De Profundis
In the first months of 1897, during the last part of his two-year sentence in Reading Gaol, Oscar Wilde was allowed to write a long letter to Lord Alfred Douglas, the young man whose quarrel with his father had brought about Wilde's ruin. The letter reproaches Douglas for his extravagance and selfishness, and then turns to Wilde himself: what he had been, what prison had made of him, and how he had come to see sorrow and Christ as the center of art. He was not allowed to send it, and it was published in abridged form by his friend Robert Ross in 1905, under a title Ross chose from the Psalms. It is Wilde's most serious prose and his only sustained confession. Read it online in your browser on Vinteuil; the opening pages are free.
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Frequently asked questions about De Profundis
De Profundis by Oscar Wilde can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read De Profundis online?
Yes. De Profundis opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is De Profundis free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of De Profundis is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is De Profundis in the public domain?
Yes. De Profundis by Oscar Wilde is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read De Profundis?
About 1 h 11 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is De Profundis?
De Profundis by Oscar Wilde is filed under "History" in the Vinteuil library.
