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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. Mrs. Erlynne claims that when men give up saying what is charming, they:

2. By the end of Act 2, most of the female characters:

3. What does Lady Windemere believe about her mother?

4. Lady Windemere believes that every "good" woman in London would:

5. Lady Windemere says that her husband broke the bonds of marriage, and she:

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the Duchess of Berwick's character.

2. Why does Lord Windemere insist that Mrs. Erlynne receive an invitation to the ball?

3. How would Lady Windemere create a scandal for her husband?

4. What is Cecil Graham's attitude about women?

5. On what condition is Lord Darlington allowed to attend the ball at the Windemeres'?

6. Why has Lord Augustus asked Lord Windemere about Mrs. Erlynne?

7. Why does Darlington plan to leave England?

8. What do Dumby's opening remarks reveal about his character?

9. What does Lady Windemere discover about the photograph of herself with her son, and why is it significant?

10. Why does Windemere feel that Lady Windemere will cause the family shame if she insults Mrs. Erlynne publicly?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the role of Lady Windemere's Fan in the play. Write an essay in which you:

1) Discuss the significance of the fan to the development of plot in the play.

OR

2) Discuss the significance of the fan to the development of theme in the play.

OR

3) Discuss the significance of the fan to the relationship between Lady Windemere and Mrs. Erlynne.

Essay Topic 2

Considering the motif of "good" and "bad" in Wilde's play, write an essay in which you discuss:

1) Which characters are "good" or "bad" women, 2) Which characters are "good" or "bad" men, or 3) Which characters cannot be do not qualify as either "good" or "bad."

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you explore the nature of relationships in Wilde's play. Consider one of the following topics:

1) How do current couples compare in behavior and expectation to the couples in Wilde's play?

OR

2) Have marriage relationships and expectations changed since Wilde's play was first published? Why or Why not?

OR

3) How does the play reflect "present" attitudes about relationships between men and women in general?

(see the answer keys)

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