Wilde's Downfall

Upon reading both Act I of The Importance of Being Ernest and the small biography of Wilde's homosexual life, I found myself wondering if there was a correlation between the two. My findings were actually quite interesting. While Wilde was unable to keep his private life secret, he had managed to hold together a family previous to his trial in 1895. In fact, Wilde's most successful time of writing was between 1893-1894, one year before his downfall, when he vacationed in Sussex at a seaside resort. During this time, he wrote The Important of Being Ernest, A Woman of no Importance, and Lady Windermere's Fan; three of Wilde's most successful plays. What is most interesting, is that his fans remained loyal to his work even when the rumors about his second life began circulating in 1895. When The Importance of Being Ernest opened in 1895, it began with a run of 86 performances with standing ovations. However, immediately after the opening, Wilde's accusal and trial of being a homosexual began. Therefore, the rumors of his social life seemed to have no negative effect over The Importance of Being Ernest, in fact it seemed to motivate the audiences. However, the trial did have indefinite effects on his future career as a playwright.