Pop Wilde. Oscar Wilde nella popular culture

Oscar Wilde has reached iconic status within the field of English studies; the secret of his success is given by the artist’s capacity of translating his life into a form of writing and his writing into a vital gesture which articulates a complex critique of late nineteenth century English society. Wilde chose London as the stage for the performance of the most important of his plays: Oscar Wilde. Interestingly, in contemporary popular culture, Wilde’s self-conscious construction of his identity and his performance of an ironic masculinity – which sharply contrasted with the imperial one embraced by many of his contemporaries – have become sources of inspiration for many artists (Capote, Warhol, Fry, Bowie, Morrissey) in key fields such as literature, cinema, television, and music. This article analyses Wilde’s life and works and his legacy focusing on the interplay of performance and identity, showing the complexity and importance of a literary and artistic experience which has often been misunderstood.