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Lady Jane 'Speranza' Wilde

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Poet

The Resume

    (1821-February 3, 1896)
    Birth name was Jane Frances Agnes Elgee
    Resided in Dublin and London
    Wrote ‘Poems (1864),’ ‘Poems (1871),’ ‘Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland (1888),’ ‘Notes on Men, Women and Books (1891),’ ‘Social Studies (1893)’
    Editor of ‘The Nation’
    Mother of Oscar Wilde

Why she might be annoying:

    She was tall and manly.
    She was vain and self-absorbed.
    She lied about her age.
    She wrote essays calling for a violent Irish rebellion against Great Britain.
    She published under the pretentious single name ‘Speranza.’

Why she might not be annoying:

    She was an early feminist.
    She became the editor of her own magazine, which was extremely unusual for a woman of the time.
    She spoke several languages.
    Her daughter died at ten.
    When her son, Oscar Wilde, faced jail time for his homosexuality, she said: ‘If you stay, even if you go to prison, you will always be my son.’
    She died of bronchitis while he was still in jail.

Credit: Wieland Kalligaro


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 48 Votes: 77.08% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 66 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 31 Votes: 58.06% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 39 Votes: 51.28% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 71 Votes: 57.75% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 96 Votes: 46.88% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 61 Votes: 55.74% Annoying