Due Thursday, April 26th - Oscar Wilde "Test"

Overview: 45 Question Multiple Choice and a short essay. Study the background on Wilde and Aestheticism, as well as The Picture of Dorian Gray and his play An Ideal Husband. Below are examples taken from the test.


Part I: Oscar Wilde – His Life and Other Writings


1) What was Oscar Wilde’s nationality by birth?
a. Russian
b. German
c. English
d. Irish



Part II: The Picture of Dorian Gray


17) Why won't Basil exhibit his portrait of Dorian?
a. It is not his best work
b. It is meant as a gift for Dorian
c. In it he sees his secret soul
d. Both b and c



Part III: An Ideal Husband

Find full text here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/885/885-h/885-h.htm

27) Why does Lady Chiltern say she'll always love Sir Robert in Act 1?
a. He's her husband.
b. He comes from a proper family.
c. He is successful.
d. He will always be worthy of love.
e. He is an ideal



Part IV: Open Response


Compose a brief essay using An Ideal Husband or The Picture of Dorian Gray. Use the prompt below. You may bring an outline to class:


In many plays and novels, a character has a misconception of himself or his world. Destroying or perpetuating this illusion contributes to a central theme of the play. Using An Ideal Husband or The Picture of Dorian Gray, choose a major character to whom this statement applies and write an essay in which you consider the following points: what the character’s illusion is and how it differs from reality as presented in the play and how the destruction or perpetuation of the illusion develops a theme of the play.

Due Saturday, April 28th - The Artificial Artist

Talent borrows, genius steals – Oscar Wilde

Directions:  Write a review of novel, film, artwork, or other medium as if you were Oscar Wilde (you may also focus on an author, artist or musician if you wish).   This is an exercise in exploring style, as well as substance, which is to say that this will be about nothing, which is everything. This will count as a writing grade.

Part I: Reading Criticism

The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing.

– Oscar Wilde

Peruse the following link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30191/30191-h/30191-h.htm

It contains reviews by Oscar Wilde.  Read “Dinner and Dishes” which is supposed to be about an actual book, but Wilde plays on words and gives a review of his favorite dining areas.  Also explore the ones about Shakespeare to get a sense of his critical voice and wit. 

Part II:  Research

The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it. – Oscar Wilde

Choice of subject.  Choose something, which will lend itself to Wilde’s Wit. Further, if you are to be a critic, you must be knowledgeable.  Know your subject inside and out. Content should look like a major essay.  Introduce your subject in some way, the body of the document must have detailed evidence and be a pleasure to read with smooth transitions, and a conclusion. 

Part III:  The Art of the Review

The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. – Oscar Wilde

My advice is to look up modern examples for reviews to help get the basic structure.  For example, if you are writing a review of the film Jaws (1975) look at the Chicago Sun Times for Roger Ebert’s review or The New Yorker, something with a critical eye. 

Part IV:  Language and Style

If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they will kill you. – Oscar Wilde

Try to capture the voice and style of Oscar Wilde.  Review and read some of his prose.  He will get into your head and come out of your pen.  Review his epigrams at the following link:

Go to http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3565.Oscar_Wilde to see 1,645

Above all, it must be beautiful and adhere to the tenants of Aestheticism. 

1) Art never expresses anything but itself.

2) All bad art comes from returning to Life and Nature, and elevating them into ideals.

3) Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.

4) Lying, the telling of beautiful untrue things is the proper aim of Art.

Part V:  Grading Your Work

One can only give an unbiased opinion about things that do not interest one, which is no doubt the reason an unbiased opinion is always valueless. The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing. – Oscar Wilde

1.      What point is the author getting across in the review?  (10 Points)                                                    

2.      Does the author have a clear knowledge of the piece being reviewed                                     

and makes direct references in the review?   (30 Points)                                                                                         

3.      Does the review showcase the development of idea from the beginning                               

of the argument to the end?  (10 Points)                                                                                                                                                

4.      Does the piece sound like Oscar Wilde, consistently?  (20 Points)                                                           

5.      Is there an advanced use of vocabulary and diction?  (10 Points)                                                                

6.      Does the author utilize and create epigrams and make proper use of paradox? (20 Points)