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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. How did Oscar Wilde protect himself from the cruelty of those around him?

2. What caused Oscar Wilde to stop writing?

3. What actions led to prosecution of homosexuals in England?

4. What did Oscar Wilde discover that his lover was trying to do to him?

5. What is the title Oscar Wilde gave to "The Duchess of Padua" when he produced it anonymously?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Oscar Wilde's allowance from his mother after he leaves prison?

2. How does Lord Alfred Douglas try to help Oscar Wilde while Wilde is in prison?

3. Why does Oscar Wilde refuse to flee from England to Paris?

4. What disturbing incidents does Oscar Wilde witness before leaving prison?

5. How do conditions change for Oscar Wilde when Major Nelson takes over at Reading jail?

6. What is the plot of Oscar Wilde's novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray"?

7. Were Oscar Wilde and his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, faithful to each other?

8. How do Oscar Wilde's aesthetics develop during his time in Paris in 1891?

9. What relationships does Oscar Wilde resume after leaving prison?

10. Where does Oscar Wilde go after he is released from prison?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oscar Wilde was always extravagant with his money. How does his extravagance fit with his brief, epigrammatic literary style? Is there an aesthetic that unites these two aspects of his personality, or are they simply different sides of the writer's life?

Essay Topic 2

Oscar Wilde wrote only one novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray." How is this novel different from his plays and poems? What part of his personality does he express that is not expressed elsewhere? How does his novel resemble his plays and poems? How is it different?

Essay Topic 3

Did dying change anything about Oscar Wilde? Did he look at his life with regrets? Did he look back with pride on his work and his actions? Was he proud of his legacy?

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