Oscar Wilde - The Great Drama of His Life

In the 1890s, Oscar Wilde enjoyed one of the most high-profile reputations in Britain. Yet, virtually overnight, he was plunged into disgrace and ruin. What were the reasons for this extraordinary reversal of fortune? This book explores Wilde's motivation in prosecuting the Marquess of Queensberry, and it elaborates on the precarious legal situation that effectively quashed any prospect of a withdrawal from the lawsuit without dire consequences. The book examines the medical and psychiatric aspects of Wilde's two-year imprisonment and reveals the machinations among prison officials and doctors to cover up Wilde's state of health, based on the original Home Office records. Wilde's medical history is presented with an expert evaluation of his terminal illness, including a resolution of the syphilis controversy. The book also details Wilde's tangled matrimonial affairs during his imprisonment and goes on to disclose the maneuvers adopted by friends to secure his early release, citing hitherto unpublished letters to show that bribery of prison personnel was seriously contemplated. The issue of homosexuality is discussed not only in relation to Oscar Wilde, but from the broader historical, legal, and biological perspective. Wilde's character and behavior is portrayed through the images he projected onto society, by the strong but mixed public reaction to him, and by the quality of his interpersonal relationships with his wife, family, and close friends. Finally, Wilde's personality is assessed using internationally accepted diagnostic criteria. In an unusual and innovative experiment, a group of Wildean scholars completed a psychological questionnaire as if they were doing so for Oscar Wilde himself. Drawing on these findings and on his own extensive psychiatric experience, author Ashley Robins concludes that Wilde had a personality disorder that culminated in the final and tragic phase of his life.