Review of "L'Ame de L'Homme sous le Socialisme / Oscar Wilde" on 'GoodReads'
3 stars
This copy of De Profundis, although a version of the full text, is abridged due to it being the copy made by Robbie Ross along with Robbie's emendations. De Profundis (from the depths) is a fairly long winded prison letter showing Oscar's incredible ability to blossom insight from conventionality. Despite this letter having been born from a passionate love affair, it is rather reserved, and for me, I couldn't help but feel it a shrewd rebuke, even though it is stated that Wilde was explaining his "conduct" rather than defending it. I believe that Alfred Douglas had intended later on for it to be published along with his own comments. The not unusual tit for tat often played out between broken down lovers. What makes it also interesting is the contrast between this opuscule and the letters Wilde wrote to Bosie after his release, it shows the complexity of emotion …
This copy of De Profundis, although a version of the full text, is abridged due to it being the copy made by Robbie Ross along with Robbie's emendations. De Profundis (from the depths) is a fairly long winded prison letter showing Oscar's incredible ability to blossom insight from conventionality. Despite this letter having been born from a passionate love affair, it is rather reserved, and for me, I couldn't help but feel it a shrewd rebuke, even though it is stated that Wilde was explaining his "conduct" rather than defending it. I believe that Alfred Douglas had intended later on for it to be published along with his own comments. The not unusual tit for tat often played out between broken down lovers. What makes it also interesting is the contrast between this opuscule and the letters Wilde wrote to Bosie after his release, it shows the complexity of emotion and pragmatism in matters of love. I enjoyed the almost voyeuristic feeling of Wilde’s account of lavishing affection, Alfred’s tantrums, creative frustration, character assassination, and tension of judiciously avoiding the love “that dare not speak its name”. Oscar clearly still was very conscious of when writing, the fine line between public and personal confession. I drifted somewhat during his rumination on Christ, but in the back of my mind, couldn’t help but wonder if this too might have been a motivated bit of writing. Although there is an historically valuable substrate on the repression of sexuality, I found through Oscar’s divulgence an even more valuable context surrounding the warts and all of existential humanness. Wilde frequently refers to his genius, but whether he had a genius for interpersonal relationships is wonderfully debatable.
