The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Interesting Facts

• «The Ballad of Reading Gaol» was written by Oscar Wilde after his release from prison, where he spent two years for 'indecent behavior'.
• The work is based on real events that occurred in Reading Gaol, where Wilde served his sentence.
• The central theme of the ballad is the execution of the prisoner Charles Thomas Wooldridge, who was hanged for murdering his wife.
• Wilde uses the ballad as a means to critique the cruelty and inhumanity of the Victorian English prison system.
• The work is written in the form of a ballad, which gives it rhythm and musicality, enhancing its emotional impact on the reader.
• The ballad was published anonymously under the initials 'C.3.3.', corresponding to Wilde's cell number in prison.
• This work became the last significant literary effort by Wilde published during his lifetime.
• The ballad was acclaimed for its deep emotionality and social critique, becoming an important part of Wilde's literary legacy.