ABSTRACT
Oscar Wilde's lecturing in the United States had enhanced his self-assurance and increased the acclaim of his brand, so that he no longer needed the outlandish public displays that punctuated his early days in London to command public attention. In the next stage of development, he turned to burnishing his reputation for wit and to cultivating the perception in others of his suitability as a centerpiece in any public event. Back in London, he continued to build his brand, although in some instances that did not actually require that Wilde to do anything beyond observing his ordinary routine. The amiability of the press, however, was offset by the antagonism of others seeking to advance their brands, most notably that of his breakfast host, James McNeill Whistler. Verbal sparring characterized the Whistler-Wilde "friendship" almost from the moment of its inception, and, no matter how flippant the exchanges seemed, both Wilde and Whistler took the contest very seriously.
