1895: Chronicle of a Scandal
Berliner Ensemble: De Profundis by Oscar Wilde
At the height of his career, Oscar Wilde was sentenced in 1895 to two years in prison with hard labour. His private life became public, and was portrayed as scandalous. Here, we present an overview of the events of this significant year in Wilde’s life.
By Antonia Hänsch
At the age of 40, Oscar Wilde had achieved his breakthrough: On January 3, 1895 , his play An Ideal Husband premiered in London, followed by The Importance of Being Earnest on February 14. These successful performances made the writer a star of the London art scene.
He had previously gained a certain reputation through lectures and newspaper articles. In 1890/91, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray was published, which, despite poor reviews, garnered initial attention in London.
Four days later, on February 18 , the Marquess of Queensberry – father of Wilde’s lover, Lord Alfred Douglas – placed a calling card in Wilde’s club, publicly calling him a “posing sodomite.” This was a serious accusation, as homosexuality was not only frowned upon but also illegal in Victorian England.
The married Wilde and the 16-years-younger aristocratic student Alfred Douglas, nicknamed “Bosie,” met in 1891 and had a relationship. Douglas introduced him to the luxurious life of the upper class – they threw parties, dined in expensive restaurants, and travelled through Europe and North Africa – but also to the red-light district, where he introduced him to prostitutes, some of whom were underage. Wilde lived beyond his means and paid all the expenses.
The public and theatres reacted to Queensberry’s accusations and considered cancelling Wilde’s plays. Bosie, who had been estranged from his father for years, persuaded the already heavily indebted Wilde to file a libel suit against the Marquess.
On April 5, after two days of trial, he was acquitted, as he was able to prove through witness testimony and private investigators that Wilde had committed homosexual acts. Wilde paid the court costs and was arrested immediately afterward.
On April 26, his trial for “gross indecency” began. Letters and partially manipulated witness statements were presented as evidence in court. Wilde had previously had several opportunities to flee abroad and thus escape conviction, but declined, believing he would win. On May 25, he was sentenced to the maximum penalty: two years of solitary confinement and hard labour. Shortly afterward, the Marquess initiated bankruptcy proceedings against Wilde. He lost all his possessions and the rights to his work.
After several months in various prisons, he was transferred to Reading Gaol in November 1895 , where he had to serve his sentence despite several pleas for clemency.