In the spring of 1895 the life of Constance Wilde changed irrevocably. Up until the conviction of her husband, Oscar, for homosexual crimes, she had held a privileged position in society. Part of a gilded couple, she was a popular children's author, a fashion icon, and a leading campaigner for women's rights. A founding member of the magical society the Golden Dawn, her pioneering and questioning spirit encouraged her to sample some of the more controversial aspects of her time. Mrs Oscar Wilde was a phenomenon in her own right. But that spring Constance's entire life was eclipsed by scandal. Forced to flee to the Continent with her two sons, her glittering literary and political career ended abruptly. Having changed her name, she lived in exile until her death. Franny Moyle now tells Constance's story with a fresh eye and remarkable new material. Drawing on numerous unpublished letters, she brings to life the story of a woman at the heart of fin-de-siecle London and the Aesthetic movement.
In a compelling and moving tale of an unlikely couple caught up in a world unsure of its moral footing, she uncovers key revelations about a woman who was the victim of one of the greatest betrayals of all time.
Constance: the Tragic and Scandalous Life of Mrs. Oscar Wilde by Franny Moyle is a must read for anyone who has any interest in Oscar Wilde and an interest in English society at the end of the 19th century. Oscar and Constance were a fixture of the artistic community during the early part of their marriage and continued to be the centre of gossip and speculation until their early and untimely deaths as a new century begins. Moyle uses many previously unpublished letters in this very scholarly work that reads almost like a tragic work of fiction. This book portraits a very clear picture of Constance’s character with all her strengths and weaknesses. She is both the heroine and victim of this story.
