The wife of Oscar Wilde - Constance Mary Lloyd is known to the general public precisely as the wife of a genius writer. However, this lady herself was a writer and for her time a very educated woman. The tragic story of her marriage and the ending of her life still excite the minds of researchers.
Childhood and Marriage Constance Mary Lloyd
Constance Mary Lloyd was born January 2, 1859 in Dublin, Ireland, in the family of a respected Irish lawyer. The girl grew up very smart and well-read, received an excellent education for that time. Her parents were very wealthy people, so young Constance was considered a rich bride.
However, the girl was emancipated, defended the rights of women and fought for changing women's clothing. In her youth, Miss Lloyd wrote a lot, and her articles often appeared in newspapers. Moreover, Constance wrote a book for children called "There Was Once", confirming her literary talents.
An attractive, lively and active girl was liked by men, so it is not surprising that she fell in love with a genius writer. Oscar Wilde met Miss Lloyd in June 1881. The instantly born feeling turned out to be mutual, and a correspondence ensued between the lovers.
In May 1884, Oscar and Constance played a modest wedding, inviting only the closest to visit. At that time, the famous writer was already 30 years old, and his bride - 25. After the marriage ceremony, the Wilde went on a honeymoon to Paris. In 1885, the first son Cyril was born into the family, and in 1886 the second, Vivian.
Oscar Wilde is rightfully considered one of the most brilliant and extraordinary English writers of the late Victorian period. Irish by birth, he was a playwright, philosopher and poet. Before marriage, he managed to become famous not only at home, but also abroad, writing a successful collection of poems. In 1890, his famous novel "Portrait of Dorian Gray" was published, which brought a stunning success to the author.
The family tragedy of Oscar and Constance Wilde
Oscar Wilde, with all the external observance of accepted social norms, was Irish impulsive. He often allowed feelings to prevail over reason and caution. His actions were too frivolous, despite the bright intellect and sophisticated grace. These shortcomings also ruined the fate of not only the writer himself, but his wife Constance, and both children.
In 1891, Oscar met the son of the Marquis of Queensberry Alfred Douglas, who was 21 years old. The capricious and spoiled youth aristocrat gradually became for the writer the center of the universe. Wilde moved away from his family and fulfilled all the whims of his "dear boy", kept him and meekly endured all the whims.
According to rumors, the connection between the young man and the writer was homosexual in nature, which for that time was a crime. The case ended in a Wilde trial with Douglas’s father in May 1895, after which Oscar was sentenced to 2 years in prison for “gross obscenity” with males.
