Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for gross indecency

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Homosexuality was a criminal offence at this time in Britain. Wilde had gone back and forth between hiding his sexual orientation.

In June of 1891, Oscar Wilde met Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas, a 21-year-old Oxford undergraduate and talented poet.

'Bosie' would become Oscar's own Dorian Gray — his literary muse, his evil genius, his restless lover.

Their affair was intense, bustling with dramatic tempestuousness, but underneath, there was a profound and genuine love.

In a letter from late December of 1893, after a recent rift, Wilde writes to Douglas:

My dearest Boy,

Thanks for your letter. I am overwhelmed by the wings of

vulture creditors, and out of sorts, but I am happy in the

knowledge that we are friends again, and that our love has

passed through the shadow and the light of estrangement

and sorrow and come out rose-crowned as of old.

Let us always be infinitely dear to each other, as indeed we

have been always.

I think of you daily, and am always devotedly yours.

Oscar.

Sir John Sholto Douglas, Bosie's father, was a furious homophobe.

In a bid to end his son's relationship with Wilde, he began spouting his objections to Wilde’s behavior to the public.

Wilde felt compelled to sue Sir John for libel.

During the court hearing Douglas argued that Wilde had solicited 12 boys to commit sodomy between 1892 and 1894.

On the third day of the proceedings, Wilde’s lawyer withdrew the suit, since there was abundant evidence of his client’s guilt.

After that, the Crown issued a warrant for Wilde’s arrest on indecency charges.

Wilde then had to stand trial.

At a preliminary bail hearing, chambermaids testified that they had seen young men in Wilde’s bed.

Wilde was denied bail.

Although many of the potential witnesses refused to betray Wilde by testifying, he was convicted of gross indecency.

Wilde served his two years and then spent the last three years of his life in exile.

He died at the age of 45 and was buried in Paris.

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https://www.history.com/.../oscar-wilde-is-sent-to-prison...

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https://ko-fi.com/thetudorintruders

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More of Wilde & Bosie's correspondence appears in Oscar Wilde: A Life in Letters.

Oscar Wilde & Bosie Douglas,1886.