Abstract
Oscar Wilde's Salome (French 1893; English 1894) is generally regarded as the most illustrative of Wilde's particular style and the most aesthetic drama of his works. Although over a century has passed since the play was written, Salome continues to be produced or directed by the modern theatre-artists known as 'prodigies.' One must presume that there is a mysterious appeal to Salome, a biblical one-act piece, that is not evident on the surface of the story itself for it to have such an enduring popularity. Here, I analyse why Salome has entranced those theatre-artists all these years by delving into the charm of the play itself by discussing two major aspects of the play. Firstly, I will look at the reasons why Wilde wrote the play in French. Secondly, this paper will analyse three important elements of the play: namely, the action of 'looking'; the symbolism of the moon; and 'the dance of the seven veils.'
