Talk:Oscar Wilde/GA2

GA Review

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Reviewer: Binksternet (talk) 01:27, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

GA review (see here for criteria)

1. It is reasonably well written.

   a (prose): b (MoS):

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable.

   a (references): b (citations to reliable sources): c (OR):

3. It is broad in its coverage.

   a (major aspects): b (focused):

4. It follows the neutral point of view policy.

   Fair representation without bias:

5. It is stable.

   No edit wars, etc.:

6. It is illustrated by images, where possible and appropriate.

   a (images are tagged and non-free images have fair use rationales): b (appropriate use with suitable captions):

7. Overall:

   Pass/Fail:

First round of examination:

• Manual of style problems with hyphens used as en dashes. Check out WP:DASH for guidance. Fixed. Binksternet (talk) 04:30, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• One instance of '19th February', when '19 February' is sufficient, per WP:DATESNO. Also: two instances of 3rd April for 3 April. Fixed. Binksternet (talk) 04:30, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• "E.C Steadman" needs to be spelled Stedman, and linked to Edmund Clarence Stedman. If the initials are used rather than the full name, it needs another period and perhaps a space between E and C. Done --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Constance's allowance of £250 was generous..." How generous? How often was £250 granted? What is the value in today's currency?
  • Note that there exists a template for inflation which could be employed to tell the reader what the value of that money is today. The template updates itself periodically. Using that template, 1884's £250 is equivalent to about £32,900 in current value. Binksternet (talk) 15:06, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
    • Here is McKenna writing on page 42 that it was £250 given each year to Constance, to be increased to £400 annually after her grandfather died, on top of a 5,000-pound "dowry" from his estate. Binksternet (talk) 15:20, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
      •  Done Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence needs to be broken up—it starts at youth and ends at university, which confuses: "His parents were successful Dublin intellectuals, and from an early age he showed his intelligence, becoming fluent in French and German, then an outstanding classicist, first at Dublin, then at Oxford." Done, clarifed and added some more information. Also: the parents were successful and they were intellectuals. They did not set out to be intellectuals and then succeed at it.

"Intellectual"is meant as a noun, in the sense that one was a surgeon and historian, the other a poet, political campaigner and journalist.

• External links do not need accessed dates. They are accessed by readers in whatever state they may be in at the time. Getting rid of that bit will eliminate some of the date inconsistencies, in which mdy and ymd gets mixed with the intended dmy. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• Speaking of which, let's make the accessdate parameter entries be uniformly dmy: 22 February 2010, not 2010-02-22.  Done Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• I think we need a {{sic}} template following each of the three instances of "somdomite". Done--Ktlynch (talk) 09:55, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
• File:Oscarwildetrial.jpg is nominated for deletion. I will not hold up the GA for the deletion request at Commons, but it is something to be aware of. Fixed. Binksternet (talk) 15:20, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
• Why is this word in quotes? ...he learned about "aesthetics" as simply the non-mathematical elements of painting.

I suppose since it is the subject under discussion. This is only done in that passage, since there the philosophy of aesthetics is being discussed. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I took out the quotes. Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• Cite this quote: "return to England, probably for good". And "When liberty comes with hands dabbled in blood it is hard to shake hands with her". And "I dreamt that I had died, and was supping with the dead!" And "It's not whether I did it or not that's important, but whether people believed I did it".

The first has been removed. The second is supported by the two references at the end of the sentence. The third I need to double check the source.--Ktlynch (talk) 15:28, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

That's round one of observations. More to come! Binksternet (talk) 04:54, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Round two:

• The reference to the Times review of The Secret Life of Oscar is malformed. Corrected --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• Might not the references section read better if placed in narrower columns? I see it has the parameter colwidth=60em, but on my preferred 1024x768 window that parameter yields one column. Perhaps colwidth=30em would better suit. Speaking strictly for myself, the width of 40em still makes for one column but 35em and 30em yields two. 30em is very often used on Wikipedia reference sections. Done Changed to three for such a long list. I think it changed when I was changing the font size to small, it was a recent typo in any case. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• Pages: Personally, I do not like the look of capital 'P' in the page numbering of references. I see no relevant guideline to back me up, however. I can insist upon homogeneity, and I will. I see all of the following page number formats in the article: p. 39 (no full stop, no 'g', 'p' not capitalised), p. xli. (full stop), Pg.273 (no space, no full stop, capital 'P'), Pg. 55-6 (no indication of plural, hyphen used as en dash), Page: 46 (not abbreviated, colon used), p xlii (no period following abbreviation), Pg. 344 , (strange hanging comma). For examples of excellent page number formatting, take a look at featured articles such as Emily Dickinson (no Pg, p or pp at all, just bare numerals, no full stop), and Noël Coward (plural and single pages are preceded by pp. and p., respectively; number not followed by full stop.) Please decide how to make all the page references look the same, and get it done.

Personally I prefer (name, year:{page number}, and agree about harshness on the eye, but that is the dominant one at the moment. I think there are other priorities to change, but it is something to remember for the future. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

• Remove the total number of pages from the book Rediscovering Oscar Wilde which is 464 pages long. Not pertinent. Similarly, remove the total number of pages from L'affaire Oscar Wilde ou Du danger de laisser la justice mettre le nez dans nos draps. Done though I would point out that page numbers frequently appear as part of bibliographical information. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:08, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• One date is in French: 6 Avril 2000. Use English.
• Streamline the ISBN links, please. Some actually link, some do not. It appears to me that the attempt to specify ISBN-10 is what breaks the link.
• The heading, Selected oeuvre, means selected substantial body of lifework. Ugh. The oeuvre is the whole kit and caboodle, so one would select from the oeuvre. How about Selected works or similar?
• The heading Apprenticeship of an aesthete: 1880-1890 seems to me to extend one year too many. The subject matter terminates at 1889. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• Perhaps "had been busy setting out his aesthetic ideas more fully in his series of dialogues" should be "had been busy setting out his aesthetic ideas more fully in a series of dialogues". --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• "They were followed by the first version of The Picture of Dorian Gray" starts a paragraph. It is difficult to understand exactly what 'they' refers to—is it the several literary journals or the various dialogues in series? Clarify.. Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• In one paragraph, Salome is linked twice, when once is sufficient. The first mention of Wilde's play Salome, is not set in italics, is linked incorrectly to the person in the Bible, and has an accent: Salomé. The link used should be a pipe link to Salome (play). What about the accent—should it be employed here? The text he wrote was in French, so probably 'yes'.

This is deliberate. He was thinking about Salome, then decided to write Salomé about her, which since it was written in French, had a French title. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

changed formatting to make this clearer. --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• This sentence seems likely too general, probably untrue in some cases: "The audience, like Lady Windermere, are forced to soften harsh social codes in favour of a more nuanced view."

This is intended as a sentence of literary criticism rather than the audience's reaction to the play on the opening night. I'll look to re-write it. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

• The sunflower is mentioned once in the article body, but two caricatures of Wilde employ them. Might this connection be made plain?

I understand he had a penchant for them in his early career, but he just liked pretty things and flowers in general. Again it's something to take note of, but I would be unsure about adding explicit at the moment for fear of misleading the reader. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• "...Wilde had become one of the most well-known personalities of his day." How about 'Wilde was one of the most...'? Done. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Dieppe appears in the lead section, but not elsewhere. The Channel port is not critical to understanding Wilde—it was not his final destination. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence's final clause lacks connection: "In France he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol, a long, terse poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life, but no further creative work." Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• "She read the Young Irelanders poetry to Oscar and Willie, inculcating a love of them to her sons." A love of what? The poetry? The movement? The word 'them' doesn't suit. How about "inculcating in them a love of..."? Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence takes a sudden outside-observer viewpoint: "Paintings and busts of ancient Greece and Rome in their home testified to her interest in the neo-classical revival." It is not perfectly clear what 'their home' and 'her interest' refer back to. Can the sentence be recast in a manner that continues to immerse the reader? Perhaps "Jane Wilde was interested in neo-classical subjects and kept paintings and busts of ancient Greece and Rome in her home." Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• This clause is messy: "Henry Wilson, born in 1838, and Emily and Mary Wilde, born in 1847 and 1849 respectively to a different mother or mothers than Henry." Why not "Henry Wilson, born in 1838; Emily Wilde, born in 1847; and Mary Wilde, born in 1847 – all with different mothers"? Were these children really raised by Wilde relatives and not by their mothers and mothers' families? changed. The women were lower class, so I think Sir William wanted to provide for their upbringing and took over their care. They weren't neccessarily estranged from their mothers, but I'll need to double check a source to be sure. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence presages later sections, adding a bump in chronology: "He summered at the villa his father built in Moytura, County Mayo, until he left Oxford." The reader is forced forward to peek at the Oxford section to see when this period ended. How about "Until his early twenties, he summered at..."? Or "Until [some exact year, or some exact age]..."? Done--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Please place references within or at the ends of article body paragraphs that contain no references at all. Three such paragraphs exist in Early life, one at the end of The Importance of Being Earnest, and one in the Death section.
• George Moore was older than young Wilde, but it was not exactly May–December in its extremity. Moore was 30 months older; each summer the boys would have counted their ages as two years apart. If Willie Wilde were around, George Moore and he would have considered themselves perfect contemporaries. Perhaps we can modify "played with the older George Moore" to seem less extreme or more precise. Perhaps we can work Willie into the story, if appropriate. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Two girls died, and the word 'her' is used confusingly in the same sentence to refer first to one then the other. How about "but the other girl's dress caught alight, and both died"? This section has been temporarily removed pending a new source. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• These sentences need some work: "Wilde later, though having reservations about Mahaffy, was generous with his praise calling him "my first and best teacher" and "the scholar who interested me in Greek things". For his part Mahaffy first boasted of having created Wilde, only, later, to credit him as "the only blot on my tutorship"." How about "Wilde, despite later reservations, was generous with praise, calling Mahaffy "my first and best teacher" and "the scholar who interested me in Greek things". For his part Mahaffy boasted of having created Wilde; later, he would name him "the only blot on my tutorship"."

Not really sure what the problem is, is the sentence too long? Your revision seems almost the same. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Just a little matter of reading flow. Also, I was not too fond of this use of the word 'credit', as it seemed positive when the meaning turned out negative. Binksternet (talk) 15:31, 2 April 2010 (UTC) Changed as per reccomedation. --Ktlynch (talk) 02:23, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

• What does the Museum Building have to do with Wilde at Trinity? Did Wilde actually take the university's course in aesthetics? Remove, or make relevant.

It indicates the intellectual milieu and atomosphere that Wilde was in. I will double check if he took the course in aesthetics, even if he didn't it is relevant given how important he was to come in the subject. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I'm not convinced the Museum Building is anything but tangential to Wilde, though it certainly is important to Ruskin. It was built when Wilde was a boy, and he may not have given its architecture a second thought. I will want to see Wilde connected directly with the building. Binksternet (talk) 00:25, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

I took it out as not directly connected to Wilde. If the building is notable for its architecture, give it its own article. Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• "He even presented a paper entitled..." I do not see the need for 'even' here. The sentence is not the furtherance of a preceding string of arguments. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• No need for 'mostly': "...but mostly Wilde, the supreme individualist..."

"Mostly" indicates that, of the three reasons, this was the dominant one. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

• Following a mention of Fr Bowden, we read: "He retained a lifelong interest in Catholic theology and liturgy." No doubt! Perhaps it is Wilde being discussed. Har har! Done --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• WP:LQ indicates that this quote have its full stop before the final quotation mark: "Every day I find it harder and harder to live up to my blue china". Changed --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence might use a little massage: "The line quickly became famous, grasped as a slogan for the aesthetes and as the epitome of their terrible vacuousness by critics." Perhaps "The line quickly became famous, accepted as a slogan by aesthetes but used against them by critics who sensed in it a terrible vacuousness."  Done Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Some elements disdained the aesthetes..." Some elements of what?

Of the university. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

• There is no wikilink to Rustication (academia), though the article speaks of Wilde being rusticated. He was sent home for how long? This article could tell us that, and could tell us that he was punished for being three weeks late for the term. Prof. Mahaffy could be simply 'Mahaffy'—no need for the honorific.

It already says it has rusticated for one term. --Ktlynch (talk) 14:46, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• This first half of a sentence should be followed by a semicolon or a spaced en dash, to provide separation between disparate thoughts: "Ruskin despaired at the self-validating aestheticism of Pater..." Done--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• The quote "All art is quite useless" needs to be cited, not for its existence in The Picture of Dorian Gray, but for the scholarly view that its use there represents irony.

I don't have a source on this, not sure where it came from. I'm going to cut it to my sandbox for the moment. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• We have He also stated his intention to "return to England, probably for good" followed by "This he did in 1878, only visiting briefly twice." I do not see how we can write "This he did" when his return was not "for good".

Does it not mean in the sense of his was based in England?, that was and is a well-known expression in Ireland. --Ktlynch (talk) 14:46, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• This sentence could be broken up into two with a full stop, or into separate thoughts with a semicolon or spaced en dash. The colon is inappropriate: "At 27 years old, in mid-1881, Wilde issued a volume entitled Poems: he had published many shorter lyrics and poems in magazines, especially the Dublin University Magazine and Kottabos, but this collected, revised and expanded his poetic efforts." At the end, a clarification is needed: "but this new volume collected, revised and expanded his poetic efforts". Changed --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Bound in a rich, enamel, parchment cover" could be "Bound in a rich enamelled parchment cover". Rework this bit: "Wilde was also to present many copies to the dignitaries and writers who would receive him over the next few years." Perhaps "Wilde would present many copies to the dignitaries and writers who received him over the next few years." Done
• No, they did not: "The Oxford Union condemned the book for alleged plagiarism in a tight vote." They condemned it for plagiarism, not for alleged plagiarism. The preceding sentences told us that the book was filled with Wilde's poems and lyrics. Allegations of plagiarism should be made plain; otherwise, we are left gasping in wonderment at the idiocy of the Oxford Union. Was it a narrow vote of simple majority? Or was this sort of remonstrative resolution required to achieve super-majority? Following this, the Librarian should not be capitalised.

Would removing "alleged" not seem to implicitly agree that there was plagiarism in the book? I think the reader might be left no further enlightened at the content of the book. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I don't want to take material understanding away from the reader. How about expansion of the situation? Some more detail about it has been written by Sandra F. Siegel of Cornell University: Oscar Wilde: The Spectacle of Criticism". She includes some juicy quotes that can be utilised. Binksternet (talk) 17:02, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Well the accusation of plagiarism was then controversial, not accepted by all inside or out the Union. Information on the voting rules of the union might be going into unneccessary detail. That article sounds good, unfortunately the link isn't working. --Ktlynch (talk) 14:46, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• I see no reason for putting 'boarder' in quotes, or for capitalising it. The sentence could be simply "The 1881 British Census listed Wilde as a boarder at 1 Tite Street, Chelsea..." Done
• Some of the references appear to use the same URL. WP:REFNAME describes how to use the same reference more than once.
• Three references do not have accessdate.

I've found one or two. If anyone sees it please post the number here, or better check the reference and add today's date. --Ktlynch (talk) 14:46, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• The first appearance in the article of Richard Ellmann's name should have a wikilink. The existing wikilink ought to stay, as the two instances are widely separated. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• The featured image of Wilde holding a copy of Poems is saddled with too much exposition: "In The Picture of Dorian Gray Lord Wotton speaks "languidly" three times and "languorously" once. If Wilde appeared to emulate him it was through hard work; by the late '80s he was a father, an editor, and a writer." Why put this bit here? Yes, Wilde is reclining for the portrait, but to speak of languor underneath this image smacks of synthesis and original research. Ellman, the reference, writes "Languor was the mask of industry" in relation to Wilde's output of Salome and Lady Windermere's Fan, not Poems. The specific book mentioned, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is not in the image. Wherever this bit is repositioned, it should credit Ellmann more fully by putting this part in quotes, as it is lifted directly from his 1988 biography Oscar Wilde, page 306: "Lord Henry Wotton speaks 'languidly' three times and 'languorously' once." Changed, The portrait is from America, but it illustrates well the section that it's in. I think it re-inforces the articles better now. The old caption was there from earlier versions of the article. --Ktlynch (talk) 02:19, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• The external link to www.imagesofengland.org.uk has only the one image of Tite Street, with no encyclopedic content beyond that of our in-article image of Tite Street. It does not seem necessary to have this link. Deleted --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• Author Wendy McElroy could be wikilinked. She is now. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• About Wilde's politics, one sentence appears without context: "Other political influences on Wilde may have been William Morris and John Ruskin." The supporting cite calls up an essay by Peter A. Muckley. Do we need this bit? Is Muckley a reliable source in terms of Wilde's politics? If we keep the bit, should it not have more context regarding the politics of Morris and Ruskin? Should it not be more certain about influences than 'may have been'?
• Ray Monk is referenced in a 13–14 minute interview, saying that the Ellmann book is a "rich, fascinating biography that succeeds in understanding another person". Is this needed? The freekin' book won top awards, and a preceding sentence names it the definitive work on Wilde. I do not see the value of making the reader listen to Ray Monk for many minutes to gather that Monk does not differ from mainstream opinion regarding the book. Will move this to the list of biograhies. Though the reader is not forced to listen to the interview. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• The reference to the film Wilde links to IMDb.com, to say that the film was based on Ellmann's book. This fact is not in dispute, but IMDb is just as reliable as Wikipedia, which is to say not perfect. Let's swap the IMDb URL for another... How about something wordier, traced to a writer with a name? Here's one from Cinema Queer, written by Michael D. Klemm. Here are two less colorful reviews, one by Roger Ebert, the other by Janet Maslin of The New York Times. Any of these can be used to say Ellmann's book was used as the basis for the film.. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• There are two references to support the Wilde quote "I congratulate you on the great success of your performance, which persuades me that you think almost as highly of the play as I do myself." One is Ellmann, fine; the other is Answers.com, a critical piece written by Carole Hamilton, an English teacher at a private school in Cary, North Carolina. Placed next to Ellmann, Hamilton fades into obscurity. Delete as unneeded. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 09:55, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
• Many references point to various pages in Hyde (1948). This book is not listed in the bibliography! The only hint we have regarding its title is the Google Books URL taking us to page 19, where we find the Preface to The trials of Oscar Wilde by Harford Montgomery Hyde. This preface was written in 1962 for the Penguin Books second edition of the 1948 William Hodge and Company first edition. What is odd is that that URL was supposed to take us to page 144, according to the footnote, but on page 19 we are relieved to find the judge's pronouncement supported, that Wilde's punishment was "totally inadequate for such a case as this."

I think it is in the transcipts and mentioned in the preface. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Okay, I now see the year 1948 in the Hyde listing in the Bibliography reference section. Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• I do not know what happened to the St James Paddington webpage, but the URL used in the Wilde wedding reference needs to be moved from the former to the latter link, as the former appears to have had its text blanked out:
  • http://www.stjamespaddington.org.uk/what-s-on/oscance-event-2007.html
  • http://www.stjamespaddington.org.uk/history/oscar-constance-wilde.html Corrected url. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Thomas Wentworth Higginson is cited in his article "Unmanly Manhood", but the original source, the weekly newspaper Woman's Journal, is not mentioned in the reference. He appears following a discussion of Wilde in Boston but it is not made clear that Higginson lived in the Greater Boston area. Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• I think there should be three wikilinks to Robert Ross, one in the image text, one in the accompanying article text, and one much later in the article, in the Biographies section. Those three links should be pipe links to Robbie Ross, to disambiguate between all the other Roberts Ross. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Currently in the article there is a mix of dash types used to indicate sentence interruption. There are two coded em dashes in a quote and there is one em dash in the image text for Tite Street. The coded em dashes are incorrectly surrounded by spaces. Otherwise, throughout the article there are hyphens used incorrectly as spaced en dashes. I expect that the majority will win, and to streamline the style, the em dashes, spaced or not, will yield to the spaced en dash for sentence interruption. See WP:DASH. Otherwise, all the sentence interruptions should be changed to the unspaced em dash as in the Tite Street image text. Even quoted bits will be made to conform to overall article style.

I noticed you've got the hypens in order. I am a little fuzzier on the difference between the two varieties of dash, though I think I understand after reading the manual. How does it look now?

Looking fine, with spaces I put around an en dash in some image text. Binksternet (talk) 19:21, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• It is possible to wikilink to the SS Arizona, if desired. Would be too crowded on the page. --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• Can we have more detail about what was written about Wilde in places such as San Francisco, California, and Leadville, Colorado? I have noticed that the Leadville bit comes directly from one of the fine editors working on this article, but all other readers will dismiss it as unimportant. Some exposition is appropriate to advance its position; some context. What did they say about Wilde? How full was the hall? Was he short of breath as a smoker at two miles altitude? Perhaps the Leadville opinion can be buttressed by another positive review, from another American or Canadian town. Or Leadville with its altitude can be presented as one of the extremes of his tour, along with northernmost, westernmost, southernmost, etc. Correspondingly, I would like to see more venomous writing from The Wasp and its spiritual brethren.

I would be reluctant to give more space to his American tour since it already has a relatively large amount of space given that it only took one year. The Leadville visit is the most famous, so that gets a mention. It is due to the fact that Wilde mixed so well with the miners, despite them being from a completely different background to him. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• No need to wikilink New York, especially when New York City is meant and the link points to the whole state. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Wilde used his wide artistic acquaintance to solicit good contributions, including those of Lady Wilde and his wife Constance..." Two problems: 'wide artistic acquaintance' seems somehow the wrong term for the breadth of his acquaintances who could write magazine articles; and 'contributions' follows so quickly the knowledge that Constance came from a wealthy family, it gave me the initial understanding that monetary, not literary, contributions were under discussion.

Are you sure, I was about to change it, but the rest of the sentence says his "literary and other notes" I think a reader would understand that as articles, not banknotes. Could be changed if you so desire. --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• Lippincott's Monthly Magazine should be italicised. Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• The section heading "Bosie" is not explained anywhere.. Done --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• This sentence needs expansion: 'Soon his public and private lives had become sharply divided, in De Profundis he wrote to Douglas that it was like "feasting with panthers".' For starters, the word 'it' fails to make clear that Wilde speaks of his dalliance with "the evil things of life". In its current form, the reader might conclude Wilde was talking about the 'panthers' of his own class, but he was not. A fuller form of the quote might be considered here, especially Wilde's appended phrase: "the danger was half the excitement." Quote occurs in this Google Books appearance, page 106. At least make it clearer that 'panthers' refers to prostitutes.

It does not neccessarily refer to the prostitutes, but rather as a metaphor for that peroid of his life. I agree a fuller quotation might be best. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

A few sentences later in De Profundis he writes that these panthers, these snakes, when they struck at him "it was to be at another's piping and at another's pay". I take this to mean Wilde was paying the 'panthers'—they were prostitutes—but subsequently they were paid to give evidence against him. Binksternet (talk) 15:23, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Yes, a fuller quotation would help the reader get more of the context. So would a scholarly source supporting an interpretation of 'panthers'. Binksternet (talk) 04:41, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

I added some of Wilde's words to the quote. The reader can make of them what they will.  Done Binksternet (talk) 22:07, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• Queensberry arrives at Wilde's doorstep to say "I do not say that you are it, but you look it..." I prefer seeing the word 'it', with its implication, than seeing the term [a homosexual] swapped into its place. That the Marquess implied homosexuality should be made apparent in another manner. Perhaps the subject matter of the exchange can be explained earlier. How about "...and clarified his stance on Wilde's apparent homosexuality:" Done This was inserted recently with a bunch of sometimes weasely edits. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• I was confused for a second reading "He had planned to publicly insult Wilde..." I first thought 'He' referred to Wilde. Can the bit be worded more neatly? Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• Lord Alfred Douglas, after initial introduction, is referred to variously as Douglas, Lord Douglas, Lord Alfred Douglas, and Lord Alfred. Pick one and stick to it. Shouldn't Douglas suffice? Done--Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)
• "...was erring from the normal practice of asking closed questions..." Carson was purposeful in his shifting from normal practice, but the choice of 'erring' makes the reader think initially that Carson was unaware. Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Ross and many other gentlemen also left the United Kingdom during this time." Why? To avoid publicity, private surveillance, blackmail, police investigation, being made to appear as a witness, among other reasons. The text should explain. Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 00:13, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
• "Wilde was freed from Holloway and went into hiding..." It should be made clear that he was not hiding from the law, he was hiding from publicity; from reporters and those wishing him ill. Clarified.
• Why is The Reverend Stewart Headlam all inside the pipe link? Why pipe at all?

It gives more information succintly. --Ktlynch (talk) 00:13, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

• Lockwood's quote should be inside double quotation marks, not single. "Can we not let up on the fellow now?" Changed--Ktlynch (talk) 09:48, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
• Who was crying "Shame"? People sympathetic to Wilde, shaming the law, or people adding their stones to his rockpile?

Sources are unclear on this, it is impossible to say with certainity whether it was people condemning the convict or his supporters protesting the penalty; most likely the former. --Ktlynch (talk) 00:13, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

• 'The regime at the time was tough, "hard labour, hard fare and a hard bed" was the guiding philosophy, and it wore particularly harshly on Wilde as a gentleman, though his status provided him no special privileges.' Get rid of the word 'though', and break the sentence in twain. How about this: 'The regime at the time was tough; "hard labour, hard fare and a hard bed" was the guiding philosophy. It wore particularly harshly on Wilde as a gentleman – his status provided him no special privileges.' Adopted suggested phrase with one minor change. --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

:It is meant that he was unaccustomed to physical labour or harsh conditions, unlike most of the other prisoners. I'll break it though and have a look. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

• "Wilde requested, among others..." this sentence has a list of books which reads with great difficulty. Can it be reworded? Essays by St Augustine, Cardinal Newman and Walter Pater; Joris-Karl Huysmans' new book En Route; Dante's works; and the Bible in three languages. Or similar, whatever it takes.

I think semi-colons might work well. --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC) Reworded--Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

• "Wilde was released on the 19 May 1897, though his health had suffered greatly, he had a feeling of spiritual renewal." Somewhere in here a comma should be made a semicolon, depending on intent. This could also be two sentences. Added semi-colon. --Ktlynch (talk) 00:13, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
• What is meant by the sentence "Wilde too was separated from his Wife and sons." Is it comparing a character in the book to Wilde? Why capitalise Wife? Are not commas needed? Changed. --Ktlynch (talk) 09:48, 12 April 2010 (UTC)
• I think "but permitted to take with him upon release" should be made "but was permitted to take with him upon release." Done--Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• The writer Ellmann's last name is very often misspelled 'Ellman'. Correct all instances.--Ktlynch (talk) 02:14, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• "On one of his final trips outside the hotel is quoted as saying..." This appears to be missing a word.Done--Ktlynch (talk) 02:14, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• One instance of the honorific Fr (for Father) has a period, three others do not. Select one style. Done --Ktlynch (talk) 02:14, 9 April 2010 (UTC)
• Leon Johnson supposedly attached a replacement sterling silver penis to Wilde's defaced tomb, the prosthesis made by silversmith Rebecca Scheer, but when I look at the nearby photograph I see no proof. Was Johnson's silver johnson vandalised, in its turn? Or does Scheer's work look surprisingly like broken stone? At any rate, the text does not completely mesh with this account from Joseph Bristow, published in 2009 as Oscar Wilde and Modern Culture: The Making of a Legend, found in the preface on page x. The article fails to mention the metal codpiece of modesty or the tarpaulin, and does not name Scheer.

I do not think it survives. --Ktlynch (talk) 15:06, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

• This bit of text seems to be missing a word: "...it contains material derived from conversations many who had known or worked with Wilde." Same with this one: "It gives a vivid impression of Wilde's presence must have been like, although dated." Done --Ktlynch (talk) 13:15, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
• What year was it when Ellmann began researching for the Wilde bio?

About 1982 full time, after the revised edition of James Joyce was published. Is it really important> It might clog the article a little. The section is clearly chronological. --Ktlynch (talk) 23:59, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Okay, that's my GA review. I am now putting the GAN on hold to allow time for improvement and discussion. Binksternet (talk) 01:07, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

We are getting closer. Some points remain unaddressed. Binksternet (talk) 04:41, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Okay, we are all good to go! GA Class complete. Binksternet (talk) 22:52, 14 April 2010 (UTC)