Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde in this quote is attempting to defend himself against a court of law for engaging in relations with another man. In his quote, Wilde’s main rhetorical strategy is trying to convince the jury and judge that the ‘love that dare not speak its name’ is a good and positive love, that has been present in history for as long as history has been recorded. He is causing people to question what they have assumed and what they believe to know about the idea of same sex love among their prized historical figures. It is also important that in this trial Wilde is not trying to deny the charges against him, he isn't denying that he loves men. He owns up to his identity, to the fact that he loves men and is unwilling to lie about that. He is defending this identity of his. It is interesting how he chooses to only associate himself with queer men of the past, and specifically the love between an older man and a younger man.

            There are many ways in which is love is misunderstood, such as the idea that homosexuality and homosexual tendencies were viewed as a disease or sickness that needed to be remedied. We can see this in Wilde’s attempt to in this quote redefine his love as something ‘pure as it is perfect’ and ‘misunderstood’ in this court case, that he is fighting against the very strong negative discourse surrounding homosexuality and queerness of all kind.