The communist daily newspaper, Morning Star, recommends a new and wide ranging book on the life, times and legacy of Oscar Wilde, which has been penned by his grandson, Mervyn Holland.

The celebrated wit of Oscar Wilde, who once declared that "the truth is rarely pure and never simple," finds profound resonance in a new biography by his own grandson. Merlin Holland's extensive work, After Oscar, grapples with the enduring and contested legacy of the playwright, tracing the profound impact of Wilde's downfall on his family and his turbulent journey from "syphilitic degenerate" to beloved gay icon.

The book opens with the seismic event of Wilde's 1895 trial and imprisonment for gross indecency. Holland details how Wilde's wife, Constance, changed the family surname to Holland and fled to the Continent with their two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan, to escape the scandal. Constance's early death left the boys under the care of an unsympathetic guardian, who separated them at boarding schools in a bid to conceal their parentage and shield them from homophobic bullying.

The brothers' responses to their fraught upbringing diverged sharply. Cyril sought to erase what he called "the family stain" through athletic and military prowess, later being killed in the First World War. Vyvyan, Holland's father, became an author but struggled financially after the copyright on Wilde's works expired. Holland explores the ethical dilemma of unpacking his father's own "embellishments" about their heritage, while also contending with the attempts of his stepmother, Thelma, to whitewash Wilde's homosexuality from the narrative.

Holland's research extends beyond the immediate family, examining the bitter feud between Wilde's former lover, Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas, and his loyal friend Robbie Ross, who became the literary executor. The biography also highlights the posthumous controversies surrounding Wilde, such as the mutilation of the angel sculpture on his Paris tomb, an absurdity the author suggests Wilde himself would have relished.

The book charts Wilde's remarkable rehabilitation in the latter half of the 20th century, contrasting his status as a gay icon with the deep prejudice that persisted into the 1960s. Holland, however, offers no complacency, recounting his own terrifying experience of joining a Gay Pride march in Moscow that was met with violence from neo-fascists and police, underscoring the ongoing global struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.

At 600 pages, the biography is praised for its wide-ranging scope and original use of critically examined family memories. Yet this breadth can prove challenging, as the narrative weaves between themes and timelines. While written in an accessible style, its considerable detail and length demand a committed reader. Ultimately, Holland's magnum opus presents a nuanced and deeply personal excavation of a legacy that remains, true to Wildean form, anything but pure and simple.

A new biography of Oscar Wilde, while extensive, is noted for its specific focus on the enduring impact of the playwright's scandal rather than providing a deep dive into his literary works themselves. The book's approach leaves room for further exploration of Wilde's writings, a task the author suggests would require a separate volume entirely.

Some readers, particularly those with a Marxist perspective, may find the analysis lacking in its examination of the class dynamics at play. The book does not engage in a critical dissection of the class interests reflected within Wilde's own work or within the construction of his legacy over time.

Despite these acknowledged limitations, the biography's conclusions about its subject are presented with conviction. The author, a descendant of Wilde, argues compellingly that Wilde was a remarkable writer and thinker whose essays and social criticisms demonstrate he was ahead of his time.

The work contends that while Wilde's plays are justly celebrated and regularly staged, his considerable talents as a writer of stories and poetry have been historically overshadowed. In the author's view, the intense and prolonged focus on Wilde's sexuality, and society's evolving attitudes towards it, has led to other facets of his life and artistic achievements receiving less .acknowledgment than they deserve.

After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal

Merlin Holland, Europa Editions, £30

Be sure to buy your copy from an LGBTQIA or progressive bookstore which keeps money circulating in the rainbow economy.