Vera; Or, The Nihilists

A melodramatic tragedy set in Russia, Vera, or the Nihilists is loosely based on the story of Vera Zasulich. It was the first play that Wilde wrote. It features Russian revolutionaries who seek to assassinate a reform-minded Emperor. Though Wilde's fictional Emperor differs from the actual Alexander, contemporary events in Russia - as published in the British press of the time - clearly influenced Wilde.