Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit Anzeichen von Oscar Wilde´s Homosexualität in seinem Werk "The Picture of Doran Grey". Zudem wird ein Überblick über sein Leben und seinen Umgang mit seiner Homosexualität gegeben.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Victorian Age
1. General Information
2. Sexualitiy in the Victorian Age
3. The Gay Wilde
1. Oscar Wildes Life
2. Oscar Wilde´s Sexuality and Love Life
3. The Trails
4. The Picture of Dorian Grey and the Homosexuality of Oscar Wilde
1. Overwiew: The Picture of Dorian Grey
2. Homosexuality in the Picture of Dorian Grey
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the prevailing social and legal attitudes toward homosexuality during the Victorian Era influenced the life and literary output of Oscar Wilde, specifically focusing on his novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray".
- The socio-historical context of the Victorian Age regarding sexuality and morality.
- A biographical analysis of Oscar Wilde’s life, including his struggles with legal and social persecution.
- An exploration of the legal consequences and trials faced by Wilde due to his sexuality.
- The identification of aestheticism and Hellenism as veiled expressions of homoeroticism in "The Picture of Dorian Gray".
Excerpt from the Book
3.3. The Trails
“Libel actions are meant to be cases for re-establishing reputations, confounding malicious gossip and allowing the litigant to emerge in a state of unblemished purity. Anyone contemplating such litigations should be warned that those libel actions often emerge with their reputations in tatters and, on three notable occasions, end up in prison. Jonathan Aitken, Jeffrey Archer and, of course, most famous of them all, Oscar Wilde found the entrance to the libel court a direct path to gaol.” (Mortimer XI). This all is about the Libel actions from Oscar Wilde against the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of Albert Douglas, who left a note for Oscar Wilde at his favourite Club. This note was “For Oscar Wilde posing Sodomite [sic!]”, in that time a deadly insult. This resulted in three trials; one started by Oscar Wilde, trying to defend his name as an artist, even it was true that Wilde was gay, against John Sholto Douglas, the Marques of Queensberry. “Wilde, on the advice of his counsel, withdrew from the prosecution […].”(Mortimer XXIX). After this trail the focus changed from Sir Douglas to Oscar Wilde, who will be prosecuted from now on, because of his homosexuality. The other two trails dealt with the prosecution of Oscar Wilde, for his homosexual relationships with younger men. “Wilde’s first trial against the crown took place three weeks after the collapse of his libel action and finished with a hung jury.”(Mortimer XXXIII). In this trial lot’s of evidence was used that was gathered by detectives, which were hired by Charles Russel to have an overview of Wilde’s private life. Before the trial Oscar’s closest friends gave him the advice to leave the county, but for some inexplicable reason, he refused to. Oscar Wilde was prosecuted in 25 cases violating the “Criminal Law Amendment Act”. In some cases Wilde was found not guilty, this meant during that time, that there has to be another trial, in which he was prosecuted for the cases he was found guilty. Again, his close friends told him to leave the country, and again Wilde refused. The third and final trial started on the 22th of May. This trial dealt, as mentioned, with the cases Wilde already has been found guilty, as a consequence there has been no chance for Oscar Wilde, that he not will be sent to jail. “[He][…] was finally convicted of gross indecency on 25 May 1895 and sentenced to two years hard labour.”(Mortimer XXXIV). In conclusion Wilde should have followed his friends advice; they told him to just tear the note apart and throw it away, instead of starting a libel action against the Marquess of Queensberry. This would probably have saved Wilde’s life, because his physical condition decreased in prison.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the focus on Oscar Wilde as a proto-modern figure and establishes the research question concerning the influence of Victorian attitudes toward homosexuality on his work.
2. The Victorian Age: This chapter provides the socio-historical background of the Victorian era, highlighting the conflict between strict moral standards and the reality of suppressed human nature.
3. The Gay Wilde: This section covers Wilde's biography, his double life, his personal relationships, and the subsequent legal trials that resulted in his imprisonment.
4. The Picture of Dorian Grey and the Homosexuality of Oscar Wilde: This chapter analyzes the plot of the novel and argues that aestheticism and Hellenism serve as hidden codes for homoerotic themes.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes that Wilde’s homosexuality was not expressed directly, but rather through subtle artistic choices influenced by the restrictive environment of his time.
Keywords
Oscar Wilde, Victorian Age, Homosexuality, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Aestheticism, Hellenism, Criminal Law Amendment Act, Homoeroticism, Libel, Imprisonment, Literature, Social Taboo, Morality, Identity, 19th Century
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the relationship between Oscar Wilde's life, his homosexual identity, and how these elements, combined with the social constraints of the Victorian Era, manifested in his literary work.
Which historical period is analyzed in this work?
The work focuses on the Victorian Age, specifically examining its moral, social, and legal landscape regarding sexuality.
What is the central research question?
The research asks how the Victorian attitude toward homosexuality influenced the writing and themes found in "The Picture of Dorian Gray".
What research methodology is applied?
The author uses a combination of biographical research, historical context analysis, and literary interpretation of Wilde's novel.
What content is covered in the main body?
The body covers the historical background of the Victorian era, a biography of Oscar Wilde, the details of his legal trials, and an analysis of homoeroticism in his only novel.
Which terms best characterize this work?
Key terms include Oscar Wilde, Victorian morality, homosexuality, aestheticism, and the legal persecution of non-heteronormative behavior.
How does the author interpret the significance of the libel trials?
The author views the libel trials as a turning point that shifted focus from Wilde’s art to his private life, ultimately leading to his criminal conviction and declining health.
What role does Aestheticism play in the novel according to the author?
Aestheticism is interpreted as a tool used by Wilde to disguise homoerotic relationships and convey subtle queer themes that could not be stated explicitly due to the legal climate.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Björn Böhringer (Autor:in), 2013, Oscar Wilde. The homosexual genius, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/272612
