María Cristina Guerrero-García

Madrid: Verbum, 2022, 348 pages.

ISBN: 978-84-1337-877-0

Written in Spanish and recognised with the prestigious Professor José Romera Castillo Award for Philological Research by the UNED, María Cristina Guerrero-García’s “Quite Another Thing”: Ireland in the Complete Works of Oscar Wilde offers a valuable resource for Spanish-speaking audiences interested in Wilde’s life and work. Wilde, a central figure in current literary and cultural criticism, has been extensively scrutinised, yet this book ventures into a relatively overlooked dimension: his Irishness. While this perspective is not entirely unprecedented, with works like Jarlath Killeen’s The Faiths of Oscar Wilde (2005) paving the way for understanding Wilde within the Irish context, Guerrero-García’s study provides a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the Irish threads woven throughout Wilde’s corpus, positioning the book as a significant contribution to the field.

The book’s central aim is to examine how Wilde’s Irish heritage shaped his artistic output, an aspect often neglected in favour of his standing as a quintessential late-Victorian author. This exploration is particularly relevant given Wilde’s position as an Irish writer navigating the cultural and literary spheres of Britain, where Irish and English literatures are frequently taught as a single continuum, subsuming pre-1922 Irish authors into British literary history. The study combines contextual criticism, New Historicism, and biographical criticism, emphasising the importance of connecting Wilde’s texts with their political and cultural milieu. In this framework, the structure of the book follows the example set by Josephine Guy and Ian Small (2007) in organising Wilde’s works chronologically, revealing how his focus on certain genres coincided with key historical and personal events.

The first chapter analyses Wilde’s early poetry and plays (1875-1885) – often ignored due to their early place in Wilde’s career – for their connections to his Irish heritage. Guerrero-García argues that the proximity of these works to Wilde’s youth in Ireland makes their Irish elements more pronounced, with folklore offering a rich source for these connections. Using Stith Thompson’s folklorist methodologies, Guerrero-García explores motifs from Irish legends, such as sirens and mermaids, which Wilde, well-versed in both classical and Irish traditions, reimagines as more nuanced figures in works like “Charmides” and “Panthea”. This interest in folklore also reflects the influence of Wilde’s father, Sir William Wilde, whose work as a folklorist laid the foundation for his son’s relationship with Irish cultural motifs.

The chapter also highlights Wilde’s engagement with Ireland’s literary tradition through two main strands: the influence of bardic poetry and authors whose Irish experiences informed their writings, such as Edmund Spenser. An example is “The Garden of Eros”, where Wilde blends Spenser’s idealised depictions of Ireland with his own aesthetic ideals. Guerrero-García supports this analysis by referencing editions of Spenser’s works and other key texts that are as close as possible to those Wilde would have read, ensuring historical accuracy.

Religion offers another lens for exploring Wilde’s Irish identity. Guerrero-García traces his evolving views on Catholicism, shaped by Wilde’s Protestant upbringing and interest in Catholic ritual. In “The Burden of Itys”, Wilde critiques the Pope, moving from admiration for his spiritual authority to disappointment in his political role. The poem’s final verse, interpreted as a call for peace, reflects Wilde’s rejection of his mother’s militant nationalism in favour of a more measured stance. This conciliatory sentiment echoes Wilde’s political liminality, as Guerrero-García notes, seen in his regard for figures like Cromwell (in “Quantum Mutata”) and Milton (in “To Milton”), whom he viewed broadly as symbols of republican ideals.

A key strength of the book is its combination of insightful hermeneutics and solid empirical grounding, exemplified in its analysis of Vera, or the Nihilists and The Duchess of Padua. Guerrero-García expands on scholarship regarding the personification of Ireland as a woman and proposes that the protagonists of these plays also serve as representations of Ireland: Vera would embody the Irish Ascendancy, reflecting the nationalist aspirations of Lady Wilde’s generation, while the Duchess would represent compassion and resistance, evoking historical Irish women such as Anna Parnell, leader of the Ladies’ Land League. Setting these plays in distant locations like Russia and Renaissance Italy, Wilde allegorises Ireland’s struggles, presenting them to a British audience with a degree of narrative detachment.

The second chapter explores Wilde’s narrative texts published between 1885 and 1891, including literary reviews, the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and short prose. This short prose is divided into works of a more realistic vein – analysed within this chapter – and fantastical tales, addressed in the next. Guerrero-García examines how these realistic narratives reflect Wilde’s Irish identity and autobiographical elements, often through the influence of two pivotal female figures in his life: his mother, Lady Wilde, and his London-born wife, Constance Lloyd.

Two striking examples among the short stories discussed are “The Sphinx Without a Secret” and “The Portrait of Mr W.H.”, which intertwine homoeroticism with allegories of Irish identity. In “The Sphinx Without a Secret”, the sphinx symbolises both Ireland – as described by the poet Aubrey de Vere, a close friend of the Wilde family who was deeply engaged with Irish mythology – and Constance Lloyd, whose public and private personas mirrored Wilde’s own identity struggles. Guerrero-García exposes that the story’s conclusion, featuring a green cab, evokes Ireland and introduces a homoerotic allegory of Wilde’s conflict between Irish tradition and his shifting personal identity. Similarly, “The Portrait of Mr W.H.” allegorises the complex relationship between Ireland and Britain. Cyril Graham, representing an impassioned Ireland, sacrifices himself for his belief that Shakespeare’s sonnets were dedicated to a young actor named Willie Hughes. In contrast, George Erskine, embodying Britain’s scepticism, initially dismisses the idea but later becomes a believer.

Among Wilde’s literary reviews, “A Chinese Sage” stands out for linking two seemingly distant cultures. Guerrero-García highlights how Wilde’s irony critiques British mismanagement in Ireland, using Chuang Tzu’s utopian ideals to condemn coercive governance, flawed charity, and policies eroding the Irish language. This review, she argues, redirects attention to Britain’s societal shortcomings, subtly criticising Britain’s colonial attitudes towards Ireland.

Finally, the author provides a nuanced reading of The Picture of Dorian Gray as an exploration of Wilde’s liminal identity between Ireland and Britain. Building on Jarlath Killeen’s postcolonial analysis of the novel (2005: 107-08), she argues that the three central male characters symbolise this tension: Basil Hallward as an innocent, natural Ireland; Lord Henry Wotton as a superficial, disenchanted Britain; and Dorian Gray as Wilde’s liminal alter ego, torn between these opposing influences. While Killeen stresses the importance of balancing plausibility with textual evidence when drawing analogies between literary texts and historical contexts, he also acknowledges the value of interpretive approaches in illuminating significant discursive connections (2015: 436-43). Guerrero-García positions her interpretation as a plausible extension of existing scholarship, offering fresh insights into Wilde’s negotiation of Irish and British identities.

The third chapter revisits Wilde’s narrative works from 1885 to 1891, focusing on his literary tales and essays. The study highlights their interpretive potential, uncovering new connections to Wilde’s Irish cultural heritage. Of the discussed tales, the author presents “The Remarkable Rocket” as a reflection of political tensions surrounding the 1886 Home Rule debates and “The Young King” as a portrayal of Ireland’s subjugation under British control.

“The Birthday of the Infanta” deserves special attention for its connections to Spain, depicted as a macabre setting inspired by Velázquez’s art and Irish folklore. Drawing on Leabhar Gabhála (an 11th-century text linking Ireland to Spain as the land of the dead through the Tower of Breogán in A Coruña), the story’s symbolism may also reflect Wilde’s father’s visit to Spain in 1840.

The dwarf, a compelling motif in this tale, connects to Wilde’s exploration of Irish identity through folklore. Unlike other interpretations, such as Michael F. Davis’ psychoanalytic reading of the dwarf as a symbol of repressed desire and transgression (2018: 127–130), this chapter identifies the dwarf as a folklore-inspired representation of Ireland’s wild nature, with the oppressive court symbolising Britain.

The dwarf is one of many folkloric elements examined in Wilde’s tales, alongside mermaids, witches, or souls. Giants, too, play a key role, embodying traits associated with Ireland. In “The Selfish Giant”, the giant evokes Fionn mac Cumhaill, whose construction of the Giant’s Causeway might symbolise Irish ingenuity and resilience. In “The Young King”, the theme of fostering recalls the myth of Lugh, grandson of Balor. Balor sought to destroy his grandchildren, but Lugh alone survived, raised by a foster father. This survival and nurturing signify Ireland’s renewal and hope, reflecting Wilde’s use of such motifs to celebrate cultural endurance.

Turning to Wilde’s essays, this chapter explores their revisions for Intentions (1891) and their ties to his Irish heritage. “The Soul of Man under Socialism” – described as one of Wilde’s works most shaped by Irish references and his optimism for a future inspired by Irish ideals – critiques English philistinism, unjust land laws, and systemic oppression, while alluding to the scandal surrounding Charles Stewart Parnell. The chapter also identifies similarities between this essay and Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, such as concerns about landlords and tenants, which reinforces the socio-political dimension of Wilde’s work.

The fourth chapter investigates Wilde’s society comedies (1891-1895), exploring how they convey his liminal political stance and subversion. Guerrero-García traces their success to Wilde’s Irish roots, with his background in the old Irish aristocracy as a key influence. These comedies, often immediately associated with English society, are reinterpreted through Wilde’s complex Irish identity, revealing new interpretative insights.

The chapter focuses on female characters as symbols of Wilde’s views on the women’s rights movement and his socio-political perspective. In An Ideal Husband, for example, Lady Chiltern and Mrs Cheveley are interpreted as embodying Britain and Ireland, respectively. Mrs Chevely’s outsider status – emphasised through her extended time abroad, or her use of the possessive “your” when referring to England – suggests that Wilde may have envisioned her as Irish. This interpretation is further supported by Wilde’s satirical critique of the old English aristocracy, informed by his Irish legacy. A striking example of this satire is Mrs Cheveley’s wish to return to London and host a salon, joking that society would improve if the English learned to talk and the Irish to listen. This Irish-inflected wit underscores Wilde’s critique of both English pretensions and Irish stereotypes.

In a poignant shift, the epilogue explores Wilde’s prison writings, showing how his assertion of Irish identity evolved into a source of resilience. Despite becoming a faceless prisoner, Wilde held onto his roots, drawing strength from memories of his parents, childhood ballads, and the Irish landscape, which he viewed as a mental haven.

Guerrero-García portrays Wilde’s final years as a liminal existence: a pariah to the English due to his criminalisation under laws prohibiting homosexuality, and an alien Irishman. Exiled even from Ireland, where his conviction and the Catholic Church’s influence would have led to rejection, Wilde symbolically returned to his heritage by adopting the pseudonym Melmoth, alluding to the Irish gothic novel Melmoth the Wanderer by his maternal great-uncle. The novel’s protagonist reflects Wilde’s connection to Ireland in his choice of what remained most defining after prison: his name.

The epilogue also examines Wilde’s estrangement from his family, highlighting the isolation in his final years. Even in death, Wilde’s connection to Ireland endured in The Ballad of Reading Gaol, a testament to his empathy for outcasts. These reflections bring Wilde’s life and works full circle, affirming how his Irish identity permeated both his art and his perseverance in adversity.

In reading this book, one cannot help but reflect on Wilde’s words, “I am not English; I am Irish, which is quite another thing”. This declaration captures the heart of Guerrero-García’s study: reclaiming Wilde as an author whose Irishness profoundly shaped his literary imagination. From references to Irish history and folklore, to the two most important women in his life – his wife and his mother, whose impact, along with his father’s, is evident in Wilde’s portrayal of destitution and gender – this book explores Wilde’s Irish origins as a rich and multifaceted influence in his oeuvre.

Guerrero-García’s Quite Another Thing is, indeed, quite another thing itself. Beyond Wilde’s well-known works, this exhaustive study bridges linguistic and cultural divides for Spanish-speaking audiences, offering a rigorous, meticulously researched contribution to Wildean scholarship and opening new avenues for discovering Wilde’s legacy.