Oscar Wilde—The Revenge of Unrequited Love
*N.B.: Selected Readings & Notes—Original essay title—Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960)—The Iconoclast Black Harlem Renaissance Writer and Anthropologist who was also a Republican and Why She is Still Important Today? , EllisWashingtonReport.com (June 16, 2026). This essay has contains some commentary on Wilde being an iconoclast (like Zora, but different) which subconsciously is the reason why my next essay [this one] is about that outrageous Victorian bon vivant; Devashish, ET Online, Quote of the Day by Oscar Wilde… (June 11, 2026); Ellis Washington, On Rabelais: A Precursor to Oscar Wilde and the Celebrity Culture, RenewAmerica.com (Oct. 11, 2014); This essay is based in part on ideas from Great Books of the Western World, Robert Maynard Hutchins, Editor-in-Chief (University of Chicago, 1952), Vol. 2, Chap. 6 – Beauty; Chap. 22 – Emotion; Vol. 3, Chap. 68 – Pleasure and Pain; Vol. 24 – Rabelais. A version of this essay in published in Ellis Washington, The Progressive Revolution—2014-15 Writings—History of Liberal Fascism through the Ages (2017).
Suggested Listening Music—Beethoven, ‘Moonlight’ Piano Sonata #14 in C# Minor; Chopin, Prelude Op. 28, No. 24 in D Minor; *N.B.: The first 2 pieces cited here by Beethoven and Chopin appear throughout the famous movie version of The Portrait of Dorian Gray (1945), particularly when his demonic passions frequently drove Dorian Gray on his midnight haunts to the bad part of London. The movie trailer narrated those nomadic midnight episodes by Dorian Gray as follows—
“Every vile thought and act, every criminal deed left its mark upon the painted canvass that was to bear the burden of his shame – down to depths of degradation frightful to conceive. But Dorian Gray, seeking new outlets to satisfy his obsession for passion and pleasure; his extraordinary visits into outlets of crime and sin became notorious…”
It was in these ‘slumming’ scenes where Dorian Gray would play this exalted Classical music inside these lower-class pubs—a paradox really – and drown his sorrows and unrequited love [lust] in alcohol, hinting also at engaging in lewd sexual acts. Other suggested music to listen to while reading this essay include—Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op. 15, by Robert Schumann (1838); The Well Tempered Clavier (Book I ) by J.S. Bach (1723); 3 Sonatas after Petrarch, S. 270, from Années de pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage) by Franz Liszt (1842-46).
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About the Author—Professor Ellis Washington, J.D.—I went to Harvard Law School for 1 year (1988-89) with future POTUS Barack Hussein Obama, (b. 08/04/1961 – d. 09/29/2019), who was a secret descendant of the Rothschild Banking Cartel Family and a blood grandson of the German NAZI dictator, Adolf HITLER! – who was also a Rothschild – but I took the opposite path in Life—New World Order, Communism, Treason, Pedophilia and Satanic Ritual Abuse vs. Christianity, Conservatism, Protecting the Children & America First Nationalism. I repeatedly refused to take the “Satan OATH” which is why I’ve been blacklisted since 1989 – for over 37 years—for my entire legal and academic career, yet I Fight on! Why? To avenge Harvard University’s original 1692 motto—Veritas pro Christo et Ecclesia {= Truth for Christ and the Church}. How do We the People escape the 150-year Rothschild Chattel Slavery systems (e.g., Birth certificates [= Birth Bond Fraud], Death certificates, Social Security numbers bought, sold and trading people’s identities like barnyard animals on Wall Street) and Rothschild Debt Slavery systems (e.g., IRS, Income Taxes, Death Taxes, Fiat or Counterfeit currency not based on Gold or Silver, but based on NOTHING! Cui bono?– Who benefits? Why are all national currencies of the world promiscuously printed at will by the Rothschild Central Bankers? Is it to fund perpetual False Flag Wars like—America- Israel vs. Iran, America vs. New World Order, America vs. Venezuela, Israel vs. Gaza, Syria, Iran, Yemen & Lebanon, Russia vs. Ukraine, Taiwan vs. China, Rwanda vs. The Congo, Cambodia vs. Thailand, Armenia vs. Azerbaijan, Civil war in France, in Yemen, in Laos, in Indonesia, and existential battles all over the world, while keeping the entire world enslaved inside an existential – Birth-School-Labor-Taxes-Debts-Retirement-Death cycle of the Rothschild Khazarian Mafia Matrix (1871-2021[26])? Further answers can be learned by reading, studying and sharing the Truth of my Critical Thinking blog that on 1 March 2026) surpassed 27 million views! See, EllisWashingtonReport.com, Facebook, Twitter/X—#JesusIsGod (Isaiah 9:6) #DCActof1871 |
Books by Professor Ellis Washington, J.D.
“When a man has once loved a woman he will do anything for her except to love her again.”
“Those that don’t got it, can’t show it. Those that got it, can’t hide it.
“If you’re silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”
– Zora Neale Hurston
[Morpheus to Neo:] “Everything they told you was a [Big] Lie.”
– The Matrix Movie, Part I (1999)—Construct Scene
“There are always more slaves than masters.”
– Charlie Kirk (after Friedrich Nietzsche)
Prologue—Oscar Wilde’s Place in Literature and in Literary History
Oscar Wilde occupies a towering place in literature as a masterful playwright, novelist, and poet. As the leading figure of the late 19th-century Aesthetic movement, he championed the doctrine of “art for art’s sake”, solidifying his legacy with brilliant society comedies and piercing, witty prose. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
His enduring significance in literature stems from several key genres and contributions:
· The Masterpiece of Comedy: His 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest is widely considered one of the greatest and most performed comedies in the English language. [1, 2, 3, 4]
· The Philosophical Novel: His only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), remains a staple of Gothic literature, exploring the corrupting influence of hedonism and vanity. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
· Poetry and Prose: He penned poignant works like The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898) and deeply moving fairy tales, such as The Happy Prince (1888). [1, 2, 3]
· Literary Influence: His pioneering use of aestheticism and Decadence laid the groundwork for 20th-century modernists and absurdist playwrights, while his Biography continues to captivate scholars and readers worldwide. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Oscar Wilde holds a towering place in literary history as a frontrunner of the late 19th-century Aesthetic movement, championing “art for art’s sake.” He revolutionized Victorian literature and theater through his Gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, masterful comedies like The Importance of Being Earnest, and brilliant epigrams. [1, 2, 3, 4]
His enduring legacy in literature and society can be categorized by his most significant contributions:
· Master of the Comedy of Manners: He elevated the English stage with his sparkling wit and biting satire, creating social critiques in plays like Lady Windermere’s Fan and An Ideal Husband. [1, 2, 3]
· Aestheticism & Decadence: By emphasizing beauty and sensory experience over strict moral or political obligations, he challenged Victorian puritanism. [1, 2]
· LGBTQ+ Icon: Beyond his writing, Wilde’s 1895 criminal trial and imprisonment for homosexual acts transformed him into a profound historical symbol for queer rights and personal liberty The Oscar Wilde Affair: A Story of Love, Literature, and …. [1]
If you’d like to explore his impact further, I can help you:
· Find exact reading lists or chronological guides to his plays and essays.
· Dive into the themes of Aestheticism and Gothic literature Oscar Wilde — Decadence and the Making of Modernism.
· Explore the societal and legal impact of his 1895 trials Literary Legacy: Oscar Wilde — a staff-created list from Boca ….
Who was Oscar Wilde and what was his place in literature and in literary history? Of course, he was one of the leading literary figures of the late nineteenth century. He received a great education from Oxford which no doubt laid the background and formed the basis for the narratives of many of his plays, essays and his singular novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde was also notable for his delving into these of Aestheticism and Gothic literature. See, Oscar Wilde — Decadence and the Making of Modernism.
I first discovered Oscar Wilde while at an attorney friend’s home in 2003/04. Attorney Che Karega was a notable bibliophile and Black bon vivant, and on occasion I would peruse the hundreds of volumes of books held inside huge bookcases inside his well-appointed and well-furnished home befitting a gentleman of leisure and intellect. One book that struck my attention was called “Famous Trials in History” or some such title. As I read it voraciously, I came upon a chapter that contained a famous late-19th-century trial of the famous playwright Oscar Wilde being sued by of all people John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquee of Queensbury. And yes that was the same man-of-letters who literally wrote the rule book for boxing.
Apparently his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, was in what the Marquee considered an illegal and homoerotic relationship with his son that Oscar Wilde was unwilling to part with, despite numerous threats. Given the Marquees royal title and the high society circles that his family frequented in London if such a relationship was to become public knowledge his family name would be ruined. Here is a Wikipedia summary of that confrontational relationship between Oscar Wilde and John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel and the subsequent court 2 cases leading ultimately to the final Faustian fall of Oscar Wilde—
At the height of his fame and success, while An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) were still being performed in London, Wilde issued a civil writ against John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry for criminal libel.[11] The Marquess was the father of Wilde’s lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel hearings unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and criminal prosecution for gross indecency with other males. The jury was unable to reach a verdict and so a retrial was ordered.
Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas in 1893. In the second trial Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years’ hard labour, the maximum penalty, and jailed from 1895 to 1897.[12] During his last year in prison he wrote De Profundis (published posthumously in abridged form in 1905, and in full in 1962 in his Complete Letters), a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials and is a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. On the day of his release, he caught the overnight steamer to France, never to return to Britain or Ireland. In France and Italy, he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life.[13]
Although it has been over 20 years since I read about that scandalous and tumultuous criminal libel case of Oscar Wilde vs. the Marquee of Queensbury, the levels of pain, passion and profundity that kept me glued to its pages indeed in some ways I am not able to clearly articulate yet I have never been the same since my introduction to Wilde. I am glad that he retold the legend of Faust in his magnum opus, The Portrait of Dorian Gray (something the classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven lamented on his death bed that he wished he had set to music!) I feel to this day that reading Wilde is like reading pages of text set on the fires of HELL!
Oscar Wilde’s Views on Love and Marriage
Oscar Wilde’s views on love were a fascinating blend of profound romanticism and cynical, satirical wit. He believed that love should be magical, unpredictable, and entirely unselfish. However, he was also deeply critical of societal institutions like marriage, which he viewed as transactional arrangements. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
His philosophy on romance spans several key themes:
· The Aim of Love: Wilde famously stated, “The aim of love is to love: no more, and no less.” He viewed love as a selfless act of appreciating the beauty and the dreamer in someone else, which ultimately leads to a greater capacity for self-love. [1, 2]
· Self-Love as the Foundation: One of his most celebrated philosophies is that “[t]o love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” He championed individuality, arguing that you should never love anyone who treats you like you are ordinary. [1, 2, 3, 4]
· The Danger of Certainty: Wilde felt that true romance requires an element of mystery and uncertainty. He noted that when a man proposes to a woman, he eliminates this uncertainty, which can inadvertently diminish the romantic thrill. [1, 2, 3]
· Critique of Marriage: He famously quipped that marriage is “the triumph of imagination over intelligence.” He viewed societal pressures surrounding romance with cynical acidity, noting that love is often clouded by initial self-deception and eventually ends by deceiving others. [1, 2, 3]
The quote above that –“Oscar Wilde’s views on love were a fascinating blend of profound romanticism and cynical, satirical wit. He believed that love should be magical, unpredictable, and entirely unselfish. However, he was also deeply critical of societal institutions like marriage, which he viewed as transactional arrangements.” This understanding can only be realized under the idee fixe or leitmotif of his sodomy Weltanschauung (Worldview, Philosophy of life) which both defines, animates and gives meaning to all of his ideas about love, marriage and its attendant dangers of uncertainty, self-love and as he was plagued with all of his life, unrequited love or love that he tried to give to others but was for one reason or another rejected. Thus, as I will get into greater detail later in this essay, I believe that his magnum opus, The Portrait of Dorian Gray to be a character acting novel where he [Oscar Wilde] is the protagonist in his own novel, but not simply as Dorian Gray but in many respects as his alter ego and narcissistic “friend” Lord Wotton.
Also, when Professor David M. Friedman writes about the genesis of Wilde’s Weltanschauung or Philosophy of life stating—
It was from Lady Wilde that Oscar learned that identity is a kind of fiction, and that being oneself is a form of playacting. It was from her that Oscar [Wilde] learned that the most important act of creativity is the creation of one’s own image. He learned from his mother that the most important act of creativity is the creation of one’s own self.
Here we see the confluence of Wilde’s ‘Aim of Love’, ‘Self-Love as the Foundation’, ‘The Danger of Certainty’ [about love] and finally Wilde’s ‘Critique of Marriage’ which to modern ears 125 years after Wilde’s death may come off to us as unduly Romantic, pedantic, even disrespectful when you compare Wilde’s secular-Romantic views on Love, Marriage and Relationship as anti-Love, even anti-Christian because relationship according to Wilde doesn’t center upon God, sacrifice, duty or loyalty, but quite the opposite—Wilde seems to hearken to another voice of German Romanticism who shared the same death year (1900) or the first year of the 20th century—Nietzsche’s Will to Power, Victorianism, Romanticism, cynical, satirical wit and above all hedonism (pleasure).
Oscar Wilde’s Magnum Opus—Novel—The Picture of Dorian Grey (1890)
The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s only novel, a Gothic and philosophical tale about a young man who wishes to remain eternally youthful while a portrait of him ages and reflects his moral decay. Influenced by Lord Henry Wotton’s hedonistic philosophy, Dorian pursues a life of debauchery, but his sins are recorded on the painting, not his face, leading to a Faustian bargain that ends in his own destruction when he tries to destroy the portrait. The novel explores themes of beauty, morality, and the corrupting influence of ideas, causing scandal upon its 1890 publication and later becoming entangled in Wilde’s own trials.
Key aspects
· Plot:
Dorian Gray, a beautiful young man, has his portrait painted by Basil Hallward. He wishes to stay young forever, and his wish is granted; the portrait ages and becomes hideous as Dorian indulges in a life of sin, while he remains physically unchanged.
· Characters:
· Dorian Gray: The protagonist, whose vanity leads him to a life of hedonism and corruption.
· Lord Henry Wotton: A witty, cynical aristocrat who espouses a philosophy of aestheticism and pleasure, influencing Dorian’s worldview.
· Basil Hallward: The artist who paints the portrait, representing a more traditional morality and a deep admiration for Dorian’s beauty.
· Themes:
The novel is a critique of Victorian society, exploring the conflict between appearance and reality, the corrupting nature of influence, and the idea that “art for art’s sake” can lead to moral decay.
· Publication:
First published in 1890, it was considered scandalous and immoral, and the novel was later used as evidence in Wilde’s trials for “gross indecency”.
· Literary connections:
It draws parallels to the myth of Narcissus and the Faust legend, where a character makes a deal with the devil.
His is a short synopsis of the 1945 Movie Plot of The Portrait of Dorian Gray starring Hurd Hatsfield (as Dorian Gray), Angela Lansbury (as Sibyl Vane), Peter Lawford (as David Stone) and George Sanders (as Lord Henry Wotton) according to Wikipedia—
Plot
While posing for a painting by his friend Basil Hallward, handsome young aristocrat Dorian Gray meets Hallward’s friend Lord Henry Wotton. Wotton persuades Gray the only worthwhile life is dedicated to pleasure, because “what the gods give they quickly take away.” Contemplating this, Gray wishes his portrait could age instead of him. He makes this wish in the presence of an Egyptian cat statue with supposed magical powers.
After callously breaking off his engagement to tavern singer Sibyl Vane, Gray finds the portrait has begun to change and wonders if his wish may have come true. He has the portrait locked away in his old schoolroom and disguises its location by firing servants who moved the painting, while Gray, after Sibyl’s suicide, becomes more dedicated to a sinful and heartless life.
Years later, Dorian is 40 but still looks 22. London society is awestruck at his unchanging appearance. The portrait has remained locked away, with Gray holding the only key. Over the years, the portrait of the young, handsome, Dorian Gray has warped into a hideous, demon-like creature reflecting his many sins. When Hallward sees his painting, Gray murders his friend and seals his body in the school room next to the portrait, then blackmails his friend, Allen Campbell, to dispose of Hallward’s body. Campbell, distraught at his role in destroying Hallward’s corpse, commits suicide.
Gray starts a romance with Hallward’s niece, Gladys. James Vane, Sibyl’s brother, follows Gray to his country estate to achieve revenge for Sibyl’s death and is shot by accident during a hunting party.
Gray despairs at his impact on others and realizes he can spare Gladys from misfortune by leaving her. After sending Gladys a letter breaking their engagement, Gray confronts his portrait and sees a subtle improvement. He stabs the portrait in the heart, seeking to end the spell, but cries out as if he has also been stabbed. His friends, realizing what has happened, burst into the schoolroom to discover Gray dead next to the portrait, his deformed body now reflecting his sins in physical form. The portrait, by contrast, once more shows Dorian Gray as a young, innocent man.
In conclusion here is an excerpt of my 2014 essay on Rabelais and Oscar Wilde noting the ultimate Faustian fall of the global bon vivant ironically getting ‘knocked out’ by the 9th Marquee of Queensbury, the man who wrote the manual on pugilism (boxing). Even Wilde would have appreciate the paradoxical defeat he never saw coming not because it was unexpectant, but because Wilde’s showmanship, arrogance and pride made his sudden and great fall in his slander trial unexpected to HIM—
Prologue and Rabelais Biography
Hucksters, Self-promoters, Bon vivants, “Media Whores” – No matter what you call these insipid, narcissistic people who love to be celebrated for celebrity’s sake it begs the question: Where did self-promoters and self-promotion come from? Today we have the so-called “Selfie culture” where tweens and teenagers obsess about themselves on their Facebook, Instagram pages and via Twitter and other social media and delude themselves that they are “famous” for doing nothing other than something outrageous, silly, or unremarkable and posting it online for potentially millions of people to see and gawk about. Hollywood producers, actors, TV lawyers and politicians are no better. What have they done to advance human society to promote and uplift contemporary culture, politics, aesthetics, or history? Have they written a symphony, a ballet, or some great essay, or work of literature, art or architecture? No! Yet these celebrities are making millions playing someone else on TV or in the movies, being someone other than themselves. Being “famous” for essentially doing or being nothing.
Epilogue—The Fall of Oscar Wilde: When The Portrait of Dorian Gray Meets the Legend of Faust
In Chapter 11 of Wilde’s novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, we come to the climax of Dorian Faustian bargain he made with the devil to receive a form of immortality by his sins being vicariously laid upon Basil painting of him while Dorian (aka Oscar Wilde) can fulfill his hedonistic philosophy of life without worry about offending any societal conventions of morality or Christian ethics.
Yes: there was to be, as Lord Henry had prophesied, a new Hedonism that was to re-create life, and to save it from that harsh, uncomely puritanism that is having, in our own day, its curious revival. It was to have its service of the intellect, certainly; yet it was never to accept any theory or system that would involve the sacrifice of any mode of passionate experience. Its aim, indeed, was to be experience itself, and not the fruits of experience, sweet or bitter as they might be. Of the asceticism that deadens the senses, as of the vulgar profligacy that dulls them, it was to know nothing. But it was to teach man to concentrate himself upon the moments of a life that is itself but a moment.
This passage from Chapter 11 of Wilde’s novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, describes how Dorian, adjusting to the strange privilege and foreboding fear that his portrait affords him, devotes himself to acquiring as many hedonistic experiences as possible. Here, in order to discover “the true nature of the senses,” Dorian studies rare musical instruments, the arts of jewelry and embroidery, and the psychological effects of perfume. In addition to these pursuits, he begins to devote his time to more sordid affairs, the nature of which is never perfectly clear.
We learn, from Basil’s subsequent confrontation, that Dorian is connected with the downfall of numerous youths, all of whom have been brought to shame (and some even driven to suicide) by their associations with Dorian. Whether the outcome of these experiences is “sweet or bitter” is not the point of the philosophy by which Dorian lives; on the contrary, the experience itself is what matters. This “New Hedonism” is a form of resistance against the conventional morality that Lord Henry spends so much of his time criticizing.
Oscar Wilde’s “New Hedonism” is a philosophy that redefines the ancient pursuit of pleasure by merging it with aestheticism. It advocates for realizing one’s full potential through extreme sensory and intellectual experiences, while deliberately rejecting traditional Victorian morality, guilt, and social constraints in favor of living life as a work of art. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The Fall of Oscar Wilde (from Ellis Washington, On Rabelais: A Precursor to Oscar Wilde and the Celebrity Culture, RenewAmerica.com [Oct. 11, 2014])
Tragically, as meteoric as his rise to fame was his outrageous narcissism and self-promotion would be his demise. Although married with two children Wilde was an overt homosexual during the sexually repressed Victorian era and from 1895 to 1897 was imprisoned for two years of hard labor, for “gross indecency,” after having an ongoing affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, the son of the Marquees of Queensberry, the man who wrote the rulebook for the sport of boxing. Wilde might have avoided this fate, but after the marquess made his anger public writing on a card that he was a “Sodomite,” Wilde sued him, notwithstanding the fact if he lost the case he could go to prison. “The man who had so presciently devised a winning – and lasting – formula for how to become a modern celebrity had failed to see a crucial pitfall of the new culture of self-promotion: the danger of believing the hype, especially your own,” Friedman writes.
The 1895 Defamation Trial and Fall of Oscar Wilde
In the spring of 1895, playwright Oscar Wilde sued Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas’s father, the Marquess of Queensberry, for criminal libel after the Marquess accused him of homosexuality. The defense successfully proved the claim, leading to Wilde’s arrest, a criminal conviction for gross indecency, and a sentence of two years of hard labor. [1, 2]
1. The Trigger
On February 18, 1895, the irate and aggressive John Sholto Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, left a calling card at Wilde’s club, the Albemarle Club, addressed to the author. It read: “For Oscar Wilde, posing somdomite” (a misspelling of sodomite). The Marquess had fiercely opposed Wilde’s intimate, romantic relationship with his son, Lord Alfred Douglas. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5
The Marquess of Queensberry‘s calling card with the handwritten offending inscription “For Oscar Wilde posing Somdomite [sic]”. The card was marked as exhibit ‘A’ in Wilde’s libel action.
To understand the pugilistic irony of John Sholto Douglas vs. Oscar Wilde, the 9th Marquee of Queensbury did not enter this legal battle with the witty and satirical bon vivant Wilde as gentlemen, but rather as back-alley combatants. The Marquee’s family had seen better days than the last 5 years of the nineteenth century had shown them. The Marquee had made his protestations known to both his son, Lord Alfred or “Bosie” and to Oscar Wilde personally as cited by his calling card noted above, but to no avail. Why? Because as I stated earlier in this essay Wilde viewed all publicity as good publicity (even if it was infamy!) Thus, Wilde became a victim of his on infamy and outrageous success which was nearing its precipitous end.
2. The Defamation Suit
Urged on by Lord Alfred Douglas, Wilde opted to file a private criminal libel suit against the Marquess in April 1895 in an attempt to protect his reputation. However, this strategy backfired disastrously. Queensberry’s legal team, led by the formidable Edward Carson QC, quickly flipped the script. They hired private detectives and rounded up male prostitutes and blackmailers to testify about their sexual encounters and dealings with Wilde. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Here we see the vanity, the unbridled arrogance and the lack of strategic foresight of Wilde. He mistakenly thought that his vast and ubiquitous Cult of Celebrity would achieve him the public victory because he was so beloved in England, particularly in the City of London. So, he ironically took the initiative and sued the Marquee for criminal libel, which the man who literally wrote the book on brawling (or boxing) took the initiative, flipped the script and forced Wilde to withdraw his criminal libel case when he was able to surprise the plaintiff Oscar Wilde by assembling many male prostitutes and blackmailers to testify before the court about their liaisons they had with Wilde.
For example, in chapter 11 of The Portrait of Dorian Gray Wilde’s unapologetic “New Hedonism” was summarized as follows—
In addition to these pursuits, he begins to devote his time to more sordid affairs, the nature of which is never perfectly clear. We learn, from Basil’s subsequent confrontation, that Dorian is connected with the downfall of numerous youths, all of whom have been brought to shame (and some even driven to suicide) by their associations with Dorian. Whether the outcome of these experiences is “sweet or bitter” is not the point of the philosophy by which Dorian lives; on the contrary, the experience itself is what matters. This “new Hedonism” is a form of resistance against the conventional morality that Lord Henry spends so much of his time criticizing.
This we see from the passage above that Dorian Gray (aka Oscar Wilde) believed in an aggressive, almost militaristic sodomy where he actively sought to corrupt the morals of the youth and never wanted to accept “No” for an answer to his homosexual pursuits. But once Barrister Carson presented his iron-clad case, Wilde was taken off guard and forced to terminate his criminal libel case against the Marquee. Thus, the first trial ended in May 1895 with a hung jury.
3. The Collapse of the Case
As a plaintiff in a libel suit, Wilde was subjected to intense cross-examination, and Carson used Wilde’s own literature—like The Picture of Dorian Gray—and letters to cross-examine him on his intimate relationships. Faced with mounting evidence of his then-illegal same-sex relationships, Wilde was forced to drop the prosecution on the third day of the trial. He lost the case, and the Marquess was acquitted on the grounds that the accusation was publicly justified. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Besides the litany of male prostitutes and blackmailers all eager to testify about their sexual encounters and dealings with Wilde, the writer faced another unforeseen dilemma in the trial facing the withering cross-examination of Carson using Wilde’s own literature like his popular novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray (1890). Ironically a similar legal tactic brought down music mogul P-Diddy where his vast discography was used to demonstrate to the court that P-Diddy had no qualms about using sex (even rape of men) to blackmail and destroy the musical careers of rap artists trying to make it in the music industry.
4. The Criminal Downfall
Following the dismissal of the libel suit, the Director of Public Prosecutions issued a warrant for Wilde’s arrest under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885. [1, 2, 3]
Wilde was tried at the Old Bailey and faced two criminal trials for “gross indecency”: [1, 2]
· First Trial: Concluded in May 1895 with a hung jury.
· Second Trial: Concluded on May 25, 1895, with a guilty verdict. [1, 2]
5. The Aftermath
Wilde received the maximum penalty under the law: two years of brutal prison labor. The exhaustive scandal caused his name and plays to be completely scrubbed from the London stage. Following his release, he lived in broken health and financial ruin in France, where he died in exile in 1900 at the age of 46. [1, 2, 3]
To explore more of the primary documents and historical records from these proceedings, you can check out the full transcripts and analyses at Famous Trials or dive into deeper cultural critiques via EBSCO. [1]
Would you like to know more about the speeches and exact quotes exchanged during his cross-examination, or are you interested in how Wilde’s imprisonment inspired his later works like De Profundis?
In conclusion, based on my 2014 essay on Oscar Wilde—”Carson, a leading barrister, cross-examined Wilde on how he described the moral content of his works. Wilde responded with typical humor and frivolity, asserting that there are no bad or immoral books only bad writers. And that only “brutes and illiterates,” whose views on art “are incalculably stupid,” would make such judgments about art being immoral. Carson relentlessly emphasized the controversial nature of his numerous male lovers and suggested that the men were prostitutes. Wilde responded that he did not believe in societal taboos and merely loved the associations of young men. Then Carson questioned Wilde directly and asked if he had ever kissed a certain servant boy, without deliberation, Wilde arrogantly retorted, “Oh, dear no. He was a particularly plain boy – unfortunately ugly – I pitied him for it.
Wilde arriving at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court (left) and in the dock
(top right), from The Illustrated Police News, April 1895
In the 1960 movie, The Trials of Oscar Wilde, that pivotal scene was met by loud gasps of revulsion from the audience. Carson pressured him to expound upon his answer, repetitively asking why the boy’s ugliness was so relevant. Wilde stumbled and stammered. This moment signaled the end of Wildes’ career of celebrity and the end of his freedom. The acerbic wit and outrageous antics that plucked him from obscurity to fame and fortune ironically would now become his own personal hell of public infamy and shame. Friedman writes, “Wilde thought he was too famous to fail – which is precisely why he did.“ [In 1897] Wilde would be dead in less than three years after his prison sentence. Wilde rapidly fell from public approval and while in prison fainted during a chapel service which caused him to rupture his eardrum and ultimately led to his death of cerebral meningitis in 1900, at the age of 46 and totally bankrupt.
Epilogue—Oscar Wilde, Faust, Duchess Meghan Markle, Nero and the Cult of Celebrity
Oscar Wilde is widely considered the godfather of modern celebrity culture. Long before social media, he recognized that in a commercialized, image-driven world, perception and personal branding were more powerful than objective truth or traditional accomplishments. [1, 2, 3]
The Meaning of the “Cult of Celebrity” in Wilde’s Era
· Fame for Being Famous: Wilde pioneered the idea of the celebrity personality. He achieved iconic status through his flamboyant outfits, witty epigrams, and self-promotion long before his most famous literary works were published. [1, 2, 3, 4]
· Performance as Art: He viewed his entire life as a work of art, famously remarking that he put his genius into his life and only his talent into his books. [1, 2, 3, 4]
· The Power of the Press: During his 1882 American tour, Wilde collaborated with celebrity photographers like Napoleon Sarony to mass-produce and sell his image. He knew that the media’s attention was the ultimate currency. [, 2]
The Core Philosophy
Wilde’s approach to fame was rooted in a defining quote from his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray: [1, 2]
“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
This philosophy directly mirrors today’s “influencer” culture—where exposure and buzz are actively pursued over actual achievements. Scholars note that Wilde essentially shifted societal values away from collective identity and quiet dedication toward individualism, self-expression, and personal branding. [1, 3, 4]
How Wilde Fits into Celebrity History
Wilde’s celebrity was unprecedented, marking a major milestone in how society views famous figures: [1, 2, 3]
· The Romantics (18th-Century): While poets like Lord Byron created a “cult of genius” that established public interest in artists’ private lives, Wilde took it a step further by actively managing his public persona and manufacturing his own buzz. [1, 3]
· The Modern Celebrity: Theorists point out that Wilde’s self-creation opened the floodgates for mass-media celebrity worshipping that eventually evolved into today’s internet and social media cultures. [1, 2]
Wilde of course lived at the end of the Victorian Age and thus was 30 years removed from radio, 50 years from TV, 100 years removed from the internet and social media. That last technology would have been critical for giving him instant worldwide fame, which he basically had; it just took him a few decades to achieve it and to profit from the over-marketing of his name. When I wrote my 2014 essay on Rabelais and Oscar Wilde, I compared him to Rabelais and to the then “It girl” of the 20 teens, The Kardashian Family. Now that they are fading from popularity by aging out, in this essay the only contemporary person I can think of who has this type of inhuman endurance in 2026 is Meghan Markle the Duchess of Sussex.
Indeed, in a recent YouTube video about Meghan Markle, it stated that “The ‘cult of celebrity’ around Meghan Markle refers to the intense, highly polarized culture of obsession surrounding her, where public figures and fans treat her not as a person, but as a symbolic figurehead for larger societal and ideological battles. [1, 2, 3, 4] I feel that Markle (similar to but different than Wilde and Nero) has a revenge complex and a Malignant Narcissism so strong that it actually animates her as she receives more hate and public revulsion. Why? Because from her perverted point of view, the public is racist towards her because she is bi-racial. And secondly, because the public is obsessively jealous of her great talent, like they were jealous of the Roman Emperor Nero whose last words upon his assassination by the Roman people incensed at his outrageous and tyrannical behavior towards them reported stated—Qualis Artifex Pereo—What an artist dies in me
Emperor Nero’s last words were a dramatic reflection of his massive ego. Facing forced suicide and abandoned by his guards in 68 AD, he famously cried out, “Qualis artifex pereo!”—translated to “What an artist dies in me!” [1, 2, 3, 4]
The meaning behind his final phrases highlights several aspects of his life and tragic downfall:
- Narcissism and Self-Perception: Nero genuinely viewed himself as a brilliant entertainer, poet, and musician, rather than just a ruler. At the moment of his death, he was mourning the loss of his own artistic talent and potential, which he believed the world would deeply miss. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Disconnection from Reality: Declared a public enemy by the Roman Senate and facing a military rebellion, Nero was forced to take his own life to avoid being executed in the degrading manner of a slave. His theatrical lament showed that he prioritized his creative legacy over the political turmoil and loss of his empire. [1, 2, 3, 4]
While I don’t wish this upon Meghan Markle and her hapless, evil ally, husband Prince Henry, what I want the reader to understand before concluding this essay is that all actions of Life have a History—Sir Isaac Newton stated that For every action is an equal and opposite reaction. That said, Wilde was following a rose covered path to Hell most of his life and the higher his talents took him, the more Cult of Celebrity he received from the public. And the more Cult of Celebrity he received from the public, the more the certainty of his Faustian downfall was beyond all doubt and tethered to absolute CERTAINTY!
Why? Because as Mark Twain famously stated, “Life may not repeat itself, but it rhymes.” Meaning: “Essentially it suggests that events may not occur again in exactly the same way but there often are enough similarities to make it seem like a spot of deja vu. In a practical sense, studying history can give us insights into present and potential future outcomes.”
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