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  • The Ballad of Reading Gaol

  • By: Oscar Wilde
  • Narrated by: Roy Macready
  • Length: 25 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (5 ratings)
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The Ballad of Reading Gaol cover art

The Ballad of Reading Gaol

By: Oscar Wilde
Narrated by: Roy Macready
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Summary

"The Ballad of Reading Gaol" was written by Oscar Wilde in France, where he was in exile after his release from Reading Gaol. Wilde had been imprisoned and sentenced to two years hard labor. A hanging took place while Wilde was incarcerated, and the poem is the narrative of the execution.

Public Domain (P)2016 Spiders' House Audio/Roy Macready
Classics
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What listeners say about The Ballad of Reading Gaol

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Profile Image for Norman Alfred Bramwell

the best

brilliant! one of the finest poems ever written, i could hear it over and over again

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Profile Image for Mrs W.

Beautifully read

A terrible place to be, Wilde's experience in Reading Gaol changed him. He claimed to be haunted by the pitiful cries of children, it highlights a terrible time in British history.

Beautiful reading by Roy Macready, he really does it justice.

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