The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde

This scholarly examination offers a compelling reassessment of Oscar Wilde's often-overlooked children's literature, arguing that The Happy Prince and Other Stories and A House of Pomegranates deserve a central place in the Wilde canon. Jarlath Killeen meticulously analyzes these fairy tale collections not as simple children's stories, but as sophisticated texts deeply embedded in the theological and political debates of Wilde's era, providing a fresh lens through which to understand the author's broader artistic and philosophical project.

Killeen's work is essential for students and scholars of Victorian literature, Irish studies, and children's literature, as it masterfully connects the tales' poignant allegories to complex national and social concerns. By restoring these narratives to their proper critical standing, this study reveals the profound depth hidden within Wilde's deceptively simple prose, ultimately transforming how readers perceive the relationship between his fairy tales and his more famous plays and novel.