Oscar Wilde is famous for many aspects of his life, including his childhood and adolescence, his marriage and devotion as a father, his homosexual encounters and his imprisonment and for his fantastic ability to disconcert his audience. Wilde was a flamboyant 19th century writer known for his ability to create brilliant plays, imaginative and moral stories, and above all for his incredible master talent in all forms of literature. Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854. His full name at birth was Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wilde (Small VII). Wilde's parents were well-known and upstanding members of society. His mother, Lady Jane Francesca Elgee, was a poet and journalist. His father, Sir William Wilde, was an eminent physician (Wilde ix). At the age of eleven, Oscar was enrolled at Portora Royal School. As a young man he attended Trinity College, Magdalen College and Oxford (Small vii-i). After graduating in 1874, Wilde moved to London (Wilde ix). He was invited to America for a speaking tour. After returning from class, Wilde went to Paris. There, he met the now famous artists Degas, Pissaro, Toulouse-Lautrec and Victor Hugo (“Wilde”). Wilde met Constance Lloyd in London in 1879. Five years later, in 1884, they married in London. A year after their marriage, Constance gave birth to a son, Cyril Wilde. In 1886, another son, Vyvyan Wilde, was born. Oscar Wilde is known for his dedication as a father. He remained incredibly devoted to his children until his death (Small vii-i). In 1891, Oscar met Lord Alfred Douglas, or “Bosie,” as he was affectionately known. Wilde was very attracted to “Bosie”. They began a not-so-secret affair (Small vii-ix). Douglas's father, The Mar...... middle of paper ......tely his lonely and untimely end. Works CitedBloom, Harold, Ed. Modern Critical Views of Oscar Wilde. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Print.Everett, Rupert. “Oscar, Romeo, Bravo!.” Times, The (UK) (2010): 13, 14. Newspaper source. EBSCO. Internet. February 16, 2011. Goode, Stephen. “Oscar Wilde, moralist.” Washington Times, The (DC) nd: Newspaper source. EBSCO. Internet. February 16, 2011.Luebering, JE The 100 Most Influential Writers of All Time. New York: Britannica Education Publishing, 2010. Print.Small, Ian. Complete short fiction. London: Penguin Group, 1994. Print. “Wilde, Oscar.” British Encyclopedia. Online school edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011. web. February 15, 2011. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2003. Print.