About this episode
The episode features a discussion on Oscar Wilde's 'De Profundis' with guest Stephen Fry, exploring its themes and historical context.
Back in 2022, our guest was Stephen Fry, writer, actor and polymath, who joined John and Andy to discuss Oscar Wilde's De Profundis, the essay addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas in 1897 'from the depths' of Wilde's incarceration in Reading Gaol. It has been described by Colm Tóibín as 'one of the greatest love letters ever written'; it is also Wilde's most powerful testament of the sacred duty of the artist as he conceived it. We discuss the work's convoluted publication history, Wilde's posthumous reputation and his ongoing relevance in the 21st century.This feels like a good time to promote the brilliant series John has written on all the living species on this incredible planet. It is narrated by Stephen Fry and is available for free to Audible subscribers - just search 'Wonderful Life with Stephen Fry'. * To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop at uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlisted where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops. * For information about everything mentioned in this episode visit www.backlisted.fm *If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive…
People in this episode
Hosts: John, Andy
Guest: Stephen Fry
Topics covered
- Oscar Wilde
- literary analysis
- love letters
- artistic duty
- 21st century relevance
Keywords
- Oscar Wilde
- De Profundis
- Stephen Fry
- love letters
- artistic duty
- literary history
- 21st century
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Audible, Backlisted, UK independent bookshops, Patreon, megaphone.fm, uk.bookshop.org
Books & works: De Profundis
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