A well-turned epithet often blinds to the truth, and nowhere is this more the case than in the writing of Oscar Wilde. His latter-day repudiation of journalism as “the adversary of the artist” has largely led his readers to forget that his own breakthrough came on the back of a newspaper article.
- Oscar Wilde in 1882 by Napoleon Sarony (picture source)
While studying at Oxford, Wilde famously declared:
“I'll be a poet, a writer, a dramatist. Somehow or other I'll be famous, and if not famous, I'll be notorious.”
But although his first foray into the literary world – a small book of poems released in 1881 – yielded reasonable sales, it was not only condemned as mediocre by the critics but also deemed plagiaristic by the Oxford Union.
For six long years he retreated into commercial journalism. Deliverance only came with the immense public success of a long article, “The Philosophy of Dress”, which has been recently rediscovered and republished in John Cooper’sOscar Wilde on Dress. In one fell swoop Wilde’s world was transformed: offers of commissions, lectures tours and the editorship of the magazine Woman’s World followed the printing of the article – all of which gave him the assured audience and financial security that underlay his literary development.
Wilde’s theme is somewhat surprising: an impulse to reform Victorian dress, which, with its insistence on the corset, was found by many of his contemporaries to be unhealthy and sexually objectifying. Wilde, being Wilde, added a further criticism – it was far too ugly:
“A well-made dress is a simple dress that hangs from the shoulders, that takes its shape from the figure and its folds from the movements of the girl who wears it… A badly made dress is an elaborate structure of heterogeneous materials... ultimately so covered with frills and bows and flounces as to become execrable to look at, expensive to pay for, and absolutely useless to wear.”
The article is written with the characteristic combination of wit and sweeping social criticism that would make Wilde’s theatre so popular, and includes the first printing of his aphorism:
“Fashion is ephemeral. Art is eternal. Indeed what is a fashion really? A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so absolutely unbearable that we have to alter it every six months!”
After Wilde had developed a new source of income by writing for the theatre, he turned his back on journalism forever – aside from a few choice epithets that illustrate his contempt for his days as a reporter: “In old days men had the rack. Now they have the press.”
As an avid enthusiast of literature and cultural history, particularly with a focus on Oscar Wilde's life and works, allow me to lend my expertise to the exploration of the concepts embedded in the provided article. My extensive knowledge of Wilde's literary journey, coupled with a profound understanding of the social and artistic milieu of his time, positions me well to dissect the nuances within the text.
Oscar Wilde, a towering figure in 19th-century literature, faced a trajectory that intertwined with journalism, a facet often overlooked by many of his admirers. The article touches upon a pivotal period in Wilde's life during his Oxford days when he expressed his ambitious aspirations, declaring his intent to become a poet, writer, and dramatist. The article aptly references Wilde's initial literary endeavor—a book of poems released in 1881—which faced both critical condemnation and accusations of plagiarism from the Oxford Union.
A crucial turning point in Wilde's career, obscured by the later repudiation of journalism, is highlighted in the rediscovered and republished article, "The Philosophy of Dress." This piece not only brought him public success but also paved the way for offers of commissions, lecture tours, and the editorship of the magazine Woman’s World. These elements collectively provided Wilde with the audience and financial stability essential for his subsequent literary development.
Wilde's unexpected theme in "The Philosophy of Dress" was a call for reform in Victorian attire, criticizing the unhealthy and sexually objectifying aspects of the prevalent corseted fashion. The article showcases Wilde's characteristic wit and sweeping social criticism, foreshadowing the style that would make his theatrical works immensely popular. His articulation on the nature of fashion as ephemeral and art as eternal, encapsulated in the aphorism "Fashion is ephemeral. Art is eternal," demonstrates Wilde's keen observations and enduring insights.
The provided passage also alludes to Wilde's disdain for poorly made, overly embellished dresses, reflecting his belief in simplicity and functionality in fashion. This criticism is framed with his trademark flair, adding depth to his argument.
Lastly, the article delves into Wilde's transition away from journalism after establishing himself in the theater. His scathing remark about the press, comparing it to the historical torture device, the rack, provides a glimpse into Wilde's contempt for his days as a reporter. This disdain, however, does not diminish the impact that journalism had on his early career and the subsequent trajectory of his literary endeavors.
In conclusion, Wilde's multifaceted relationship with journalism, his keen observations on fashion and society, and his evolution as a literary icon are intricately woven into the fabric of this article, providing a nuanced perspective on a pivotal phase in the life of this literary luminary.
