Oscar Wilde, a prominent playwright, poet, and novelist in the late 19th century, passed away in Paris on November 30th, 1900. The last few weeks are associated with his death is said to be short and poignant. He was staying in a hotel called Hotel d’Alsace when he died. Many have speculated as to why he chose this particular hotel to stay in before his demise.
The Hotel d’Alsace was located on the corner of rue des Beaux-Arts and boulevard St. Germain. The hotel was well known for its comfortable, clean rooms and reliable staff. It was also conveniently situated near many of the city’s attractions, such as the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, and Palais Royal. The hotel was a popular choice for artists, writers, and academics, who could easily access its numerous cultural facilities.
Historians believe that Wilde had been in poor health for some time before his death and had gradually been on the decline. He was often seen wandering the streets of Paris in the weeks leading up to his death, and was reportedly being cared for by his former lover, the noted author, Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas. It is believed that Wilde had chosen the Hotel d’Alsace as his final resting place to be near the beauty and peace of Paris.
Wilde was well-regarded by many in Paris at the time, as he had spent a considerable amount of time in the city during his lifetime. His plays had been produced and performed in Paris theatres for some time, and he had many acquaintances in literary social circles. Wilde was known for his wit and charm, which endeared him to the city’s inhabitants. The Hotel d’Alsace overlooked the Luxembourg Gardens, which were frequented by Wilde during his last days. He is attributed with saying: “One must have a heart of stone to resist the charms of the Luxembourg Gardens.”
At the Hotel d’Alsace, Wilde’s friends could visit him in his room and bring him food and drink. On the day of his death, he was reportedly visited by his friend, the poet and playwright, Robert Ross. Ross later said in an unpublished memoir that, as he entered Wilde’s room, the famous writer said: “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has got to go.” Wilde died shortly afterwards, and his friends and acquaintances held various memorial services in his honor the following days.
Wilde’s Parisian Connections and Friends
Having contributed significantly to the Parisian arts and culture scene, Oscar Wilde was held in high esteem by many in the city, even despite the controversies which had surrounded his personal life in recent years. He was keen to remain close to friends he had been associated with for decades, as can be seen from his choosing of the Hotel d’Alsace due to its connections with and proximity to the many cultural institutions and popular sites of the city.
Wilde maintained a strong relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, with the pair having a significant and publicised relationship which provoked controversy in the late 1800s. Lady Constance Wilde, whom Oscar had married in 1884 and with who he had two children, had rejected Oscar in 1895 and the couple had separated. Douglas acted as a confidante and companion to Wilde as his health deteriorated in the final months of his life, and was present during his death.
Wilde was also in contact with many celebrated figures in the Parisian arts and culture, including the playwrights Romain Sardou and Ludovic Halévy, the actress Sarah Bernhardt, and the novelist, poet and critic Théophile Gautier. It is believed that Wilde was aware of his impending death, and wished to be surrounded by his closest companions and friends.
The Legacy Of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde is remembered, to this day, as one of the most renowned playwrights, poets and novelists of the Nineteenth Century. His talents for satire, wit, and the use of paradox remain relevant and cherished, and several of his works are still prominently featured in the cinema, theatre, and literature today.
Wilde’s plays were known for their progressive stance on social values and norms, and have often been praised for their humour and acerbic wit. His works, such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest, are often taught in schools and universities, with his literary achievements being celebrated long after his death.
Wilde’s life was marred by the consequences of his homosexuality, leading to arrest and persecution in the eyes of English law, and the restrictions of living an anonymous life in exile upon the continent. His death in Paris was poignant and sad, with Wilde leaving behind a legacy of literary influence, experimentation and witness to social topics as perceived from outside of conventional ‘Victorian’ societal norms.
Hotel D’Alsace in the Current Day
The Hotel D’Alsace is still standing today. It has been lovingly maintained, offering luxury accommodation in a variety of suites. The hotel additionally still provides a medical consultation service in the same building as well as an excellent breakfast every day.
Given the hotel’s association with Wilde, the hotel management have highlighted the author’s time there with a number of activities and services. These include the ‘Oscar Wilde Dinner’, which is served in the hotel’s private dining room, as well as a guided tour of the city for guests which follows the route which Wilde himself is known to have taken.
The Hotel D’Alsace is believed to be one of the embodiment of Wilde’s turbulent life and death, offering both a reminder of his life as well as a space for people to reflect. It continues to be a popular destination for literary tourists, drawn to the hotel by Wilde’s cultural halo.
Oscar Wilde’s Relationship To Paris
Much of Wilde’s most influential works were written or produced in Paris, and there is no doubt that the city gave Wilde the opportunity to live and thrive as a homosexual man in the latter half of the 19th Century. Having sought refuge in the city following his trials and imprisonment in England, Wilde was able to reinvigorate his career in Paris, where he experienced some of his most successful years of literary-based performances, playwrighting and acting as a literary critic.
Alongside the successes, there is an undeniable sense of pain and sorrow in Oscar Wilde’s relationship to the city. His love life was punctuated by the rejection of his wife, and the increasing distance between himself and his two sons over the course of his imprisonment, reflected in the melancholic end to his life in the Hotel D’Alsace.
The legacy left by Wilde, a man who was as complex and contradictory as his writings, will continue to remain an integral part of Paris and the Parisian art and culture scene for years to come.
Oscar Wilde’s Final Resting Place
Wilde was eventually laid to rest in the Père-Lachaise Cemetery after his death. His grave is marked by a prominent monument consisting of a sculpted Sphinx, and is located close to well-known figures such as Edith Piaf, Honoré de Balzac, and George Méliès.
The monument quickly became one of the most visited in the cemetery and has become a major reference point in Wilde’s biography. As decorations and messages from tourists become a common occurrence, it becomes apparent just how great an inspiration the author has been to many.
The inscription on Wilde’s gravestone reads: “And alien tears will fill for him sorrowful eyes, for his mourners will be outcast men and forsaken women”. It is a line taken from the poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which was written in memory of Wilde’s time in prison.
Oscar Wilde’s Relations With His Family
The marriage between Oscar Wilde and Constance Lloyd, while maintaining a veneer of traditional Victorian values, had been dissolving due to revelations of Wilde’s homosexuality. His wife had requested a formal separation in 1895, which was granted in 1898, with their children subsequently being taken away from their father.
Despite this, there are records of interactions between Wilde and his two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan, soon after the separation. The pair had visited their father in Paris, where he had been spending much of his time in the final years before his death. On what would be their final meeting, Wilde was able to buy a few presents for his sons before departing for the Hotel D’Alsace, where he would eventually die.
Wilde’s young family were left with a legacy of their father’s works and literary life, with many of his most famous works being published close to and soon after his death. His sons, who had been present during Wilde’s final days in Paris, would later go on to tell their story and remember their father’s memories.
