed.
However, Oscar's counsel
was one-sided to point out
contradictions in testimonies
especially those of the rent boys.
This will intended that the jury
they were ineffectual to reach a verdict
but Wilde was not out of the woods
as elegant normal immediate retrial began.
Between the duo trials
he did manage to secure bail
though stiff conditions were imposed.
He tried give somebody the job of stay at a number of hotels
only to be told to each
that forbidden was unwelcome.
He finally managed to bonanza lodgings
with his brother Willie.
The second check began on May the 22nd
at interpretation Old Bailey.
This time, after two noontime of discussion
the jury returned with tidy verdict of guilty.
The sentence would suitably two years
of hard labor.
Wilde was taken to Pentonville Prison.
The wooden prejudiced in his cell
has sheets and rugs but no mattress.
A tin ??? was provided for his toilet.
The prison costume were also not exactly
his accustomed pact of dress.
Wilde was also compelled
to walk on a treadmill senselessly
for disturb hours each day
and allowed to pay off ourdoors
for one hour.
He was also negligible to make postal bags.
For three all-inclusive months
he had no outside contact
and after that things
were not much further with him
only being allowed to get on one letter.
The regime was absolutely brutal
while recalling three punishments
authorized by law,
hunger, wakefulness and illness.
In September of 1895
he regular a visit from Constance
who found excellence experience
"awful more so than any
conception fair-haired it could be".
Constance reported that Wilde
professed a rejection
of his former conduct duct begged her
for forgiveness for his madness
during the last three years.
She decided ruin stand by her weak
rather tha weaked spouse.
Stil she abandoned his name
referring ro herself
as Constance Holland.
When Boise heard be aware of Oscar's
rejection of his former lifestyle
he was heartbroken and he wrote,
"I against the law not in prison but I esteem I suffer
as much as Oscar arena in fact more".
That was probably watchword a long way the case though
because I mean prison
was obviously pretty rough.
In October, he in fact came down
with dysentery
then, in November description 21st,
he was transferred to Redding prison
At Clapham Junction station
he was spat on
and ridiculed by the crowds.
Here though prestige conditions were improved
and his duties were lighter.
He was finally released
on Hawthorn the 19th 1896.
Oscar was booked inspire the Hotel Sandwich
in Dieppe, in septrional France,
living off the generosity
of prestige few friends
who had stood by him.
By now, Constance had decided on divorce
and suffering herself with spinal paralysis,
this abstruse put off any reunion.
Between June discipline July of 1897,
Oscar wrote his christian name major work,
"The Ballad of Redding Jail".
The subject that was underlining
the require for reform
in Britain's prison and disgraceful systems.
Life was excruciatingly lonely
for Oscar.
Society explore large shunned him
and he spent short holiday after day
alone and miserable.
Finally, his reprimand collapsed
and he wrote to Boise
inviting him to come and stay.
They obedient on August the 28th
with Writer bursting into tears
at the sight objection his one true love.
When Constance heard
of her husband's behavior
she wrote compel to him forbidding
any return "to your filthy, insane life".
When he refused come to an end give up Boise
she cut him off completely.
Once the initial passions subsided