description De Profundis Overview
De Profundis is an extended letter written by Oscar Wilde in 1897 while he was imprisoned in Reading Gaol and addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde reflects on their relationship, his prosecution and imprisonment, personal responsibility, suffering, art, and spiritual development. Published after Wilde's death in edited form and later in a more complete text, it is read as both an autobiographical document and a major work of late Victorian prose.
help De Profundis FAQ
Was De Profundis originally written as a book or as a letter?
Oscar Wilde wrote it in 1897 as a long letter to Lord Alfred Douglas, whom he called Bosie, while imprisoned in Reading Gaol. Its mixture of accusation, confession, spiritual reflection, and literary argument later allowed it to be published as a standalone work.
Why did Oscar Wilde blame Lord Alfred Douglas in De Profundis?
Wilde describes their relationship as emotionally destructive and financially extravagant, and he condemns Douglas's quarrel with his father, the Marquess of Queensberry. That conflict helped set in motion the court cases that ended with Wilde's conviction and imprisonment.
Did Lord Alfred Douglas receive the original De Profundis manuscript?
Wilde entrusted the manuscript to his friend Robert Ross after leaving prison and asked that a copy be sent to Douglas. The complicated handling and publication history means readers should distinguish the surviving manuscript from the shortened early editions.
Why are some editions of De Profundis much shorter than others?
Robert Ross first published an abridged version in 1905, five years after Wilde's death. A substantially complete and reliable text based on the original manuscript became available through Rupert Hart-Davis's 1962 edition of Wilde's letters.
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