The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde

This biography traces the life of Oscar Wilde, the Irish-born writer whose plays, essays and stories made him one of the most talked-about figures of the Victorian age. The author follows his literary career from early fame to later success, paying close attention to his growing interest in the Catholic faith and the religious ideas that shaped some of his thinking. The book also examines the scandal that damaged his public standing: a relationship with another man that led to a criminal case, a prison sentence, and the hardship that followed. Drawing on Wilde's own words and the record of his times, the account asks how faith, art and personal identity intertwined in a life lived under intense public scrutiny.