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​scroll to the bottom of the page for the next clue - and remember to take a picture of the location to send to us once you have completed the hunt!
 
OSCAR WILDE & LORD ALFRED DOUGLAS - MAGDALEN
 
Picture
​An old photograph of Oscar Wilde (left) and Lord Douglas (right)
 
Poet and playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and his lover Lord Alfred Douglas (1870-1945) were both students at Magdalen College.
 
Wilde began his studies in October 1874, and occupied three different rooms during his time there: In his first year he occupied number 1, 2 Pair Right in Chaplains. Number 8, Ground Floor Right in Cloisters in his second and third years, and in his final year occupied Kitchen Stairs, 1 Pair Left with an impressive view of the Cherwell. It was during his undergraduate studies that Wilde’s feelings for other men came to fruition. At the time there was no concept of ‘gay’ or ‘queer’, with the term ‘homosexual’ also not yet in English usage. Wilde’s generation were, however, familiar with the homoerotic traditions of the ancient Greeks and it was this ‘Greek Love’ that resonated with Wilde’s own developing eroticism. Whilst at Magdalen, Wilde began writing poetry, much of it celebrating great male lovers of men from Greek history and mythology.
 
Wilde courted several women during his time at Oxford, and also engaged in several passionate dalliances with other men. These affairs were interrupted by periods of self-doubt, guilt and remorse. With his desire for social acceptance in a time where homoerotic relationships were dangerous, and torn about his sexuality, Wilde eventually married and fathered two children while continuing to pursue affairs with men. He visited Oxford frequently after his graduation and referred to it as the ‘capital of romance’.
 
Lord Alfred Douglas attended Magdalen between 1889 and 1893, but left without a degree. Despite being best known for his romance with Wilde, he was a poet in his own right and between 1892 and 1893 he edited ‘The Spirit Lamp’, an undergraduate journal that included poems, stories and essays with homoerotic themes. In one of his poems Douglas famously referred to homoeroticism as ‘the love that dare not speak its name’.
 
In 1895, Douglas’ father, the ninth Marquess of Queensberry,  left a card at Wilde’s club in London reading ‘To Oscar Wilde, posing as a sodomite’. Encouraged by Douglas who hated his father, Wilde sued the Marquess, igniting the most notorious scandal of the Victorian Era. There were three trials in total that culminated in Wilde being convicted for ‘gross indecency between males’ leading to two years imprisonment, public humiliation and exile. After Wilde was released he and Douglas resumed their relationship in France, where Douglas had fled during the trial to avoid being called upon as witness.
 
NEXT CLUE
Oscar’s college also has a bridge named after it. If you cross over to the other side you can see the oldest Botanical Garden in the UK - and might discover your final clue!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hint 1: Magdalen Bridge - South/West side
(Scroll even further if you need another hint)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hint 2: lamppost
​​At the top right of every page on this website (Desktop Site only), you will find a 'Quick Escape' button. Clicking on that button will automatically take you to the BBC Weather homepage. We chose that site because weather might be less suspicious than taking you to a blank Google screen!

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  • Sign Up
  • About Us
    • Our Work >
      • Year in Review TT18-HT19
      • Community Fund
      • Community Fund Projects
      • Campaign Service
    • Meet the Team / Contact Us
    • Zero-Tolerance Policy
    • Rainbow Parenting Scheme
    • Fresher's Guide
  • Welfare
    • Welfare Resources in Oxford
    • Coming Out
    • Mental Health and Disabilities >
      • What does "Mental Health" and "Disabilities" include?
      • What support is available?
    • Sexual Health >
      • Practicing Safe Sex
      • HIV and AIDS
      • PrEP
      • Accidents Happen!
    • The Sex-Ed You Missed in High School >
      • Sex Between People With Penis'
      • Sex With / As a Trans Man
      • Sex & Asexuality
      • Sex Between People With Vulvas​
      • Sex & Trans Feminine People
    • Sexual Violence >
      • What Is Sexual Violence?
      • Resources for Survivors
      • SARCs and Medical Attention
      • Contacting the Police
    • Domestic Abuse
    • Concealing Social Media
    • Over the Holidays
  • Identity Resources
    • Asexual and Aromantic >
      • What do "Asexual" and "Aromantic" mean?
      • Being Ace/Aro in Oxford
      • Ace/Aro Mythbusting
      • Ace/ Aro Spectrum Glossary
      • Ace/Aro Resources
    • Bisexual and Pansexual >
      • What do Bisexual and Pansexual Mean?
      • Being Bi/Pan in Oxford
      • Bi/Pan terms and definitions
    • Class >
      • The 'Class' Umbrella in Oxford
      • Oxford Slang and Resources
    • Transgender >
      • Definitions >
        • What does 'Trans' mean?
        • Gender Dysphoria
      • Getting Started >
        • Figuring Things Out
        • How Do I? >
          • Shaving
          • Makeup and Nails
          • Hair
          • Washing and Ironing
          • Your Voice
        • Transitioning in the University
        • Medically Transitioning
        • Trans Friendly Places in Oxford
        • Coming Out
        • Trans Supplies
      • Resources >
        • Trans Facebook Group
        • Urgent Support
        • Miscellaneous Resources
      • Glossary - Trans and Intersex
    • Intersex >
      • What Does "Intersex" Mean?
      • Why and how is intersex LGBTQ?
      • Supporting intersex friends, family, and partners
      • Intersex resources
      • Glossary - Trans and Intersex
    • International Students >
      • Communities and Events
      • Oxford’s LGBTQ+ Scene
      • Healthcare, Welfare, Admin and Transitioning
    • People of Faith >
      • Being Religious in Soc
      • Being Religious in Oxford
      • Further Resources
    • Racial and Ethnic Minorities
    • Women*
  • College Reps
    • Campaign Service
    • Coming To Drinks
    • Flying the Flag
    • Gender Expression Funds
    • Gender Neutral Toilets
    • Pride Bops
    • Sex Toy Disinfectant
    • Statistics
  • Socials and Events
    • Socials and Events by LGBTQ+ Soc
    • Term Card
    • Non-Soc Events
  • Store
  • Escape!