Why did Wilde write The Ballad of Reading Gaol?
The Ballad of Reading Gaol, poem by Oscar Wilde, published in 1898. This long ballad, Wilde’s last published work, is an eloquent plea for reform of prison conditions.
How many stanzas are in The Ballad of Reading Gaol?
109 stanzas
Synopsis of The Ballad of Reading Gaol By Oscar Wilde The Ballad of Reading Gaol – with a total of 109 stanzas divided into 6 sections of varying length – chronicles what was perhaps the most influential moment in Wilde’s two-year sentence: the execution of another inmate.
When did Wilde write The Ballad of Reading Gaol?
1898
The poem: ‘The Ballard of Reading Gaol’
| Full title: | ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ by Oscar Wilde |
|---|---|
| Published: | 1898 |
| Format: | Page proofs |
| Language: | English |
| Creator: | Oscar Wilde |
What is the Reading Gaol?
HM Prison Reading, popularly known as Reading Gaol, is a former prison located in Reading, Berkshire, England. The prison was operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service until its closure at the start of 2014. It is a Grade II listed building and sits on the site of Reading Abbey.
When was The Ballad of Reading Gaol written?
The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ by Oscar Wilde is a heartbreaking depiction of the losses, betrayals, and tragedies that all ‘men’ suffer in their lifetime. This poem is Oscar Wilde’s most successful poem and was his last great work written before his death in 1900.
Who is Charles Thomas Wooldridge in the Ballad of Reading Gaol?
The poem begins with the story of Charles Thomas Wooldridge who murdered his wife. The man has been sentenced to hang and goes about his life in prison wistfully. Wilde, and the other men, are jealous of his attitude as he has accepted his fate and is the better for it.
What does casque mean in the Ballad of Reading Gaol?
Casque, refers to at the metal helmet of a knight’s costume. It is as if the world has compressed itself around the speaker and he is trapped in an even greater nightmare. All he can feel is the pain that Wooldridge must be experiencing, his own problems and future slip to the side.
What happens in the Ballad of Woolridge by Oscar Wilde?
Death is never far behind: each prisoner’s cell is ‘his numbered tomb’ (Wilde’s was C.3.3., of course). They are dead men walking, corpses that live and breathe: another paradox. And the night before Woolridge is to hang, things take a Gothic turn: White faces seemed to peer.
