Donated by Cambridge Literary Festival


Merlin Holland | After Oscar: the legacy of a scandal | Sat 25 Apr 2026 | 8:00pm – 9:00pm

Oscar Wilde died in November 1900, exiled in Paris and exhausted by scandal and prison life. The details of his life in the limelight are well known; what has regularly been ignored are the reverberations of the scandal for decades after his death: the myths and legends that have been created, the quarrels between his friends and enemies, the court cases…

His only grandson, Merlin Holland, has dedicated himself to studying Oscar’s life and works, and their wider legacy. In After Oscar, Merlin debunks many inaccurate or entirely fictitious stories that have grown up around this iconic figure. Join Merlin for much-needed light on the reverberations of a life and a scandal.

Chaired by broadcaster Alex Clark.

Venue: Palmerston Room

Duration: 1 hour