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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Mrs. Cheveley tell Sir Robert advised her to invest in the Argentine Canal Company?

2. Who wrote the letter Mrs. Cheveley plans to blackmail Sir Robert with?

3. During Act 1, Part 2, what does Mrs. Cheveley say we all must do sooner or later?

4. What does Sir Robert tell Mrs. Cheveley he thinks of the Argentine Canal Company when she first brings it up?

5. In Act 1, Part 3, what does Goring call the item Mabel finds?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Act 2, Part 2, what error does Sir Robert say all women make?

2. Mrs. Cheveley gives Sir Robert a piece of advice about dealing with their pasts. What does she tell him they all must do?

3. What benefits does Sir Robert claim to have gained from his success?

4. Why does Goring tell Lady Chiltern that no one is incapable of foolish actions in Act 2, Part 2?

5. What conclusion did Sir Robert jump to when he found Mrs. Cheveley at Goring's house?

6. What is Lady Chiltern's response to Mrs. Cheveley when she says that Lady Chiltern hasn't changed since their school days?

7. What about Sir Robert does Lady Chiltern say makes him different from other men?

8. Why does Sir Robert want to stay five more minutes at Goring's house in Act 3, Part 1?

9. How does Mrs. Cheveley plan to use the letter Sir Robert wrote to Baron Arnheim regarding the Argentine Canal?

10. Why does Sir Robert say he is skeptical of the Argentine Canal scheme?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Cheveley is clearly the antagonist of this play; however, the protagonist of the play isn't quite as clear since there are really three characters who undergo significant transformation through the course of the play. Identify who these three characters are and discuss the transformation each of them goes through. Provide evidence from the play to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

When Goring finally proposes to Mabel she accepts even though the proposal didn't occur in quite the way she hoped it would. Why do you think Goring's proposal is finally satisfactory with her even though it didn't quite meet her expectations? What does her acceptance of this less than ideal proposal say about her change in attitude toward marriage and all its trappings?

Essay Topic 3

Goring's and Sir Robert's discussion in Act 2, Part 1, regarding Sir Robert's indiscretion as he started his career offers some insight into Wilde's opinions about power and the pursuit of success. What point do you think Wilde is trying to make concerning power and success in this play? Use examples to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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