On this day in 1895, Oscar Wilde was arrested after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry . Considering the current state of affairs in regards to censorship and the suppression of  civil liberties that is currently being played out on the Australian stage I thought it was fitting to acknowledge a man most consider to be one of the greatest literary figures of his generation. The Importance of Being Earnest , one of the great works of modern literature, demonstrates why its author is seen as both an inaugurator and master of modernism.

In his best work, the subversive insights embedded in his wit continue to challenge common assumptions of this era and still resonate today. His ability to unsettle and startle us with his radical vision of the artifice inherent in the self’s construction make him and his works stand out even now. His life was…