Oscar Wilde was already one of the best known
literary figures in Britain when he was persuaded to
turn his extraordinary talents to the theatre. Between
1891 and 1895 he produced a sequence of distinctive
plays which spearheaded the dramatic renaissance of the
1890s and retain their power today. The social comedies,
Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, and An
Ideal Husband, offer a moving as well as witty
dissection of society and its morals, with a sharp focus
on sexual politics. By contrast, the experimental,
symbolist Salome, written originally in French, was
banned for public performance by the English censor. His
final dramatic triumph was his 'trivial' comedy for
serious people, The Importance of Being Earnest'
arguably the greatest farcical comedy in English. Under
the General Editorship of Dr Michael Cordner of the
University of York, the texts of the plays have been
newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling
and punctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly
introduction and detailed annotation. ABOUT THE SERIES:
For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made
available the widest range of literature from around the
globe.Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's
commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate
text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including
expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful
notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for
further study, and much more. |
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