The Letters of Oscar Wilde
Encyclopedia
The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde is a book
that contains over a thousand pages of letters written by Oscar Wilde
. Wilde's letters were first published as The Letters of Oscar Wilde in 1962, edited by Rupert Hart-Davis
and published by his publishing firm.
Merlin Holland
revised the book and included new discoveries in a new edition: The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde by Merlin Holland & Rupert Hart-Davis. It was published in 2000 by Henry Holt and Company LLC, New York (ISBN 0-8050-5915-6).
Merlin Holland, Oscar Wilde's grandson, provides an introduction to the work which describes the purpose of publishing Oscar Wilde's letters. The book contains a timeline of Oscar Wilde's life, includes some of his drawings and his famous letter to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas
, known as De Profundis
. Expurgated editions of De Profundis had been published by Wilde's literary executor Robbie Ross from 1905, but the 1962 edition published by Rupert Hart-Davis
was the first full and correct version.
Here, Holland is referring to Wilde's legendary conversational skills, which have only been partially preserved in the published letters.
The letters give an insight to Oscar Wilde's character, his sense of humor and his great affection and love for many people.
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
that contains over a thousand pages of letters written by Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
. Wilde's letters were first published as The Letters of Oscar Wilde in 1962, edited by Rupert Hart-Davis
Rupert Hart-Davis
Sir Rupert Charles Hart-Davis was an English publisher, editor and man of letters. He founded the publishing company Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd...
and published by his publishing firm.
Merlin Holland
Merlin Holland
Christopher Merlin Vyvyan Holland is a biographer and editor. He is the son of the author Vyvyan Holland and his second wife, the former Thelma Besant, and is the only grandchild of Oscar Wilde...
revised the book and included new discoveries in a new edition: The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde by Merlin Holland & Rupert Hart-Davis. It was published in 2000 by Henry Holt and Company LLC, New York (ISBN 0-8050-5915-6).
Merlin Holland, Oscar Wilde's grandson, provides an introduction to the work which describes the purpose of publishing Oscar Wilde's letters. The book contains a timeline of Oscar Wilde's life, includes some of his drawings and his famous letter to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas
Lord Alfred Douglas
Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas , nicknamed Bosie, was a British author, poet and translator, better known as the intimate friend and lover of the writer Oscar Wilde...
, known as De Profundis
De Profundis (letter)
De Profundis is an epistle written by Oscar Wilde during his imprisonment in Reading Gaol, to Lord Alfred Douglas. During its first half Wilde recounts their previous relationship and extravagant lifestyle which eventually led to Wilde's conviction and imprisonment for gross indecency...
. Expurgated editions of De Profundis had been published by Wilde's literary executor Robbie Ross from 1905, but the 1962 edition published by Rupert Hart-Davis
Rupert Hart-Davis
Sir Rupert Charles Hart-Davis was an English publisher, editor and man of letters. He founded the publishing company Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd...
was the first full and correct version.
Purpose of the Book
The interest of the book is that Wilde's letters become the "autobiography that he never wrote" (Holland, xiii). In addition, Holland asserts (from the introduction (xiii)):- "Now, a hundred years after his death, to read his letters, particularly those written to intimate friends without thought of publication, is as close as we shall come to the magic of hearing him in person."
Here, Holland is referring to Wilde's legendary conversational skills, which have only been partially preserved in the published letters.
The letters give an insight to Oscar Wilde's character, his sense of humor and his great affection and love for many people.