Oscar Wilde wrote.
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde ( 16 October 185430 November 1900 ) was an Irish playwright , novelist , essayist , and poet . The opportunity to construct aesthetic details precisely , and combine them with larger social themes , drew Wilde to write drama . He wrote Salome ( 1891 ) in French in Paris but it was refused a licence for England due to the absolute prohibition of Biblical subjects on the English stage . There he wrote his last work , The Ballad of Reading Gaol ( 1898 ) , a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life . The Importance of Being Earnest , A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde .