Punch Magazine: "A Wilde Idea. Or, More Injustice to Ireland!"

This cartoon of Oscar Wilde shows him in solidier gear, standing guard as if a part of a larger military. The reasoning for this is because his French play, Salomé, had its license accepted by Sarah B. This makes Wilde dream of being a French citizen. However, what is stopping him is the fact that he would have to be a conscript in the French Army. The cartoon makes fun of both of his options: either go with the "Wilde" idea and go to France, or stay in Ireland and make them more dissappointed in him (the Saxon Licenser of Plays did not accept the licensing for Salomé).

There is, however, something to be said about Wilde's desire to move to France that isn't quite being interacted with here. France was much more liberal in terms of gayness within men, and Wilde could probably be a bit more free in France than in Ireland or England. The desire for freeness within one's sexuality pops up again.

 

Source:

Partridge, Sir John Bernard. "A Wilde Idea. Or, More Injustice to Ireland!" Punch Magazine, 9 Jul. 1892, p. 1, https://archive.org/details/punchvol102a103lemouoft/page/n373/mode/2up?view=theater.

Associated Place(s)

Event date:

9 Jul 1892