As a poet, novelist, essayist, and playwright, Oscar Wilde excelled in a range of genres, engaging and fascinating his readers with his ability to make use of compatible contraries. Many of his central works, including The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray, and their lasting influence are discussed in this new edition of full-length critical essays. This entry in the Bloom's Modern Critical Views series features an introductory essay from literary critic Harold Bloom, a chronology of Wilde's life, a bibliography of his works, and an index for handy reference.