The grave importance theme relies on which dramatic technique?

• A. The contrast between serious-sounding lines and trivial matters creating satire.
• B. A formal chorus.
• C. A single extended monologue of pathos.
• D. A non-linear timeline.

Answer: (D)

The technique behind the grave importance theme is the use of serious, formal language to treat trivial, farcical matters, creating satire through contrast. Wilde lets characters speak in grave tones about social rules, marriage, and identity, while the situations—mistaken identities, dinner-table etiquette, fashionable propriety—are light and ridiculous. That sharp juxtaposition exposes pretension and mocks how society reveres appearances over substance. This is why the effect feels “grave” in subject yet playful in tone. The other options don’t fit because the play doesn’t rely on a formal chorus, a single extended pathos-filled monologue, or a non-linear timeline; its comedy comes from witty dialogue and the clash between earnest diction and trivial concerns.