For my September book review, instead of reading a banned or challenged book, I chose the critically acclaimed book, Constance: The Tragic and Scandalous Life of Mrs. Oscar Wilde (2011) by Franny Moyle. Moyle is a British television producer and author. She meticulously researched publications from the 1800’s as well as the existing letters written and received by Constance and Oscar Wilde. From her research, she pieced together the story of Constance Lloyd Wilde.
It might seem an odd choice, but it works perfectly during Banned Books Month because it demonstrates the power of censorship and the ripple effect it can have on society and the lives of authors and their families.
Constance met Oscar Wilde through her brother Otho. She was charmed by his wit, in awe of his intelligence, and captivated by his charismatic charm. Oscar was tall and considered handsome though his dress and the length of his hair were unconventional for the times. It was a slow courtship that progressed over several years. The public’s reception of his first book of poetry almost prevented their relationship from progressing past the infatuation stage. Wilde’s poetry was challenged and banned in many countries. Prominent members of British society also attacked the sensual nature of some poems as “offensive filth.”
Constance’s grandfather, who became her benefactor after her father’s death, liked Oscar, but feared he would not be able to support a wife and family because of the controversy surrounding his writing. Sales of his work and attendances at his lecture series were affected. Wilde agreed to a lecture tour in America hoping to restore his finances and reputation. During his travels, Wilde cut his hair and toned down his wardrobe.
Though Victorian England had rigid standards of conduct for men and especially women, Constance rejected the French inspired clothing with tight corsets, tight sleeves, and hooped skirts. She preferred the aesthetic dress of muslin with loose sleeves, and empire waist. Her reasoning was simple. The empire waist was healthier for women than corsets that constricted internal organs and made breathing difficult. A woman could move her arms better and the hoop skirts often got caught on things and easily caught fire. Two of Oscar’s half sisters died after their gowns caught fire.
Constance believed in greater equality for women and supported the suffragette movement in England. She wanted to have some sort of career and Oscar supported her efforts. She wrote a book of fairy tales for children, There Once Was and wrote articles for women’s magazines. Together, they designed their home to fit the new aesthetic style which was more minimalist and functional than traditional homes of the period.
As Mrs. Wilde, Constance was known for her hospitality and salon gatherings. She overcame an inferiority complex caused by her mother’s constant bullying during her childhood to become an eloquent public speaker.
Constance gave birth to two sons in the first two years of her marriage to Oscar. Constance and Oscar hoped for a daughter to complete their “perfect” family. Vyvyan her youngest son was a difficult pregnancy and a difficult birth. Unlike his brother Cyril, he was prone to sickness. Constance’s correspondence with close friends revealed that complications from childbirth were responsible for the end to marital intimacy between she and Oscar.
Many of Oscar Wilde’s works were challenged for hinting at homosexual relationships between his characters. Oscar turned his efforts toward writing humorous plays about the secret lives of the upper class and he quickly became one of the most successful playwrights of his time. Though Constance and Oscar were one of the most celebrated couples in London society, many publications began to attack them in cartoons portraying Oscar as effeminate. Gossip columns hinted that Mrs. Wilde was being replaced by one of the many young men frequently in Oscar’s company.
During the early years of their marriage Oscar was always careful to dote on his wife and children. As his success grew, Oscar began to spend more time away from home and he was less careful about his affairs with men.
Oscar began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, the son of the Marquess of Queensberry. The Marquess publicly accused Wilde of corrupting his son. This threatened to ruin Oscar’s career and his marriage. He sued the Marquess for libel but lost in court and was arrested for indecency. He was sentenced to two years in prison at hard labor. Public opinion of Oscar’s culpability was swayed by the writings and cartoons alleging his flamboyant lifestyle. Lord Alfred Douglas was never charged and suffered no consequences for his involvement with Oscar.
Constance and her children faced social and financial ruin. Though she received an outpouring of support from family, friends, and the public, some of her acquaintances publicly denounced the Wilde family and snubbed them socially. Her children were expelled from their schools. She was forced to leave the country and change her and her children’s surname. She was advised to divorce Oscar and file for sole custody of the children, but Constance never went through with the divorce.
Moyle brings Constance’s trials and triumphs to life, and she aptly captures the hypocrisy of the Victorian era. There’s much more to her story and you should read this book to learn more about Constance Lloyd Wilde and her exceptional life.
Other Books by Franny Moyle:
Desperate Romantics: The Private Lives of the Pre-Raphaelites (2009)
Turner: The Extraordinary Life and Momentous Times of J.M.W. Turner (2016)
The King’s Painter: The Life and Times of Hans Holbein (2021)
Photo credits:
Photo of Franny Moyle:
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1249668176960540674/3OzQMFjK_400x400.jpg - used for the purpose of identifying the author for our readers with no intent of copyright infringement
Book Cover:
Image of my personal copy of this book – used with no intention of copyright infringement.