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On October 16, foreign literature lovers will celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the famous English classic, Oscar Wilde, author of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) is known for his works such as The Nightingale and the Rose, The Star-Child, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and others. This talented English writer entered world literature as a poet, prose writer, playwright, and critic. His works still "break" stereotypes and change readers' perspectives.

The Works of Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was born on October 16, 1854, in Dublin, into a doctor’s family. His first collection of poems was published in 1881. Within a year, it was reprinted five times, with 250 copies in each edition. All the publishing costs were covered by Wilde himself.

The first bright poetic works of the author were written under the influence of Impressionism. Wilde’s mature creative period lasted from 1887 to 1895. It was during this time that one of his most famous works, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was created. At the same time, two volumes of fairy tales and the cycle of stories Lord Arthur Savile's Crime were published. Wilde expressed his aesthetic views in the collection of essays and dialogues The Decay of Lying and other writings.

Oscar Wilde — A Great Master of Words

Oscar Wilde is one of the most famous aphorists. His statements still amaze with the subtlety of thought and relevance. Here are some of them:

  • "Words must be tuned like a violin: just as the excess or lack of vibrations in a singer's voice or the trembling of a string produce a false note, the excess or lack of words prevents the expression of thought."
  • "The greatest events in the world are those that happen in the brain of a person."