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.
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Due Monday, April 30th - 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:
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)
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