Critics

Question 1

Misehide Kaneda (5)

Answer 1

“His dramas obviously deal with the disturbing matters in contemporary society”.

“Oscar Wilde’s dramas reject a single interpretation”

: “The binary opposition between men/public and women/domestic is the central issue posed in the drama”.

It is, as it were, a mixture of melodrama, problem play, and comedy”.

“it simultaneously supports and subverts the Victorian ideology.”

Question 2

Regenia Gagnier

Answer 2

His dramas are strategically composed to be interpretable in two ways: “a sentimental for his audience and a cynical interpretation for his critics”

His dramas are composed to contain different interpretations for his audiences - sentimental for his audiences and cynical for his critics

Question 3

Christopher Innes

Answer 3

“Each of Wilde’s comedies ends with the reassertion of moral standards…. Yet by the time these ‘happy endings’ are achieved, everything they stand for has been discredited.
“

Wilde’s comedies end with moral standards being reasserted and happy endings, yet these moral standards and happy endings have been discredited

Question 4

Katherine Worth

Answer 4

“The play moves to the happy ending which , as always in Wilde’s comedies, is deeply equivocal. For Lord Goring and Mabel … the outlook is fine. We may see this couple as embodying Wilde’s ideas on how to live life for the best”

Lord Goring and Mabel are a result of the plays happy ending, and encapsulate Wilde’s ideas on how to live life to the best

Question 5

Alan Bird

Answer 5

“the basic hypocrisy of English society”

Question 6

William Archer

Answer 6

“The excellent Sir Robert proves himself one of those gentlemen who can be honest so long as it is absolutely convenient, and no longer”

Question 7

The first critics of the play

Answer 7

Lady Chiltern was described as “stupidly good,” “rather trying,” “abnormally moral,” and even “unwomanly,”

Question 8

Curt Guyette

Answer 8

“The woman delights in taunting him” (about Mrs Cheveley and Sir Robert Chiltern)

Question 9

Elaine Showalter

Answer 9

“the male rebellion against patriarchy did not necessarily mean a commitment to feminism”

Question 10

Kerry Powell

Answer 10

“simultaneously it seeks to dismantle and to preserve the double standard as it applies to women”