You could say Oscar Wilde invented the viral meme.
Aphorisms such as “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go” and “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” made him a household name in the late-1800s, back when quotes were traded in cocktail conversation and newspaper columns instead of via tweet and TikTok content. Wilde has only become more iconic since his death 1900, and it speaks volumes that his pithy witticisms continued to be shared on social media feeds today.
Before he became the 19th-century version of a celebrity influencer, however, the author of canonical classics “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray“ was an art critic and eccentric known more for his flamboyant fashion sense than his literary prowess. It wasn’t until the 27 year-old Brit embarked on a tour of North America in 1882 — traveling by train to more than 140 cities that year — did he secure a perennial place in the zeitgeist.
People clamored to hear the floppy-haired, silver-tongued Wilde lecture across the country — including a stop in Savannah, where he spoke to a packed house on July 5, 1882, at the historic Savannah Theatre on Chippewa Square. But how did this unknown young writer attract such clout? Like any smart flack, he sent out a hype man to schedule interviews and create a buzz about the “genius” coming to town, then presented himself decked out in satin and black velvet in the manner of a superstar.
“He basically was the first person to figure out how to become famous for being famous,” says Dr. Elizabeth “Beth” Howells, chair of the Department of English at Georgia Southern University, pointing to Wilde’s prescient mastery of the power of self-promotion.
“This is the first time you see someone’s personality as currency.”
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