The Wilde Century

by Alan Sinfield

For 15 years in Victorian England, Oscar Wilde was able to carry on like the famous camp queen of our imaginings - effete, leisured, aesthetic, amoral, decadent, dandified. This work explores how Wilde was seen before the trials that ended his career and made him the most famous queer man since Socrates. In particular, it examines the concept of effeminacy and asks how Wilde's effeminacy was perceived. In examining these points, Sinfield ranges over issues of identity, subculture, race, style, masculinity, homophobia, genetics and gender-bending. He broaches the thesis that the Wilde trials bring into focus a particular image of the queer man which has extended into the 20th century, and that our stereotypical notion of male homosexuality derives from Wilde and our ideas about him. Sinfield assesses the strategic options for lesbian and gay subcultures today. This provocative book aspires to set the agenda for a gay cultural politics - a hundred years after the Wilde trials, on the threshold of the 21st century.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, LGBT, Victorian

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Derek Frasure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinfield is one of the more balanced authors in queer theory. He doesn't make claims so vast as to be untenable, and doesn't make claims so defensible as to be unimportantly intuitive. It's true, one would expect this text to deal more with Oscar Wilde's trail; however, the text deals with the century the developed Wilde and was influenced by Wilde. Most importantly the text deconstructs the notion of the effeminate gay man, and shows clearly how the separate notions of same-sex passion and effeminacy were conflated through the trials of Oscar Wilde to form the modern gay identity. This alone solidifies this text in queer theory as an important study in the hermeneutics of an aspect of modern identity. It doesn't stop there though, the text offers a "Subcultural Strategies" section at the end that is a valuable look at queer politics and the ways Sinfield sees it as able to move forward and maintain previous gains. None of the suggestions are as proactive and groundbreaking as one could hope for, but they are valuable nonetheless.

[Virgowriter (Brad Windhauser)]

Lot of interesting information that any member of the LGBT community needs to know

[C. B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, well-argued romp through literature, history, and contemporary (1990s) politics. Sure, Sinfield overstates the importance of the Wilde trials in the formation of ‘the homosexual’, and misses much in his fixation with them. But it’s still a plausible enough argument, and it’s influenced many other studies that have added nuance, especially in drawing out the deeper implications of ‘gender transitive’ modes of understanding desire between men. But this is a foundational text with which we must grapple, even if we must gripe about it while doing so.

[Andreea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really about Oscar Wilde or about queer literary theory, but once I got over feeling like I was schemed into reading it by my English lit lecturer, it got better. Kind of. It does have immensely interesting bits - such as the things it says about molly houses, but then it has immensely uninteresting, pedantic bits too - virtually anything that allures to Freud. Worth reading, but probably not before a lot of other really good books.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting analysis of Wilde and “dandyism” or in better terms, “effeminacy.” Traces femininity with the gay male identity which in the beginning, the gender binary was not part of the sexual identity, but later, gender became imposed within the definition of the gay male identity. Well use of other gay sources outside of Wilde, even though I wish Wilde’s works were more analyzed. Writing/organization is a little confusing.

[Lisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of very interesting parts in this book, mainly on lifestyle within Victorian society and literature. And then there was Freud Freud Freud Freud and it got a bit tedious.

One of the more memorable lines (completely out of context): "There's no reason, I believe, to associate same-sex passion with vegetables."

[Pia Sutherland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of info about how gay/lesbian identity has been constructed (from materials of the het world) and refracted across the past ~200C.

everything made sense TBH i kept going like yup, yup... interesting reading about interclass sexuality, camp and intolerance, just beefing up my knowledge of g*y.

decided to ossify my ID as queer yep this book convinced me (100//)!

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discusses Wilde, his life and works, as well as their impact on roles and representation in society.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a biography of Wilde, nor is it about his life or trials but it is about the place of Wilde and what he represented, not necessarily what he actually stood for, in UK history and culture both before his trial and downfall and afterwards. It is very interesting, very thought provoking and really quite readable - which can not be said about most queer theory books.