Selected works of Oscar Wilde (PDF)
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
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| Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) |
Poet · Playwright · Novelist · Icon
Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin and educated at Trinity College and Oxford, where he became known for his flamboyant style and passionate devotion to Aestheticism — the philosophy summed up as “art for art’s sake”, the belief that beauty needs no further justification.
He rose to fame in London during the 1880s and 1890s, dazzling society with a string of brilliant comedies — including Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest — and his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Celebrated for his razor-sharp epigrams, playful paradoxes, and unapologetic persona as a dandy and free thinker, he seemed to have everything: admiration, influence, and fame.
Then in 1895, his life shattered. Convicted of “gross indecency” for his relationships with men, he was sentenced to two years’ hard labor. Prison broke his health and fortune; the writing he produced there and after — most notably De Profundis — is stripped of glitter: raw, searching, and deeply sorrowful. He died in Paris in 1900, in exile and impoverished, aged just 46.
Today he is remembered as one of literature’s greatest stylists — and also as a powerful symbol in LGBTQ+ history. His trial remains one of the most public and consequential persecutions of queer life in the Victorian era, and his legacy stands as both a testament to genius and a reminder of the cost of difference.
Contents of the Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
✍️ Essays & Nonfiction
De Profundis
Written in prison, this is Wilde stripped of wit and ornament: raw, bitter, unflinchingly self-examining, occasionally self-pitying, and ultimately searching for meaning in suffering. A powerful contrast to the comedies — and essential for understanding the man behind them.
Intentions
Including The Decay of Lying, Pen, Pencil and Poison, The Critic as Artist, and The Truth of Masks — Wilde’s aesthetic philosophy in dialogue and essay form. Playful, paradoxical, and genuinely provocative on art versus truth. A must-read if you want his ideas, not just his stories.
The Soul of Man Under Socialism
Surprisingly sincere political writing, arguing that true individualism and art can only flourish when freed from both poverty and conformity. Less famous than his comedies, but well worth discovering for the thoughtful reader.
📘 Fiction
The Picture of Dorian Gray
His masterpiece: lush, unsettling, and deeply moral beneath all the glitter. A haunting meditation on vanity, desire, and the cost of beauty — as powerful today as when written.
Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime & Other Stories
Lighter, sharper short fiction — a delightful satire on fate, reputation, and murder treated as a social obligation. Charming, lesser-known Wilde that shows his range beyond the stage and novel.
🧚 Fairy Tales
The Happy Prince and Other Tales · A House of Pomegranates
Wilde’s fairy tales — including “The Happy Prince,” “The Nightingale and the Rose,” and “The Selfish Giant” — appear simple but carry quiet depth. Often sad, always beautiful, they echo the same themes found in his adult work: sacrifice, true beauty, and cruelty disguised as respectability. Underrated and unforgettable.
Zip file contains books Size 57 MB