The Ballad Of Reading Gaol

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1896

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Related Poems

“Her Voice“ and “My Voice“ by Oscar Wilde (1881)

The companion poems “Her Voice” and “My Voice” represent the two sides of a relationship that is coming to an end. In “Her Voice,” a woman comes to terms with the end of a love she had intended to have forever, while “My Voice” captures the man’s perspective.

“The New Remorse“ by Oscar Wilde (1898)

Said to have been written by Wilde to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas while in prison, this short poem is a farewell to a person that the narrator has left with a broken heart. Its theme resonates with the idea that “each man kills the thing he loves” from “The Ballad of Reading Gaol.”

“The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel“ by John Betjeman (1937)

British Poet Laureate John Betjeman’s poem imagines the moments before Oscar Wilde was arrested in his hotel room. This work can be read as a parallel to “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” which imagines the experiences of a fellow prisoner just before he is executed.

Further Literary Resources

De Profundis by Oscar Wilde (1897)

Wilde’s letter to his lover Lord Aldred Douglas (“Bosie”), written during his incarceration, contains themes that also appear in the poem about the nature of imprisonment and the possibility of redemption.

“Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)“ by Poetry Foundation (2023)

A comprehensive overview of Oscar Wilde’s life and work, suitable for younger and more advanced students seeking to fill gaps in their knowledge.

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (1678)

A Christian allegory about the soul’s journey through life’s temptations, this popular work would have been the only book besides the Bible that Wilde would have been allowed to read while in prison.