Oscar Wilde was an iconic figure in the Victorian era of London society. Born to parents from an upper middle-class Irish family in 1854, Wilde quickly developed his wit and intellectual powers. His notoriety in the city soon spread, and it was clear that he had a flair for the larger-than-life. Questions about Wilde’s sexuality were commonplace with the rise of Wilde’s fame, as he pushed boundaries of propriety and behavior whilst in the public eye. It has since been suggested by his contemporaries and biographers that he was either gay or bisexual, although the question remains unanswered.
Wilde had close relationships with various men during his lifetime. A prominent figure was the artist Robert Baldwin Ross, whom Wilde met in 1893 and grew close with until his death in 1918. They travelled together frequently and shared numerous intellectual conversations, leading them to become lifelong friends. Wilde also had a twelve year-long romance with Lord Alfred Douglas, with whom he had two children. However, he separated from Douglas in 1898 when he was arrested and tried for gross indecency due to his relationship with him.
Wilde’s prison letters from 1895 to 1897 reveal a great deal about his emotional and mental state at the time. They demonstrate a deep longing and love for Ross, whom he mentions frequently, in addition to his love for a man named Adonis. Wilde wrote that Ross was what he lived and died for, having “an absolute faith and passion” and fuelled his life with “a power of joy and sorrow which he alone could give”. He spoke of “an eternal connection between himself and Adonis”, and wrote of his strong affection for the fellow inmate.
At the time of Wilde’s death, homosexuality was still illegal in England, and in Victorian society it was a controversial topic. Wilde never explicitly revealed his sexuality publicly, and as such, it is impossible to conclusively label him as either gay or bisexual. However, his personal relationships and prison letters strongly suggest he was attracted to both genders, and that he could identify with the verse of the Homosocial Canon.
Given the legal and social context of the time, and the fact that Wilde never publicly confirmed his sexuality, it is unlikely that we will ever know for sure if he was exclusively one or the other. However, it is clear that he engaged in relationships and had intense feelings for both men and women throughout his life.
Oscar Wilde’s Famous Work
Oscar Wilde was one of the most famous authors in England during the Victorian period, and his works are still incredibly popular today. His most well-known play is The Importance of Being Earnest, a comedy centred around the idea that a serious attitude to life is sometimes not quite as important as living life with a sense of humour. His novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was also an iconic work, centring around the idea of a man who remains youthful as a painting of him ages.
The way Wilde chose to write about relationships, in particular his queering of traditional gender roles, opened the doors for much of modern literature on queerness and its relationship to society. His subversive writing techniques, as well as his theatrical success, became a symbol of a new outlook on sexuality. His use of humour and wit to confront societal norms and taboos of the time earned him admiration in many circles.
Wilde’s works also reflected his own personal experiences. In his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, he explored alternative gender roles and love between men, which are topics that Wilde likely experienced in his own life. Dorian Gray’s relationship with Basil Hallward was in itself an example of Wilde’s own romantic encounters, as Basil Hallward was openly in love with Dorian, who remained seemingly indifferent. This could likely be compared to Wilde’s own relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas.
Wilde was ahead of his time when it came to writing about queerness and relationships, and this was reflected in his controversial and challenging works. He used wit and humour to confront Victorian taboos, and to take on the authority that dictated the way society should behave and live. His works still remain highly relevant today and continue to be a source of inspiration for modern writers and playwrights.
Oscar Wilde’s Impact On Modern Culture
Oscar Wilde has had a lasting and significant impact on popular culture. In particular, his works and quotations remain incredibly popular, still relevant in today’s culture due to their wit and relevance to modern questions of identity. His famous quote “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” is especially popular, as it encourages individuals to embrace their true selves and to not be afraid to express their uniqueness. This quote alone shows how Wilde’s work is still relevant today, as the importance of self-expression is a common theme in current discourse. Wilde was a revolutionary figure, the first popular figure to express and embrace his own sexuality, ultimately paving the way for Queer acceptance in modern society.
Wilde also influenced popular culture through his many works, which were all renowned for their intelligence and wit, and were seen as groundbreaking for their time. His influencial play, The Importance of Being Earnest has been adapted numerous times, and can be seen in modern television and film, such as in the 1999 film, Notting Hill. The novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is still incredibly popular today and has been adapted into various film and television adaptations. Its premise of an immortal man and its many themes of society and identity still resonate with modern audiences.
His works are regularly studied in universities and literature classes, and remains a highly influential figure for all things cultural. For the LGBT community, Wilde has come to be a figure of great importance. By being one of, if not the first, openly-gay prominent figures of the Victorian era he has been an inspiration for LGBT individuals through history who, without him, would often have remained in the shadows of society. He broke down many boundaries by simply being himself and his legacy still remains strong in popular culture today.
Oscar Wilde’s Personality and Relationships
What is known of Oscar Wilde’s personality is mainly drawn from those who encountered him, typically through his work. He was described as witty, sharp and exceptionally intelligent. He was a complex and thoughtful person and was known to appreciate the little things in life, often being lost for hours deep in thought and contemplation. Wilde saw life with a perspective of humour, causing most observers to be taken aback with at his comical wit, something which set him aside from others at the time.
Wilde’s relationships were no less complex. He married in 1884 to Constance Lloyd, with whom he had two children, Cyril and Vyvyan. His affair with Lord Alfred Douglas from 1893 to 1895 followed, although it was unfortunately cut short due to Wilde’s imprisonment. He is known to have had relationships with other men whilst in jail, such as Robert Ross and Adonis, and there has been much speculation that they continued into Wilde’s post-prison life.
Wilde’s relationship with Alfred Douglas was particularly famous and had a lasting effect on Victorian society. Although their affair ended due to the persecution of Wilde by Douglas’s father, there remains to this day a great public interest in them both, particularly in light of Wilde’s sexuality.
The controversy surrounding Wilde’s sexuality still prevails today, given the lack of evidence due to the times in which he lived. The nature of his relationships with Douglas as well as his direct statement of his love for both men and women cause speculation about his exact sexual orientation. However, with modern conversations about queerness and sexuality, it is now more important to focus on Wilde’s legacy, and to appreciate his impactful works and individual courage to face a difficult era.
Oscar Wilde In Society During Victorian Times
At the time Oscar Wilde was on the rise to fame in Victorian England, homosexuality was illegal and still a very controversial topic. As a result of his relationships, Wilde was in 1898 sentenced to two years hard labour in Reading Gaol. Though this served as an unwelcome blow to his career, the sentence made him a symbol of a well-loved martyr, persecuted by an archaic and homophobic legal system.
Though Wilde’s fame began to build long before his trial, because of the events surrounding it, notoriety began to follow his name. To many he was a symbol of a fight against the oppressive Victorian authorities, but to others Wilde’s lifestyle was still extremely controversial. His works, especially The Importance of Being Earnest, which broke many stereotypes and taboos, were critically scrutinised by conservative audiences.
Despite this, Wilde still held a position of reverence for the play-goers of London at the time, and many of the city’s gentry and upper middle-class followed his works closely. His works were considered ahead of their time, and his reputation as a talented playwright and author increased his popularity in the audiences of the time. This is likely widely due to Wilde’s popular wit, often seen in his plays, poems and letters.
In his lifetime, Wilde made a name for himself, not just as a literary figure of the time, but as a revolutionary figure through his works, his courage and defiance in the face of legal prejudice, and by actively challenging many of the norms of Victorian society. Though his artistic successes and private life faced immense public scrutiny, he persevered and although much is unknown of his private life, one thing is certain; Oscar Wilde was a force to be reckoned with.
