Salome: Tragödie in Einem Akt

by Oscar Wilde

"Salome: Tragödie in Einem Akt" by Oscar Wilde is a one-act tragedy first published in French in 1893. The play dramatizes the biblical story of Salome, stepdaughter of Herod Antipas, who becomes dangerously obsessed with the imprisoned prophet Jokanaan (John the Baptist). Her forbidden desire leads to the infamous dance of the seven veils and a shocking demand that sets catastrophic events in motion. Banned in Britain for decades due to its depiction of biblical characters, the play scandalized audiences and inspired Richard Strauss's famous opera.