The Famous Reply

Asry

I am going to paste below a passage from the transcripts of the Wilde libel trials that I was just reading there. I find it heartening and read the transcripts and his letters over sometimes when I'm feeling particularly full of self loathing. Go on yeh good thing yeh.

The link to an extract is: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/wilde/Crimwilde.html

There's also a great book about it that was put together by Oscar Wilde's grandson, Merlin Holland (who's the spit of him). It's called the Real Trial of Oscar Wilde and can be found on amazon and normal bookshops.

The full text of some of Lord Douglas's poetry can be found here: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/wilde/poemsofdouglas.htm
There's also a really interesting biography of him called Bosie, by Douglas Murray. Again, amazon.

Sorry, this is turning into an irritatingly didactic post.

This is from the part of the trial where the prosecutor is questioning Mr Wilde on whether he's read certain poems in a magazine that were written by Lord Alfred Douglas, Wilde's lover. The poem they're talking about contains the famous description of homosexual love as the 'love that dare not speak it's name'. Wilde is being asked as to his reaction to these poems:

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G--I daresay! The next poem is one described as "Two Loves." It contains these lines:

"'Sweet youth,
Tell me why, sad and sighing, dost thou rove
These pleasant realms? I pray thee tell me sooth,
What is thy name?' He said, 'My name is Love,'
Then straight the first did turn himself to me,
And cried, 'He lieth, for his name is Shame.
But I am Love, and I was wont to be
Alone in this fair garden, till he came
Unasked by night; I am true Love, I fill
The hearts of boy and girl with mutual flame.'
Then sighing said the other, 'Have thy will,
I am the Love that dare not speak its name'."

G--Was that poem explained to you?
W--I think that is dear.
G--There is no question as to what it means?
W--Most certainly not.
G--Is it not clear that the love described relates to natural love and unnatural love?
W--No.
G--What is the "Love that dare not speak its name"?
W--"The Love that dare not speak its name" in this century is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare. It is that deep, spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect. It dictates and pervades great works of art like those of Shakespeare and Michelangelo, and those two letters of mine, such as they are. It is in this century misunderstood, so much misunderstood that it may be described as the "Love that dare not speak its name," and on account of it I am placed where I am now. It is beautiful, it is fine, it is the noblest form of affection. There is nothing unnatural about it. It is intellectual, and it repeatedly exists between an elder and a younger man, when the elder man has intellect, and the younger man has all the joy, hope and glamour of life before him. That it should be so the world does not understand. The world mocks at it and sometimes puts one in the pillory for it. (Loud applause, mingled with some hisses.)

Sir Ophiuchus

If you ever get a chance and it's on again, you should go see "The Trials of Oscar Wilde". It's a brilliant show, and I'm not just saying that because I was in it.