The Ballad of Reading Gaol cover art

The Ballad of Reading Gaol

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The Ballad of Reading Gaol

By: Oscar Wilde
Narrated by: Roy Macready
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About this listen

"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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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.

Beautifully read

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

the best

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