The Reception of Oscar Wilde in the Netherlands, 1882-1905

Abstract

This thesis aims to provide a well-balanced, in-depth analysis of how Wilde was received in the Netherlands from the earliest mentions roughly to 1905, the year the Dutch translation of De Profundis was released. With the advent of digital search engines like Delpher, this study is able to use evidence from a wide variety of newspapers, including the Algemeen Handelsblad, De Tijd, Recht voor Allen, De Telegraaf, Het Nieuws van de Dag and Het Vaderland. Much of the discovered material has been overlooked by older researchers like Maas and Breugelmans. Some attention will also be paid to some Dutch writers and how they perceived Wilde, in particular when they were involved in producing a Dutch translation of one of Wilde’s works. The first chapter deals with all that was written about Wilde in the Netherlands before the trials of 1895. Starting with the earliest mentions of Wilde in Dutch newspapers, this section largely focusses on the three main works of Wilde that were translated into Dutch during this period, which were Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Salomé. The second chapter will specifically deal with the trials and Wilde’s imprisonment. The third and final chapter will concentrate on reports on Wilde’s death, the Dutch production of Salomé, and the release of the Dutch translation of De Profundis. In the conclusion, the main findings will be juxtaposed with the wider European reception.