Tag: advertising

Article

Sew to Speak

Oscar Wilde Blog1 Comment
Blue Valley Blade, (Seward, Nebraska), August 23, 1882, 4
SEWING MACHINES IMPROVE SPEAKING

During Oscar Wilde’s 1882 tour of North America, his name was used arbitrarily to sell any number of products—there are several such advertisements on this page.

Above is another example from the Davis Sewing Machine Company asserting that Oscar’s perceived lack of ability as a “talkist” was the result of his not having purchased one of their sewing machines. It’s true that commentators noted Oscar’s untutored monotone delivery, but it’s not clear how owning a Davis sewing machine would have developed his diction—with or without basting.

Needless to say, there is no record in Oscar’s tour expenses of a sewing machine.

Continue reading “Sew to Speak” →
Article

Conspicuous (Even By His Absence)

Oscar Wilde Blog9 Comments
Oscar Wilde could be found everywhere in 1882

The phenomenon of Wilde’s US ubiquitous prresence has been well-documented, most recently in David Friedman’s Wilde in America (2014) which portrays Wilde as being so intent upon fame that he had a strategy for achieving it—a view with much validity.

Whatever Wilde’s personal strategy was, however, his effort was compounded by other factors: his own tour publicity, the popularity of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience and its burlesques, and a general curiosity of the people to see him. As a result, one might wonder whether it is possible to be too well known.

Take the world of advertising.

Continue reading “Conspicuous (Even By His Absence)” →