Art, humor, and satire

OSCAR WILDE:

-Raised in Dublin -Attended Trinity College and then Oxford, where he was a brilliant student and was introduced to the aesthetic theories of John Ruskin and Walter Pater -Became the ambassador for the “aesthetic movement” – art only need exist because it is beautiful – interesting in that Wilde himself spoke of wanting his writings to have a “higher seriousness of intent” (more on this later) -In 1895, Wilde was sentenced to jail for two years for being a homosexual -He died in 1900 in a hotel in Paris WILDE: “ART FOR ART’S SAKE”

-Considered to be Wilde’s greatest work and now a theatrical classic -Features witty word-play and conversation, hallmarks of Wilde, and the dandy (a man who places emphasis on his dress, conversation, and leisurely pursuits) -Wilde said of the play: “It has a philosophy … that we should treat all trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality.” THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1895)

As a reminder: “… the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking towards it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation” (Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7 th Ed. ) -How is Wilde’s play satirical? -What are the elements utilized to communicate the satire? -How does this play still effectively communicate these ideas more than 100 years after publication? Your answers to these questions will the focus of the Socratic seminar in class tomorrow. Your preparatory work will be collected at the end of the seminar. UNDERSTANDING THE PLAY