In this episode of pplpod, we explore the flamboyant life and dramatic fall of Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet and playwright regarded by many as the greatest dramatist of the Victorian era. We trace his journey from his roots as the son of Dublin intellectuals to his time as a brilliant scholar at Oxford, where he became a key figure in the rising Aesthetic movement. You’ll hear about his dazzling rise in London society, his lecture tours in North America, and the creation of his literary masterpieces, including the Gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the smash-hit comedy The Importance of Being Earnest.
We then delve into the scandal that unraveled his life: his volatile relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas and the fatal legal feud with the Marquess of Queensberry. We break down the sensational trials that captivated London, where Wilde defended "the love that dare not speak its name" before being convicted of gross indecency. Finally, we discuss his imprisonment in Reading Gaol, his final years of poverty and exile in France, and his posthumous pardon in 2017.
Wilde's life ultimately mirrored the trajectory of his own theatrical works: beginning as a sparkling comedy of manners and concluding as a heartbreaking tragedy.
