Description
This semi-satirical mystery story follows Lord Arthur Savile as he attempts to reconcile (and perhaps bring about) his own fate after a palm reader informs him that he will commit murder. In this story, Wilde asks us to ponder the extent to which we make our own destinies and cautions us on the dangers of believing our choices are predestined and allowing others to influence our decisions.
While Wilde is remembered for his literary feats, from short stories to plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest, he is also known for his trial and arrest for “gross indecency with men,” or as it is more commonly known – homosexuality. Wilde prosecuted the Marquess of Queensberry for libel after the Marquess left a note calling Wilde a “sodomite.” During the proceedings, however, evidence emerged that Wilde was indeed involved in relationships with Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquess’ son) and Alfred Taylor, as well as a number of young male prostitutes. Following the libel trial, Wilde was prosecuted for sodomy; despite great evidence against him, Wilde pleaded “not guilty” and in 1895 was subsequently sentenced to the maximum penalty: two years of imprisonment and hard labor.
Wilde’s struggles with identity, justice, choices, and fate throughout his life are woven into all of his writing, and poignantly so in “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime.”
