The Importance of Being Earnest (1895; first published in 1899) was Wilde’s final stage comedy and is widely considered his greatest work. The play is filled with Wilde's distinctive wit. Wilde intended to approach trivial matters with seriousness and serious matters with triviality.

Richard Ellmann’s biography Oscar Wilde (1987) is essential for understanding Wilde’s life. Ellmann portrays Wilde as the tragic hero of his own story.

Dorian: [An Imitation] (2004), by British author Will Self, reimagines The Picture of Dorian Gray in the context of the late twentieth century. The same characters are present, but with modern twists: Henry Wotton is depicted as a gay heroin addict, “Baz” Hallward is a video artist, and the vain Dorian Gray seduces both men and women. By 1997, all three characters are HIV positive, but Dorian remains unaffected by the illness.

Oscar Wilde: Myths, Miracles and Imitations (1996), by John Stokes, explores Wilde's significant influence on modern culture. Stokes delves into diaries, letters, adaptations of Wilde’s plays, and impersonations, analyzing Wilde’s connection to fin-de-siècle and twentieth-century thought.