July 7-13, 2019

When Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) left colonial Dublin to take metropolitan England by storm, he established himself as one of the funniest, most consequential figures in literary history.

At Oxford, he was a disciple of the Aestheticism/Decadence movement fostered by fellow intellectuals and artists who promoted "art for art's sake," a stance swiftly parodied by the establishment. By the early 1890s, Wilde became famous for his epigrammatic wit, wildly popular novels, and plays brimming with social satire.

As a trailblazer for gay liberation, Wilde's 1895 trial and conviction for sodomy helped to create twentieth-century gay identity, the "love that dared not speak its name." It can be argued that Wilde's own life, though it ended tragically, was his greatest work of art. We'll visit some of Cornell's rich literature collections and read The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) and other writings, including Wilde's dramatic masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

This program is part of Cornell’s Adult University (CAU), which offers education vacations designed and led by Cornell faculty. Programs include off-campus travel adventures and weeklong on-campus summer courses open to all, including Cornell alumni, families, and friends.

For more information and to register, visit cau.cornell.edu, email cauinfo@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.6260.