When many hear the name Oscar Wilde, distinct impressions come to mind. Wilde appeared to be a man of many faces, putting on one for each occasion. For example, he established himself as a lecturer in the United States and Europe, however, he defiled his reputation in Dublin for "homosexual acts," which were inadmissible in nineteenth century Ireland.
The story of the infamous author begins on his birthday on October 16, 1854 in Dublin. His inherited the writing gene from his mother, Jane, who wrote revolutionary Irish poetry and translated works of literature, including a horror novel. Unfortunately, art imitated life, and horrific dysphoria became a part of the family when Oscar's sister passed away. This marked Oscar's soul for life since he carried a lock of her hair in an envelope from that day forward. The budding author attended the Portora Royal School, same as Samuel Beckett, thriving at his studies, coming in first place in his class and winning a scholarship to Trinity College. His childhood days were left behind, yet to be explored by tourists almost 150 years later. In 1994, American College Dublin acquired the Oscar Wilde House Museum, and received a generous donation for restoration. It was here that the family lived until 1878; William, Oscar's father, bought the house in 1855, yet died in 1876 leaving substantial mortgage payments, which eldest son, Henry, was obligated to pay until 1877, the year of Henry's death. A tour throughout the house leaves images of joyfulness and artistry; for instance, the dining room shines with a polished hardwood floor, wine-colored Oriental rug, pale blue walls and decorative gold curtains. It is hard to imagine that the family lived through a time of homeland famine, with a grandiose chrystal chandelier and built-in fireplace in the dining room, a charming ambience for Wilde family dinners. The Speranza Salon--Speranza was the pseudonym for Jane, Oscar's mother, in her writing-- became an important place for Dublin writers. In this very room Jane entertained literary guests such as Samuel Lever and Samuel Ferguson. Homeschooled until the age of nine, one can imagine little Oscar running into the Salon asking for his mother's assistance, or simply wanting to play. This room radiates warm sunlight with its lightly golden-painted walls and embellished adornments along with deep red velvet chairs. All of the Irish Georgian furnishings, carpets and fabrics are period pieces, reproduced to give the house the same ambience as when the Wilde family resided there. The stone and wood floors are the originals, but fully restored. The Oscar Wilde House Museum has strict regulations, since only 25-35 visitors are allowed on a tour, and the tour must be booked in advance.
Young Oscar excelled at Trinity as well, gaining prestigious awards and medals then matriculating to Oxford via scholarship. Today's Dublin university students have been known to pal around with Wilde himself, or the statue of the literary legend. The Oscar Wilde Statue is located in Merrion Square Park. The author lazily stretches back on a rock, one leg outstretched and the other bent. He dons dark trousers, a bright forest green jacket with red trim, and a necktie. Across his face a smirk reveals his devious inner thoughts, while his double chin and floppy hair are colored a pale cream. Many visitors, especially students, enjoy laying beside Wilde and having an impromptu photo session--even getting close enough kiss his cheek or throw an arm around his shoulders. Students and Dubliners alike affectionately provide their statues with nicknames, often referring to these names instead. Townspeople commonly allude to the statue of Oscar Wilde as "The Queer with the Leer," "The Fag on the Crag, " or "The Quare in the Square." These names came about from the author's sexuality, which stemmed from marriage to a woman, who bore his children, to affairs with male lovers. Wilde was arrested and charged with "gross indecency," which in the nineteenth century translated to homosexuality. Downtrodden due to the abandonment of his family and friends, and eventual bankruptcy, Wilde carried out a sentence of two years hard labor. After his release, he was never the same, the writing brilliance had dissipated, sadly leaving Oscar a penniless wanderer, and succumbing to cerebral meningitis on November 30, 1900.
The Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing at Trinity College serves as another way to enjoy the esteemed author's memory. A plethora of events are held in honor of Irish writers; for example, past events included a poetry reading by the revered Anne Devlin, and an Oscar Wilde Memorial Lecture, held on his birthday of October 16th. The calendar of events for spring and summer 2007 are not listed on the website thus it is best to check around the time of the tour.
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