Reading the four comedies by Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, one finds that the women figures in these plays seem to resemble more or less. Wilde appears to like the use of simplified and stereotyped characters like the often occurring womanwith- a-past, some late Victorian domineering matron or the Puritan. With the impression these give, the reader comes to wonder how Wilde himself thought of them and why they are such recurring motifs. Might they be a mirror for the women in his own life or would that be too far-fetched? I will try to proof in this essay that even though these four plays by Wilde as well as his woman figures give the impression as if they were really similar, they are at most alike, and the characters not easily comparable to persons in Wilde’s life. The first three comedies all deal with someone who committed a secret sin in their past and is now confronted with this by meeting an old acquaintance. Though sinners they are in the end pardoned, because they remained good and pure in their hearts, which has to be proved most by Mrs Erlynne in Lady Windermere’s Fan. She left her husband and baby to lead a life full of pleasure and returns half a year before her daughter’s coming of age, drawn by the wish to join or rejoin society and pressing money from Lord Windermere. He allows this because Lady Windermere would lose all her ideals if she found out about the true fate of her mother, whom she glorified all her life supposing she was dead. Mrs Erlynne sacrifices her reputation in Act III to save her daughter’s one, reminded of her own fault twenty years ago and motherly feelings having awoken not wanting her daughter to do the same mistake. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Recurring Images of Women in Oscar Wilde’s Comedies
Objectives and Topics
This essay examines the recurring character types of women in Oscar Wilde's four major comedies to determine if these figures are direct reflections of the women in his personal life or merely literary archetypes.
- Analysis of the "woman-with-a-past" motif in Wilde's dramas.
- Evaluation of the "pure and good woman" as a recurring archetype.
- Examination of Victorian maternal and social figures.
- Discussion on the influence of Wilde's personal relationships on his character development.
Excerpt from the Book
Recurring Images of Women in Oscar Wilde’s Comedies
Reading the four comedies by Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, one finds that the women figures in these plays seem to resemble more or less. Wilde appears to like the use of simplified and stereotyped characters like the often occurring woman-with-a-past, some late Victorian domineering matron or the Puritan. With the impression these give, the reader comes to wonder how Wilde himself thought of them and why they are such recurring motifs. Might they be a mirror for the women in his own life or would that be too far-fetched?
I will try to proof in this essay that even though these four plays by Wilde as well as his woman figures give the impression as if they were really similar, they are at most alike, and the characters not easily comparable to persons in Wilde’s life.
Summary of Chapters
1. Recurring Images of Women in Oscar Wilde’s Comedies: This chapter categorizes Wilde's female characters into recurring types—such as the "woman-with-a-past," the "pure woman," and the "Victorian matron"—and explores the potential connection between these dramatic tropes and the significant women in the author's own life.
Keywords
Oscar Wilde, Victorian Comedies, Women figures, Woman-with-a-past, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest, Literary archetypes, Victorian society, Gender roles, Feminine characters, Biographical influence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic work?
The work investigates whether the recurring female archetypes in Oscar Wilde's four major comedies serve as mirrors for the women in his real life or are simply convenient literary tools used to critique Victorian society.
Which central character types are examined in the plays?
The essay focuses on three primary recurring figures: the "woman-with-a-past" who hides a secret, the "pure" woman who must learn to forgive, and the authoritative, often shallow Victorian matron.
What is the primary research goal of this essay?
The author aims to prove that despite surface-level similarities between the female characters in the plays, they remain complex, individual literary creations rather than direct biographical reflections.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses literary analysis, comparing character motivations, speeches, and plot roles across the four plays while contrasting these dramatic portrayals with biographical evidence of the women in Wilde’s life.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body treats the subversion of Victorian moral codes, the function of the "fallen woman" versus the "puritan," and the comparison of these characters to figures like Wilde’s mother and wife.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Oscar Wilde, Victorian comedies, gender roles, literary archetypes, social convention, and biographical influence.
How does Wilde challenge the Victorian "fallen woman" archetype?
Unlike standard Victorian dramas, Wilde breaks convention by allowing his "fallen women," such as Mrs. Erlynne, to achieve success or find happiness rather than consigning them to moral ruin.
Why does the author conclude that these characters are not direct reflections of real people?
The author argues that Wilde framed his characters with such specific, peculiar traits that they transcend simple biographical mapping, ultimately making them complex figures distinct from the actual women in his life.
- Citation du texte
- Britta Fokken (Auteur), 2004, Recurring Images of Women in Oscar Wilde's Comedies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/26578
