Oscar's Ghost

"In all his life [Oscar] has never written me a letter that was unkind or at least unloving and to see anything terrible in his handwriting written directly to me would almost kill me"’ This was written by Lord Alfred Douglas in 1897, before the contents of Oscar Wilde’s long letter written in prison and addressed to Douglas, De Profundis, were revealed; in which Wilde indicted Lord Alfred’s vanity and blamed him for his downfall—"appetite without distinction, desire without limit, and formless greed." Years after Oscar Wilde’s death, two of his closest friends, Lord Alfred Douglas and his literary executor Robert Ross—both former lovers—engaged in a bitter battle over Wilde’s legacy and who was to blame for his downfall and early death. The furious struggle led to stalking, blackmail, witness tampering, prison, and a series of dramatic lawsuits. The feud had long-lasting repercussions, not only for the two men, but also for how we remember Oscar Wilde today. Ross was systematic, had more friends, and as Wilde’s executor had access to all of Wilde’s papers, including personal letters from Douglas to Wilde; as the controller of Wilde’s copyright, he had sole discretion as to which of Wilde’s views of Douglas could be published. Douglas had a tenacious fighting spirit, and the sense of entitlement that came with being a lord. This is the first book to focus on the heated feud and to assess the motivations, misconceptions, and actions of all parties involved.

„In toata viata lui [Oscar] nu mi-a scris niciodata o scrisoare care sa nu fie amabila sau cel putin lipsita de dragoste si a vedea ceva teribil in scrisul sau scris direct mie aproape ca m-ar ucide” „Aceasta a fost scrisa de Lord Alfred Douglas in 1897, inainte a fost dezvaluit continutul scrisorii lungi a lui Oscar Wilde scrisa in inchisoare si adresata lui Douglas, De Profundis; in care Wilde a acuzat desertaciunea lordului Alfred si l-a reprosat caderii sale - „apetit fara distinctie, dorinta fara limita si lacomie fara forma”. La cativa ani de la moartea lui Oscar Wilde, doi dintre cei mai apropiati prieteni ai sai, Lord Alfred Douglas si executorul sau literar Robert Ross - ambii fosti indragostiti - s-au angajat intr-o lupta amara asupra mostenirii lui Wilde si care a fost de vina pentru caderea si moartea sa timpurie.