The Importance of Being Earnest Flashcards
Context: Where was Oscar Wilde born?
Dublin, Ireland.
Context: Where did Wilde study?
Magdalen College, Oxford.
Context: What other jobs did Wilde have before dedicating his life to writing?
He worked as an editor for a women’s magazine but was fired a year later after he stopped showing up for work.
Context: Who was Robbie Ross?
- Wilde’s first gay lover, an openly gay Canadian.
- He gave Wilde a home after he got out of prison + stayed w/ him 4 3 years until he died.
- Bought back rights to Wilde’s work, allowing it to be published again and repopularised.
Context: Who was Alfred Douglas?
- Wilde’s second gay lover, who later became an anti-semitic homophobe.
- Introduced Wilde to underground ring of male prostitutes
- Son of Marquis of Queensbury, who instigated Wilde’s downfall.
Context: Queensbury vs. Wilde
- Q. sent calling card to Wilde’s club, the Albemarle, inscribed: “For Oscar Wilde, posing somdomite” 1895; Wilde tries to sue him for libel
- Backfired: Lawyers able to prove W.’s homosexualoty thru’ his poems, novels, and cigarette cases inscribed w/ his name w/ male prostitutes.
Context: When did Wilde go to prison and when did he leave?
25 May 1895 to 18 May 1897.
Context: What was Wilde sentenced to?
2 years hard labour.
Context: What proportion of London’s population was Irish?
5%
Context: Why were there so many Irish immigrants in London?
Irish moved en masse to London during the famine, to escape poverty and starvation.
Context: How is the fact that Wilde was Irish relevant to his life?
Mum = renowned Irish poet; dad = leading Irish oto-ophthalmologic (ear/eye) surgeon: W. never fully infiltrated English Elite as immigrant (especially an Irish one, whom were despised).
Context: How many people were part of the Victorian Aristocracy?
- Almost 10,000 people.
- Owned lots of land in country
- Made money from inheritance- had huge political influence
Context: What was Q. Victoria’s relationship w/ the aristocracy?
- Historically, the aristocracy + monarchy = real close
- But Victoria + Albert wanted to encourage growung middle class.
Context: By how much did the middle class grow during Q. V’s reign?
Middle class grew by 10%- went from 15% of population to 25%. Happened because of:
- Q.V.s encouragement/association w/ middle class
- Jobs created by Industrial Rev.
Context: What changes were there to the working class?
- Mass media meant they became more politicised
- 1870: National Education Act enforced education up to age 10–> working class= more educated.
