1. Who is described as "a man of culture, charm and distinction.One of the most intellectual men..."?

2. What was Baron Arnheim's philosophy of power?

3. What will be your answer to Sir Robert's question "Do you think it fair that a man's whole career should be ruined for a fault done in one's boyhood almost?"

4. According to Sir Robert's confession he never suffered any remorse or any regret for what he had done. How can you account for his saying: "The truth has always stifled me" ?

5. Why did Sir Robert sigh with relief: "Ah! That is the great thing in life, to live the truth."?

6. Why does Sir Robert call his wife "perfect" though he does not approve of the idea of making ideals?

7. What is the main mission of love according to Sir Robert? Do you share his opinion?

8. Which of the spouses seems to you more unhappy on account of the incident?

9. Whose point of view on power and compromise do you share?(Sir Robert's or Lady Chiltern's)

VII. Comment on the following paradoxes.

1. "Life is never fair. And perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not. (Lord Goring, p. 206). 2. "...when the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers". (Sir Robert Chiltern, p. 209). 3. Sir Robert Chiltern: "I have paid conscience money many times..." Lord Goring: "In public charities? Dear me! What a lot of harm you must have done, Robert! (p. 209)

VIII. Read another piece of "A Literary Exploration of O. Wilde".

Neither Sir Robert nor Lord Goring but Lady Chiltern is the central character in the play. The action of the drama is based on her development from innocence to experience to higher innocence.

The point is that she is less perfect than she imagines. Some of Wilde's fairy tales indicate that the world of innocence is not human. The same is true of Lady Chiltern's world of innocence; it is a place in which human beings as though touched by a magic wand, become art objects. She sees her husband as an idol on pedestal, a beautiful work of art, perfect and white, made of ivory.

The imagery associated with Lady Chiltern, too suggests a nonhuman quality. This is how Act II ends... She is like a plant, or a blossom, but plants and blossoms are not human. They represent a delightful but underdeveloped form of life. There are higher forms, and Lady Chiltern, still a child, must move beyond her world if she wants to attain a better and more noble existence. Lord Goring saves Sir Robert from Mrs. Cheveley, but only Lady Chiltern's ability to move toward a higher innocence can really open up a new world for him. Lord Goring shows her the road. It is love and charity that will make Sir Robert, a prisoner of the past, a free man. (see p. 216)

a) Do you agree with the author? Give your arguments.

b) How do you assess Lady Chiltern's behaviour? The text above and the phrases below will help you to answer the question.

To be hard on smth; to make allowances to smb; to alter one's views; to worship smb; to make an ideal of smb; to turn from smb with horror and contempt; to be worth smth/doing smth; the origin of one's fortune; to ruin smb's career, life; to make false idols of smb.

c) What do you think of the two points of view on love?

"...love should come to cure us." (Sir Robert, p. 230) "I will love you always, because you will always be worthy of love." (Lady Chiltern, p. 202, Act I)

IX. Translate into Russian the passage on pp. 230-231 in writing("...Women think that they are making ideals of men ... haveruined mine."(S. R. Ch.)

X. a) Search Act II (both the lines and the author's remarks) for phrases of comparison

e. g. "I feel like a man on a ship that is sinking." (Sir Robert, p. 213)

Say what effect is achieved by comparison in your instances.

b) What stylistic devices dominate in Act II?

XI. Pick out some more adjectives for negative description, and say what or who they define.

XII. What scene in Act II may be considered its culmination?Describe it.