Wilde Wit Competition

The Oscar Wilde Society’s annual Wilde Wit competition is now closed for entries! The committee will vote on a shortlist from all the entries received, and the membership will then select our three winners from the shortlist.

Thank you to our partners, The Oldie, the Decadence Research Centre at Goldsmiths University and Chap magazine. With their participation, we have a record number of entrants this year.

First prize for 2024 is a signed copy of Wilde in the Dream Factory: Decadence and the American Movies by Kate Hext (Oxford University Press, 2024). This fascinating new book opens up a whole new dimension of Wilde studies by showing the influence Wilde had on early American films.

See the videos of our honorary patrons reading the 2023 winners:

Want More Wilde?

If Wildean wit tickles your fancy, consider joining the Oscar Wilde Society, where members explore the many sides of Wilde through events, performances and regular publications.

Society events include:

  • Lectures, readings and discussions
  • Visits to places associated with Wilde
  • An annual lunch in Oxford
  • An annual Birthday Dinner in London

Members also receive three publications, including our peer-reviewed journal The Wildean, which contains original research and articles by Wilde scholars and experts.

Learn more on our membership page.