Oscar Wilde (1854­1900) was an Irish-born writer who believed in art 
for art’s sake. His most notable works employ witty dialogue and well-
crafted plots. At the pinnacle of his career, Wilde was convicted of 
sodomy in a scandalous court trial. After two years of hard labor, he 
emerged from prison penniless and downtrodden. He is remembered 
for his social commentary, wit and epigrammatic style. Among his 
works are the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray  (1891), and the play 
The Importance of Being Earnest  (1895).