Jeanette Winterson
Novelist Jeanette Winterson reads a letter from a mother to her daughter, inspired by Oscar Wilde's De Profundis.
Writers from around the world read letters on the theme of imprisonment, inspired by Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis.
Novelist Jeanette Winterson takes Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale as the raw materials of her writing. The letter is addressed to Perdita, born in prison where her father has sent her mother because he wrongly believes she has been unfaithful to him.
Oscar Wilde was incarcerated in Reading Prison between 1895 and 1897, enduring the Separate System, a harsh penal regime designed to eliminate any contact between prisoners. Wilde’s imprisonment led to one of his last great works - De Profundis, an extended letter to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas written by Wilde in his prison cell.
Produced by Barney Rowntree and Jeremy Mortimer
Executive Producer: Joby Waldman
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 4
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Author | Jeanette Winterson |
| Reader | Jeanette Winterson |
| Producer | Jeremy Mortimer |
Broadcasts
- Fri 16 Sep 201619:45BBC Radio 4
- Fri 20 Sep 201919:45BBC Radio 4
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde's Letter from Inside
Stephen Rea reads from Wilde's famous letter in the prison cell where it was written.
