Teleny (ePub)

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), the flamboyant and witty Anglo-Irish playwright, novelist, and poet, was a towering figure in the late Victorian era. Known for his barbed and clever use of the English language, Wilde became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. His best-known works include 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and the plays 'The Importance of Being Earnest' and 'An Ideal Husband'. Wilde's writing was characterized by his espousal of aestheticism, dedication to art for art's sake, and biting social commentary. 'Teleny', a novel often attributed to Wilde, is a somewhat controversial work, given its erotic content and the contentious debate over its authorship. Despite the speculation, 'Teleny' is considered part of the Wilde canon by many scholars, who view it as a bold exploration of homosexuality, a taboo subject in Wilde's time. His literary career, however, came to an abrupt end when Wilde was imprisoned for gross indecency due to his homosexual relationships. The trials and the incarceration profoundly affected Wilde's personal life and his standing in the society of the day. Despite his fall from public grace, Wilde remains a celebrated and widely studied figure in literature, known for his sharp wit, lyrical prose, and a tragic end that highlights the societal constraints of his era.