Who Was Oscar Wilde? A Guide for Families
If your children have listened to The Happy Prince or The Selfish Giant, they'll probably wonder: who wrote such beautiful stories? The answer is Oscar Wilde, one of the most brilliant, witty, and tragic writers in history.
An Irish Boy with a Boundless Imagination
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 16 October 1854. His father was a famous surgeon, and his mother, Jane Wilde, was a poet and champion of Irish independence.
From an early age, Oscar showed extraordinary intelligence. He spoke fluent French and German, read voraciously, and had a special talent for storytelling. His mother hosted literary gatherings at home, where young Oscar listened, fascinated, to poets and writers.
From Dublin to Oxford: The Brilliant Student
Wilde studied at the prestigious Trinity College Dublin and then at the University of Oxford in England. At Oxford, he became the most popular student on campus — not just for his brilliant marks, but for his extravagant dress, dazzling wit, and magnetic personality.
He was famous for his witty sayings. One of the most celebrated: "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
The Fairy Tales: His Most Tender Work
In 1888, Wilde published The Happy Prince and Other Tales, a collection of five stories he wrote, by his own account, for his sons Cyril and Vyvyan. In 1891, he published a second collection, A House of Pomegranates.
These stories are different from everything else he wrote. Instead of biting wit, we find tenderness, compassion, and a beauty that breaks the heart. The tales speak of statues who sacrifice themselves, giants who learn to share, and rockets who boast too much.
👉 Listen to The Happy Prince — his most famous tale
👉 Listen to The Selfish Giant — his most tender tale
London's Most Famous Playwright
Beyond fairy tales, Wilde wrote some of the funniest plays in the English language: The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, and Lady Windermere's Fan. He also wrote the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, one of the most influential works in literature.
In the 1890s, Wilde was the most famous person in London: everyone wanted to invite him to dinner, hear his witty remarks, and applaud his plays.
The Tragedy: Prison and Exile
In 1895, at the height of his fame, Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labour for his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. Victorian society was merciless with those who stepped outside its norms.
In prison, Wilde wrote De Profundis, one of the most moving letters in all of literature. After his release, he lived in exile in France under the assumed name "Sebastian Melmoth." He died in Paris on 30 November 1900, aged 46, in poverty.
His Legacy: Beauty, Compassion, and Truth
Today, more than 125 years after his death, Oscar Wilde is considered one of the most important writers in the English language. His fairy tales continue to be read and loved around the world.
What makes his children's stories special is that they combine magic and reality, beauty and sorrow, humour and tenderness. They're not simple tales — they're stories that grow with the reader. A six-year-old will enjoy the story of the giant and the children playing in the garden. An adult will weep at the sacrifice of the swallow and the prince.
Oscar Wilde on Cuentautor
We've adapted 7 Oscar Wilde tales for children aged 6–8:
- The Happy Prince — generosity and sacrifice
- The Selfish Giant — compassion and sharing
- The Devoted Friend — true friendship
- The Canterville Ghost — humour and forgiveness
- The Remarkable Rocket — humility vs vanity
- The Young King — justice and inner beauty
- The Birthday of the Infanta — appearance and empathy
All with watercolour illustrations, professional audio narration, and available in 17 languages.