Oscar Wilde’s Mother Was An Irish Revolutionary

Jane Wilde was a well-known Irish poet and patriot. She wed Sir William Wilde, an eye and ear surgeon who was also interested in folklore, on November 12, 1851, at Dublin's St. Peter's Church. The couple had three children together. Her daughter Isola Wilde passed away as a youngster from a fever, and her two sons, Oscar Wilde and William Wilde, both became prolific and well-known writers. In an effort to promote the Irish revolt of 1848, she wrote under the pen name "Speranza." She was well known for supporting women's education and working for women's suffrage. She picked the name because she thought she was a descendant of the Italian author Dante, and it signifies "hope" in English. Elgee allegedly utilized a pen name to protect her family from embarrassment by not using her true name when she published her work.

Speranza became well-known in Ireland thanks to her work, which tackled contentious topics like the pain experienced during the Irish Famine. She also molded her son's personality. The Irish Times claims that afterwards, Speranza's tremendous power was used to make sure that Oscar would not back down from the controversial trial that focused on his homosexuality.