Oscar wilde is gay

Was Oscar Wilde Gay: The famous Irish poet and playwright was indeed homosexual and was known for his relationship with men. Oscar Fingal O’Fflahertie Wills Wilde, born on October 16, , and passing away on November 30, , was a renowned Irish poet and playwright, leaving an indelible mark on literature and theater. Oscar Wilde was a proponent of the Aesthetic Movement in art and literature, which suggested these forms should focus on beauty rather than trying to convey a moral or political message.

In , Wilde was among thousands of gay and bisexual men pardoned posthumously for engaging in consensual same-sex relationships. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (–) was an Irish playwright, wit, and poet, whose name became notorious following his conviction for gross indecency. Oscar Wilde: Poet, alleged criminal and fashion pioneer.

For LGBT History Month, the Bristorian explores the life and legacy of the man who arguably became a gay icon.

poems of oscar wilde

Poet, alleged criminal, and fashion pioneer, Wilde caused a media sensation when a simple libel trial turned into accusations of sodomy. When one thinks of Wilde, they tend to think of the infamous photographs of him; chin in his hand, with long hair and a fluffy jacket, often wearing stockings with tight breeches. A dandy-aesthete lived their lives with a focus on leisure; doing so subverted Victorian notions of masculinity, as examined by John Tosh.

Wilde went beyond simply affecting effeminate, however. It was at the trial of Wilde that we see Wilde further solidified as a gay icon. Even without the media attention that the trial got, and the effeminization of Wilde, quotes from Wilde in the court transcripts damned him as a sodomite. Whilst such a blunt response was evidently intended for humorous effect, his lack of denial only served to criminalise him further.

Within his response Wilde connected the love of the men in the poem to queer-coded artists of antiquity, such as Michelangelo, Plato, and Shakespeare. There were, of course, other aspects of evidence used in the trials. He did not remain silent when accused of sodomy and was valiant in defending his literary works and the emotion behind them. Wilde as a character was an excellent figure to be seized upon as an icon.

His dandy-aesthete look was intrinsically connected to him as a person, and his wit, socialite status and outspokenness made him a bold character. Such a larger-than-life person was easy to caricature in media at the time, and is easy to reproduce in the form of stickers, badges, birthday cards etc today.

What Should Historians Do with Masculinity? Reflections on Nineteenth-Century Britain. History Workshop, 38 , Footnotes 1 Tosh, J. The Bristorian.