TheBeautyinHatred:OscarWildes

AestheticTheoryinDeProfundis
ByStaceyMankoff

OutofthedepthsIcrytoyou,Lord
Lord,hearmyvoice.
Letyourearsbeattentive
tomycryformercy.
Psalm130
ComposedinJanuarythroughMarchof1897inReadingPrison,Berkshire,DeProfundisis
aletterofrevelationofallthatisfeeblestinthewriter(Pearson288).WrittenbyOscar
Wildeaddressinghislover,LordAlfredDouglas,or,Bosie,thetitleoftheeightypageletter
translatesfromLatintooutofthedepths.TheletterdescribesWildesaccountofthe
eventsleadinguptohisimprisonment,whenhewasconvictedtotwoyearshardtimefor
grossindecency.Whiletheletteristingedwithhatredandregret,Wildemakesapointto
assignblameforthesituationandoutcomenotjustonBosieandhisfather,butonWilde
himself.RichardEllman,OscarWildebiographer,notesthatwhileonthesurfacetheletter
seemstobeabitterrecognitionofBosiesdestructiveinfluenceonWildeslife,themost
importantthingaboutDeProfundisisthatitisaloveletter(515).Inadditiontobeingan
acknowledgementofhisloveforBosie,WildespointinDeProfundiswastorestorethe

esteemandrespectwhichhisparentshadheldinpubliclifebeforehishumiliation(Vartyix)
whiletryingtoexplainhimselftotheloverwhowasresponsibleforhisincarceration.While
thereisnodenyingthatWildesletterisapleatohaveBosieunderstandthemisgivingsof
theirrelationship,itisalsoWildesownattempttounderstandforhimselfhisownpartinhis
fall.Wildetooktheopportunitytoturnhismisgivingsintoapersonalexplorationofwhat
reallyisimportanttohimselfasanartistaswellasaman,usingaestheticsasamajormotif
tohingemostallofhisadviceandpersonalexplorationon.
WhatisinterestingabouttheletterisWildesunwaveringadherencetohisaesthetic
principles.TheletterprovesthatwhileprisonwasatimeandplaceofanguishforWildeit
wasalsoatimethatprovidedhimwithanoccasiononwhichtocelebratethesymbolic
relationshipbetweenhimselfandtheartandculturetowhichhislifebelonged(Chamberlin
160).Wildeassertedthatthatinordertoliveanaestheticlife,
apersonmustliveasthoughonewasaliving,breathing
workofart.DeProfundisisproofthatevenwhilesurrounded
bythehorrorsofprisonWildeinsistedonlivingasartfullyas
hecould.Wildesbasicaestheticprincipleswerebasedon
threeideas:thatartislife,thatartmustbemoral,ethical,and
positive,andthatart,similartolife,iswhollyparadoxical.
ThoughmorethanhalfofDeProfundisistakenupbyhis
confession,notofhisownsins,butBosies(Ellman513)the
letterisanexampleofWildesaestheticphilosophy,which
includeshisversionofamoralandethicalwayofliving.
OscarWildediscoveredaestheticismfromhisreadingsofthe
AncientGreeksinhisyouthandadoptedDandyism,awayof
livingthatmadeanartoftheirlives,andthistheAesthetesfoundirresistible(Calloway36).
Aestheticsisabranchofphilosophythatdealswiththebeautifulasexhibitedinworksof
artaestheticsconsideredonitsobjectivesidehastoinvestigateafunctionofartin
generalasexpressingthebeautiful,andthenthenatureofbeautythusexpressed(Ingleby
para.6).Thecultivationofrefinedaesthetictastesandtheindulgenceindecadent
obsessionswerepartofamovementinwhichWildewasleader(Chamberlin83)andatthe
centerofaestheticismwasadesireofindividualityandselfconsciousnessasboththe
causeandeffectofart(83).WildewrotethatitisthroughArt,andthroughArtonly,thatwe
canrealiseourperfectionthroughArt,andthroughArtonly,thatwecanshieldourselves
fromthesordidperilsofactualexistence(Brown3).Ifitisartthathelpsthecreatorrealize
perfection,thenDeProfundisisthatpieceofartthathelpedWildediscoverhisperfectionof
selfawareness,selfanalysis,andselfdiscovery.Inshort,Wildesaestheticprinciples

revolvearoundtheideathatartiscreatedsolelyforitsownsake,thatitsonlydutyistobring
goodtotheworld.
ItisnecessarytodefinewhatWildemeantwhenheusedthewordarttofullyunderstand
hisphilosophyconcerningaesthetics.Wildesawartas

Auniqueendeavor,quiteindependentofmoralorutilitarianvaluesand
prerogativesitsspecificappealistotheartistictemperament,ratherthantoany
otheraspectofourexperiencetheartistictemperamentisconditionedbyand
respondstotheaestheticsense,whichistowaytoasenseofbeautybeautyis
communicatedbyfor.Theonlyfurtherstepthatwastakenwastoassociate
beautyandtruth.(Chamberlin91).

Wildeandhisfollowersthoughtofartaslife,andlifesexperienceasthehighestexpression
ofbeauty.JuliaPrewittBrown,authorofCosmopolitanCriticism:OscarWildesPhilosophyof
Art,positsthatbyart,Wildemeansboththeworkofartandtheaestheticsenseorpotential
ineachofus.BylifewhichoftenappearsincloseproximitytothewordartWildemeans
theongoingexperiencesthatconstituteexistence(2).Bothdefinitionsdefineartinrelation
tolife,because,toWilde,onecouldnotliveartisticallywithoutperceivingthebeautyaround
them.ThecruxofhisargumentinDeProfundistendstohingeonthefactthatBosienotonly
ruinedWildeslifepersonallyandprofessionally,butalsoaesthetically.ThisiswhatWilde
perceivedaftercontemplatingthelackofbeautyinhislifecausedbyBosie.Wildewritesthat
heblameshimselfforallowinganunintellectualfriendship,afriendshipwhoseprimaryaim
wasnotthecreatingandcontemplationofbeautifulthings,toentirelydominatemylife
(Wilde874).Fromtheoutset,heusesartasameanstoconveytoBosiethatithislovers
lackofaestheticprinciplesthatruinedWilde.HegoesontoaddressBosie,summarizinghis
faults:

Youmustseenowthatyourincapacityofbeingalone:yournaturesoexigentin
itspersistentclaimontheattentionandtimeofother:yourlackofanypowerof
sustainedintellectualconcentration:theunfortunateaccidentforIliketothinkit
wasnomorethatyouhadnotyetbeenabletoacquiretheOxfordtemperin
intellectualmanners,never,Imean,beenonewhocouldplaygracefullywith
ideasbuthadarrivedatviolenceofopinionmerelythatallthesethings,
combnedwiththefactthatyourdesiresandinterestswereinLifenotinArt,were
asdestructivetoyourownprogressincultureastheyweretomyworkasan

artist?WhenIcomparemyfriendshipwithyoutomyfriendshipwithsuchstill
youngermenasJohnGrayandPierreLouysIfeelashamed.Myreallife,my
higherlifewaswiththemandsuchasthey.(Wilde869).

Platopresumedthatpoeticallimitationsareruinoustotheunderstandingtheknowledgeof
theirtruenatureistheonlyantidotetothem(30).Wilderealizes,usingartandhisartistic
existence,thatBosieslackofaestheticvalue
andhispoeticallimitationsaswellashisless
thansatisfactoryintellectualvigorcaused
Wildesdownfall.Thisknowledgeisthe
antidotetohismisery,asknowingisthefirst
steptofixingtheproblem.Theproblemthat
WilderealizesisBosiespresenceinhislife.
WhileWildeacknowledgesthatBosiewas
preoccupiedwithonlylifeandnotart,he
usesDeProfundistoshowthatlifeisnotwholewithoutthepresenceofart.Bosieishis
proofofthistheory.
Wildeviewedlifeasartsstudent.Withoutart,lifewouldnotbeasinformed,aswhole,oras
beautiful.Thismimeticexpressive,pedagogicalrelationisthegermofthetheoryof
receptionbywhichWilderesolvesthemaincontradictionofaestheticismthatis,the
paradoxicalseparationyetinterdependenceofartandlife(Brown72).Inotherwords,
Wildesaesthetictheorydictatesthatartandexistenceisinseparable,inthatartisthe
essenceoflifeitself.ThisisevidentinDeProfundisasWilde,themanwhoviewshimselfas
aliving,movingpieceofartattemptstoreformthepersonwho,inhisopinion,iswithout
aestheticprinciplesthatwouldmakeBosiegoodinWildeseyes.Infact,inWildesperfect
world,lifewouldimitateart,or,BosewouldimitateWildeinhisaestheticandmoralvalues,
Wildeconsideringhimselfalivingworkofartandthereforelifesteacher.
AchiefideabehindWildesphilosophyofaestheticswastheideathateverythinginlife
shouldbebeautiful,andthatbycomparison,everythingthatisbeautifulshouldbegood.To
Wilde,tobegoodmeanttoliveinthepresent,whichappliestothespontaneityofWildes
life.Thejobofaestheticsistodiscusssuchtopicsastherelationofarttonatureandlife,
thedistinctionofartfromnature,therelationofnaturalandartisticbeauty,theconditions
andnatureofbeautyinaworkofart,andespeciallythedistinctionofbeautyfromtruth,from
utility,andfrommoralgoodness(Ingleby2).AmajorcomponenttoWildesphilosophyof
aestheticswastheideaofblendingmoralityandartisticqualityintoaperfectpieceofart.

InfluencedbyKiekergaard,Wildebelievedthattheaestheteisunabletoescapetheethical
basisoflifebecausehecannottranscendtimeexceptpurelyinhisimagination(Brown21).
Iflifeisart,thenlifemustbeethicalinordertobebeautiful.Theaesthetecannotcontroltime
andchangesinoneslife,thereforetheonlywaytobefreeofanyethicalresponsibilityisin
onesworksofartisticoutput.ButtoWilde,lifeisart.Ifartisconsideredtobemoralityand
lifeboundasone,thenitcanbeunderstoodthatartiseverything,aslifeisthesumofallof
ourexperiences.TheapproachthatWildetakeswhenaddressingtheruinthatishislifecan
beviewedaspositive,asthroughouttheletterWildeblameshimselfforallowingtheugliness
topenetratehislife,learningfromhisexperiencewithBosie.Wildeassumesblameforthe
ruinthathasbecomehislifeinadditiontoBosiesguiltbynotingthatwhileyouwerewith
meyouweretheabsoluteruinofmyArt,andinallowingyoutostandpersistentlybetween
ArtandmyselfIgivemyselfshameandblameinthefullestdegree(Wilde876).Wilde
realizesthatifheweretoplaceblameforhisdownfallsolelyonBosie,hewouldnotlearn
andgaininsightfromhisexperience.And,blamingBosiesolelyforhisdestructionwouldnot
beartistic,asoutwardbitternesswouldnotbeconsideredartisticinhisviewofaesthetic
qualitiesasbeingbitterisanuglytrait.Platoobservesthatfewpersonseverreflect,asI
shouldimagine,thatfromtheevilofothermensomethingofeviliscommunicatedto
themselves(42).WildeknewthattheevilofBosieslackofaestheticprincipleshad
transferredtohimself,andheknewthatinordertoupholdtheairofaestheticismthathewas
sowellknownforhetoneededtobeculpableforhisdownfall.
Wildealsobelievedthatlifeisparadoxicalinitsnatureandthateverything,includingartistic
output,canbeseenasapuzzletohumanbehavior.InfluencedbyNietzche,Wildesawart
notasasignposttosomethingelseitisthatsomethingelse[Wilde]bespeaksa
philosophyofethicalaestheticismthatdoesnotpointelsewherebutalwaysbacktoitsown
paradoxicaltruths(Brown27).Hisphilosophyofbeautywasneverquitesincere.Hedid
notwriteforphilistineswithhisheartinhismouth,butmerelywithhistongueinhischeek
(Ingleby3).Iflifeisparadoxical,andlifeisart,thenarttooisparadoxical.Ifartis
paradoxical,thenisthereonewaytointerpretart?Wildedidnotthinkso,ashisdefinitionof
aestheticismdependsnotonlyonbeauty,butonperceptionandthereisnoonerightway
ofseeingthings.Thereisapersonalelementtotheperceptionofthings,sowhileWilde
agreedthatthereisnoonerightwaytoviewandinterpretart,everyinterpretationisandcan
beright.Therefore,artisapuzzlethatcannotbeconcretelysolved,intheconventional
sense.OnewayWildeachievedthismoralandparadoxicaleffectisbywritingaphorisms,
whichretainadecidedlymoralreflection(Brown35).Bypresentingpuzzleswhichteach
moralcodetothereader,WildesubtlyturnsthevocabularyofEnglishmoralandsocial
criticismagainstitself,allowingitslatentcontradictionstoemergeandindoing,hebrings

aboutatransformationfromwithin(Brown35).An
exampleofthisparadoxicalnatureinDe
ProfundisisWildesapproachtotheinsultsthathe
presentstoBosiesactionsandself.Theinsults
areparadoxicalaswhileWildeblameshimselffor
muchoftheirrelationshipproblems,healsouses
themtoplaceblameonBosie.Whothereader
sideswithisbasedontheindividualperceptionof
thereader.WilderealizesthatifBosiewerereally
livinganartisticlife,hewouldbeableto
understandtheparadoxicalnatureofWilde
admittinghisownresponsibilityforhisdownfall
whilerealizingthatwhatWildeisreallydoingis
blamingBosie.ButatsomepointsWildedropstheblameofhimselfandplacesthefault
solelyonBosiesshouldersinordertomakehisloverunderstandjustwhathisartlesslife
hasdonetohim.WildeshareswithBosiethathis

insistenceonalifeofrecklessprofusion:yourincessantdemandsformoney:your
claimthatallyourpleasuresshouldbepaidformewhetherIwaswithyouornot:
broughtmeaftersometimeintoseriousmonetarydifficulties,andwhatmadethe
extravagancestomeatanyratesomonotonouslyuninteresting,asyour
persistentgrasponmylifegrewstrongerandstronger,wasthatthemoneywas
reallyspentonlittlemorethanthepleasuresofeating,drinking,andthelike.Now
andthenitisajoytohaveonestableredwithwineandroses,butyou
outstrippedalltasteandtemperance.Youdemandedwithoutgraceandreceived
withoutthanks.(Wilde876).

Wildeacknowledgestheparadoxoflivinganaestheticlife,aslivingabeautifullifeisto
indulgeinlifesfinerofferings,buttheaestheterunstheriskofbecominglax.Itisinteresting
tonotethatmanyWildeancriticsseeWildessinceretyinDeProfundisasmerelyan
aestheticposeDeProfundissignalsnottheend,buttheelaborationinnewdirectionsof
Wildeanselffashioning(Doylen565.)SoishissincerityinBosiesblamejustanattemptto
furtherhisaestheticprinciples?ItisalsoamusingtonotethatBosiehadnoideatheletter
wasaddressedtohimuntila1913trialinwhichexcerptswerereadtohim.Eventhe
intendedrecipientoftheletterwasconfusedastowhomtheletterwasaddressedtoand
whatitwastryingtoconvey.TheapproachWildeusestoaddressBosieisdemonstrably

paradoxical.TheflipflopbetweenplacingblameonhimselfandblamesolelyonBosie
provestobeparadoxical,asonetriestofigureoutwhoreallyshouldtakethecondemnation.
WhoreallyistoblameforWildesimprisonment?Thisisapuzzleforboththereaderand
forBosietofigureout,butWildeknowsthatBosiewillneverunderstandthisbecauseofhis
lackofaestheticprinciple.
Anotherexampleoftheparadoxicalnatureofartandlifecanbeseeninthebinariesthat
WildeconsistentlysetsupforBosieinDeProfundis.EvenWildeandBosiethemselvescan
beseenasoppositesWildebeinggoodandmoralandartisticallysoundwhileBosieisbad
andamoralandsuffersfromalackofaestheticprinciples.WildetellsBosiethat

likemyself,[you]havehadaterribletragedyinyourlife,thoughoneofanentirely
oppositecharactertomine.Doyouwanttolearnwhatitwas?Itwasthis.Inyou
HatewasalwaysstrongerthanLoveLoveisfedbytheimagination,bywhich
webecomewiserthanweknow,betterthanwefeel,noblerthanweareonly
whatisfineandfinelyconceivedcanfeedLove.ButanythingwillfeedHate
(Wilde893).

UsingtheloveversushatebinaryexemplifiesWildespointthattheconceptsofLoveand
Hate(capitalized,signifyingimportance)areessentialtotheparadoxicalnatureoflife.No
onepersoncanfullyunderstandthemotives
behindLoveandHate,thuspresentinga
puzzle.Iflifeisart,lifeismadeupofLoveand
Hate,andlifeisparadoxicalinnature,thenart
tooisparadoxical.Wildeusesartisticlanguage
toportraythis.ItisasifWildeknowsthatthe
puzzlewillneverbesolved,sohemakesa
pointtousebeautyinhiswritingtoatleast
makehispointsbeautiful.Brownstatesthat
whenWildewritesthatitisthroughArt,and
Artonly,thatwecanrealiseourperfectionthroughArt,andthroughArtonly,thatwecan
shieldourselvesfromthesordidperilsofactualexistenceheusesarttomeanboththework
weseeandtheaestheticcapacityineachofus(Brown23).Again,Wildeispresentinga
paradoxasDeProfundisprovesthathebelievesthatBosiehasnoaestheticcapacitybuthe
believesthatallmenarecapableofgood,includingBosie.Ifhebelievesthateverymanhas
goodnessinhim,hestatesmanytimesthatBosiedoesnot,hencecomplicatinglifeasart.It

isbelievedthattheartistmustholdnobriefforeithergoodorevil,andthattheexcellenctof
aworkdescendsentirelyupontheskillofpresentation(Ingleby5).Wildehaspresentedyet
anotherpuzzle,asbyidentifyinghimselfassomewhatevilforputtinghimselfinhissituation
hedoesnothowanyfavoritismtowardgoodandbad.Heusesthebeautyofhiswritingto
demonstratetheparadoxicalnatureofartaswellaslife.
ItisverydifficulttofullyunderstandwhatisreallybeingsaidtoBosieinDeProfundis.What
thereadercanseeisWildesdevotiontohistheoryofartandthateveninthemosthorrible
conditionsthatsurroundedhimhestillyearnedtosendartintotheworld.De
Profundisranksasamajorpieceofnineteenthcenturyautobiography(Vartyix)butalsois
anexampleofartisticandaesthetictheoryinreallifeconditions.Butbecauseofhisdesire
forbeauty,Wildewouldnotseehislifeasatragedy,asOscarwasnotragedian.Hewas
thesuperbcomedianofhiscentury,onetowhommisfortune,disgrace,imprisonmentwere
externalandtraumatic.Hisgaietyofsoulwasinvulnerable(H.MontgomeryHyde,quoted
byChamberlin161).Hewouldwanteverythingassociatedwithhimtobeseenasabsolute
andpurebeauty.PerhapsWildewouldwanthiscriticstosimplyrememberwhenexamining
histimeinprisonthatbeautyistruth,truthbeauty/thatisallyeknowonearth/andallye
needtoknow(Keats,OdeonaGrecianUrn).Ifanything,DeProfundisisaworkofpure
beautyandshouldbetreatedastheultimatetruthinWildesassessmentofhissituation.Itis
uptothereadertodiscernthattruth.

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