The Letters of Oscar Wilde
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The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde is a book that contains over 1000 pages of letters written by Oscar Wilde. The book was published by Henry Holt and Company LLC in 2000 and edited by Merlin Holland and Rupert Hart-Davis.
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 includes his famous letter to his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, also known as De Profundis.
[edit] 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 legedary 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.
[edit] References
- Holland, Merlin & Rupert Hart-Davis. (2000). Henry Holt and Company LLC, New York. ISBN 0-8050-5915-6
