October 24, 2022

The Trials of Oscar Wilde

The story of Oscar Wilde is remarkably complex and rife with speculation. Muddled by rumors, scandal, and conflicting accounts, piecing together a cohesive narrative was a taxing process. It constituted wading through rivers of prose in the hopes of capturing the tiniest morsel of information, comparing and dissecting conflicting accounts, and tracing histories far into the past.

Something learned from the extensive research behind this project was that the real story was not just about Oscar Wilde’s trials, but the coalescence of circumstances that led to his position at the center of a whirlwind of discord.

The popular narrative of Wilde’s arrogance being that which spurred his descent into squalor lacks the nuance necessary to fully understand his story. The perspective foregoes a vital exploration of the social and historical influences that ultimately shaped the events of Oscar Wilde’s public scandal.

Programmed with Ren’Py visual novel software, The Trials of Oscar Wilde presents a decoupage of accounts drawn from written letters, court transcripts, and the various assertions of historians. These accounts are represented with abstract visual aids that aim to symbolically reflect Wilde’s artistic sensibilities.

Below is a video playthrough of the game in its entirety.

Video playthrough of The Trials of Oscar Wilde

Sources

Ayachi, Janette. “The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name: Oscar Wilde & Lord Alfred Douglas • Poetry School.” Poetry School, 21 Sept. 2016, https://poetryschool.com/theblog/love-dare-speak-name-oscar-wilde-lord-alfred-douglas/.

Bertram, Colin. “How Oscar Wilde’s Libel Trial Backfired and Ruined His Life.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 15 July 2020, https://www.biography.com/news/oscar-wilde-trials-downfall-gross-indecency.

Central Criminal Court, London, Regina v. Wilde and Taylor, April 26 to May 1, 1895, FamousTrials, https://famous-trials.com/wilde/318-first

Linder, Douglas O. “The Trials of Oscar Wilde: An Account.” Famous Trials, UMKC School of Law, https://www.famous-trials.com/wilde/327-home.

MailOnline, Anthony Joseph for. “Photographs Capture Century-Old Scenes of Male Intimacy.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 1 Aug. 2017, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4749528/Photographs-capture-century-old-scenes-male-intimacy.htmlA.

Marlborough Street Police Court, London, Wilde v. Queensberry, April 3-5,1895, FamousTrials, https://famous-trials.com/wilde/330-libel

Queensberry, John, Queensberry’s Letter to his son, Alfred Douglas, April 1, 1894, https://www.famous-trials.com/wilde/326-queensberry