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At a concert, Camille Des Grieux finds himself inexplicably attracted to the brilliant Hungarian pianist Teleny. Although he quickly becomes aware of Teleny’s reputation as a man with many lovers, Des Grieux is unable to resist the temptation of giving himself body and soul to a handsome, confident man. Teleny is an anonymously published erotic novel from Victorian England.
About the author
Published anonymously in London in 1899, Teleny is often attributed to Irish playwright, poet, and novelist Oscar Wilde. The successful erotic novel was followed by The Prelude to Teleny (1899), also attributed to Wilde.
Summary
Teleny (1893) is an erotic novel published anonymously, yet often attributed to Irish playwright Oscar Wilde. Considered one of the first works of fiction to openly depict homosexuality, Teleny is the story of Camille Des Grieux’s sexual awakening, the obstacles he faces from society as a gay man, and the passionate moments shared between lovers from all walks of life. “As I listened to his playing I was spell-bound; yet I could hardly tell whether it was with the composition, the execution, or the player himself. At the same time the strangest visions began to float before my eyes. First I saw the Alhambra in all the luxuriant loveliness of its Moorish masonry—those sumptuous symphonies of stones and bricks—so like the flourishes of those quaint Gipsy melodies. Then a smouldering unknown fire began to kindle itself within my breast.” At a concert with his mother, Camille Des Grieux finds himself fiercely attracted to the young man on stage, the brilliant Hungarian pianist Teleny. As their eyes meet for the first time, Camille knows they are meant to be together. Despite the restrictions placed on gay men, despite the stories he has heard of Teleny as an unfaithful lover, Camille introduces himself. Filled with heated scenes of romance between its insatiable cast of characters, Teleny is an erotic novel that continues to entertain, shock, and surprise over a century after it was published. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Teleny is a classic work of Victorian erotica reimagined for modern readers.
