Compassion and Forgiveness

Question 1

Mabel represents the accepting, indulgent wife, in contrast to Lady Chiltern’s demanding and imposing one.

Answer 1

“Well, I delight in your bad qualities. I wouldn’t have you part with one of them.” (Mabel)

Question 2

In a long, melodramatic speech, Sir Robert encourages Lady Chiltern to accept his past mistakes and the possibility of future ones.

Answer 2

“It is not the perfect, but the imperfect, who have need of love.” (Sir Robert Chiltern)

Question 3

Sir Robert’s expectations of what love should be.

Making clear excuses

Answer 3

“Love should forgive.” (Sir Robert Chiltern)

Question 4

Lord Caversham stands by an old world, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps ethic that doesn’t expect to give or receive help.

Answer 4

“Oh, damn sympathy. There is a great deal too much of that sort of thing going on nowadays.” (Lord Caversham)

Question 5

At this moment in the play, Sir Robert feels so alienated that his wife’s “good” nature and “perfection” are enemies almost as formidable as Mrs. Cheveley’s wickedness.

Answer 5

“She stands apart as good women do - pitiless in her perfection – cold and stern and without mercy.” (Sir Robert Chiltern)

Question 6

For Lord Goring, forgiveness and love belong together.

With his knowledge of his own flaws, maybe he can’t imagine anyone loving him if he or she couldn’t forgive him.

Answer 6

“She loves you, Robert. Why should she not forgive?” (LORD GORING)

Question 7

Lord Caversham repeats this phrase several times in the play. He sees only the public Lord Goring – lazy, indifferent, devil-may-care – not the real Lord Goring scrambling to save a marriage and advocating for a reliance on the heart.

Answer 7

“He is very heartless, very heartless.” (Lord Caversham)

Question 8

Lord Goring’s views on how women should forgive men.

Answer 8

“Women are not meant to judge us, but to forgive us when we need forgiveness” (Lord Goring)

Question 9

Lady Chiltern forgives her husband, on the basis of her gender, rather than the situation or her feelings about it.

• Women’s role in society
• Suggesting how women play a key part in the world
• Wilde as a feminist

Answer 9

“And I forgive. That is how women help the world.” (Lady Chiltern)