Title The faiths of Oscar Wilde : Catholicism, folklore and Ireland / Jarlath Killeen

Published Basingstoke [England] ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2005

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Description 1 online resource (xi, 228 pages) Series Palgrave studies in nineteenth-century writing and culture Palgrave studies in nineteenth-century writing and culture Contents Child and man : the development of a Catholic mind -- Faith and reason : the Bible, the Catholic church and Wilde's scandalous writings -- Body and soul : nature, the host and folklore in The picture of Dorian Gray -- Religion and politics : Wilde's social philosophy -- Art and life : the politics of ritualism in The importance of being Earnest -- Realism and romance : between Protestantism and Catholicism in Wilde's final writings Summary This energetic and original book examines in detail the relationship between faith, theology, religious history and national politics in the major writings of Oscar Wilde. It focuses in particular on Wilde's lifelong attraction to Catholicism, an attraction originating in his time spent as a boy, in the West of Ireland. Killeen also closely examines the influence of Wilde's Protestant heritage on his work: his antagonism towards this heritage is closely related to the narrative modes he chose to work in, and the aesthetic philosophy he espoused. Overall, the book demonstrates how Wilde combined his religious leanings with a reconfiguration of Nationalism, while an Irish 'exile' in London. For Wilde, Catholicism and Irish Nationalism were inter-dependent projects that operated as the fields of force energising his writing. Providing an entirely fresh critical perspective on his writing, (including The Picture of Dorian Grey, The Importance of Being Earnest), this new study will be of interest to all students and scholars of Wilde Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 210-221) and index Notes English Print version record Subject Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 -- Religion Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 -- Criticism and interpretation Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 -- Homes and haunts -- Ireland Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 -- Knowledge -- Folklore SUBJECT Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900 fast Subject Christianity and literature -- Ireland -- History -- 19th century Literature and folklore -- Ireland -- History -- 19th century Catholics -- Ireland -- Intellectual life Christianity in literature. Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900. Literary studies: plays & playwrights. Christianity. LITERARY CRITICISM -- European -- English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh. Literature. Folklore Catholics -- Intellectual life Christianity and literature Christianity in literature Homes Literature and folklore Religion Ireland Genre/Form Criticism, interpretation, etc. History Form Electronic book ISBN 9780230503557 0230503551

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