Oscar Wilde - (McFarland Companions to 19th Century Literature) by Heather Marcovitch (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The author of short stories, children's literature, philosophical essays, plays, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde was one of the central literary figures of the late Victorian period whose influence stretches to the present day. This volume--the first comprehensive companion to Wilde's life and writings to be published in nearly 30 years--offers interpretations of both major and lesser-known works; discussions of literary, theater, and film adaptations of his works; and explorations of Wilde's engagement with contemporary social, political, and philosophical movements and the women in his life. A biographical essay examines Wilde's trial and imprisonment for gross indecency, illuminating social and historical contexts as well as the role of his friends and family in his decision to stand trial. Surveying recent scholarship on Wilde's writings, the book presents a range of critical approaches that help shape modern understandings of his work, life, and cultural significance.

Review Quotes

"'Books are either well written or badly written. That is all.' So said Oscar Wilde, and he would have been delighted with Heather Marcovitch's companion to his works, because it is so very well written. But that is not all. Readers will find this a welcome 'companion' in the sense of being a wise and insightful friend, one definitely worth listening to and learning from, whether they are encountering Wilde's plays, novel, essays, and short stories for the first time or after a lifetime of studying them. Marcovitch's research into contexts and connections points in fresh directions and enhances appreciation of Wilde as a figure situated in a wider world, both in his lifetime and ever since. Her lists, too, of texts for 'Further Reading'--and also for further watching (films, documentaries, TV shows, ballets, operas, etc.)--will prove invaluable for the legions of us whose appetite for Wildeana is never sated."--Margaret D. Stetz, Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women's Studies and Professor of Humanities, University of Delaware

About the Author

Heather Marcovitch teaches English at Red Deer Polytechnic in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. She has written about Oscar Wilde and other writers of the 1890s.