The Extraordinary Tale Of…

Famous writer Oscar Wilde, who sued for libel but ended up in the dock himself 1895 THE TRIAL OF OSCAR WILDE BEGINS The topsy-turvy trial of the great playwright, the surrounding scandal and how it hastened his untimely death

As the prolific Irish writer Oscar Wilde stood in the dock, his eyes filled with tears. He felt the blood drain from his face as he heard the word “guilty” come from the judge’s mouth. Sentenced to two years’ jail time with hard labour, he was prosecuted for the crime of gross indecency with men. When the case began, Wilde felt sure he would emerge victorious. And yet, somehow here he was, his reputation ruined and private life exposed for all to see.

CRIME OF PASSION

Victorian society was shocked, but always keen for more salacious details on Wilde’s affairs with young men. At the time, homosexuality was widely known about, but almost universally condemned. It repulsed most Victorians, so gay men (and women) were forced to keep their true identities secret.

Wilde had often written about homosexual themes in his works, such as in The Picture of Dorian Gray, but had been careful to keep his personal inclinations towards same-sex relationships behind closed doors. When he met Lord Alfred Douglas (a good looking man 16 years his junior) in 1891, Wilde was infatuated. He would wine and dine a willing Douglas, spending time with him and exchanging erotic letters. But Douglas would prove to be a bad influence on Wilde, as he introduced him to the dark underworld of male prostitution. Taking advantage of Wilde’s infatuation, he frittered away much of the author’s earnings, and was largely indiscreet about his so-called ‘decadent’ lifestyle.