Wilde, born in Ireland in 1854, was an outstanding classical scholar at Trinity College, Dublin, then at Magdalen College, Oxford University. In London, he worked as a journalist for four years. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant clothes, and glittering conversation, Wilde was one of the best known personalities of the day. It was his only novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray", which brought him full recognition. Then he turned to writing drama. He wrote "Salomé" in French in Paris in 1891, but it was refused a licence. Despite this, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London.