Shakespeare was born to middle class parents. His father, John, was a Stratford businessman and a glove maker who owned a leather shop. John Shakespeare was a well-known and respected man in the town, holding several important local governmental positions. John Shakespeare married Mary in 1557. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a family of considerable wealth and social standing. One of eight children, Wil

1852. Wilde was christened Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Willson on October 16, 1854 . Wilde's only sister, Isola Emily Francesca, was delivered on April 2, 1857 but died ten years later from a sudden fever. Wilde was deeply affected and kept a lock of her hair sealed in an envelope until the end of his life (Jonno.com). Along with his brother, Wilde attended the Protora Royal School at Enniskillen where he excelled at classics taking top prize his last two years and second prize in drawing. In 1871, Wilde was awarded a Royal School Scholarship to Trinity College in Dublin. Again, he did particularly well in Classics, earning first in his examinations in 1872 and earning the highest honor the college could bestow on an undergraduate - a Foundation Scholarship. In 1874, Oscar crowned his successes at Trinity with two final achievements. He won the College's Berkeley Gold Medal for Greek and was awarded a Demyship (scholarship) to Magdalen College, Oxford. Wilde's father died on April 19, 1876 and the family's financial situation was not good. William's oldest son from before the marriage, Henry Wilson, paid the mortgage on the family home and continued to financially support the family until his sudden death in 1878. However, at this point, Wilde was just about grown and ready to be on his own. Like Shakespeare, he was able to take advantage of many opportunities before financial troubles hit. He was able to gain much experience and education that would benefit him throughout his writing career (cmgww.com/historic/wilde/).

On May 29, 1884, Wilde married Constance Lloyd (who, unlike Shakespeare's wife, was several years younger than him). Oscar and Constance had two sons in a short time period, Cyril in 1885 and Vyvyan in 1886. Like Shakespeare, Wilde seemed unhappy with his marriage, but reacted to this in quite a different way. In the summer of 1891, Oscar met Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, the third son of the Marquis of Queensberry. They soon became lovers and were inseparable until Wilde's arrest three years later. These arrests and charges of homosexuality, among other things, were central controversies in Wilde's life up until his death (cmgww.com/historic/wilde/).

In Wilde's An Ideal Husband, the main character is a man by the name of Sir Robert Chiltern. A widely respected gentleman and brilliant politician, he is on the verge of getting a seat in the Cabinet. He appears to have it all - that is, until the scheming Mrs. Cheveley threatens to reveal a dark secret from his past. She has a letter proving that he acquired his wealth by selling Cabinet secrets. In exchange for her silence, she asks that Sir Chiltern propose to the House of Representatives to go through with the plans to build a canal that will be of no practical use - a canal which she has invested in greatly. While pondering over this dilemma, Sir Chiltern is saved by the aide of his good friend, Lord Goring. Lord Goring obtains proof that she stole a diamond brooch from Lady Berkshire, Goring's cousin, and proceeds to beat Mrs. Cheveley at her own game by in turn blackmailing her: "Why, thief is written across your face at this very moment" (Wilde 97). As the situation evolves into a game of who can destroy whom, Sir Chiltern sticks to his guns and refuses to promote the canal. Mrs. Cheveley's last attempts to devastate him only backfire on her, and in the end, what could have been a political disaster was avoided thanks to the help of the trusted Lord Goring.

Contrary to most people of the Victorian Age, Wilde loved being different. He openly defied what is know today as Victorian prudery by dressing different, thinking different, and even acting different than everyone else. He was even prosecuted by law for his unorthodox sexual preferences. In addition to that, Wilde led what was known as the aesthetic movement, and encouraged people to pursue art simply because you want to; not because anyone else is paying you or asks you to. Today, Wilde is recog

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Approximate Word count = 2941
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)