Which best describes the tone of the play?

• A. A grim tragedy
• B. A serious epic
• C. A lighthearted, satirical comedy
• D. A documentary drama

Answer: (C)

The tone being tested is how the play feels overall in its mood and approach. This work reads as a lighthearted, satirical comedy because Wilde uses witty, rapid-fire dialogue, clever wordplay, and playful epigrams that poke fun at social pretensions and the trivialities of Victorian society. The plot relies on misunderstanding, mistaken identities, and farcical situations that keep the atmosphere buoyant rather than grave. Rather than treating serious themes with solemn gravity, the play treats them with irony and humor, exposing hypocrisy and conventions through cheerful, witty banter. The ending resolves happily, reinforcing a cheerful mood rather than a sense of tragedy or solemn grandeur. So the best description is a lighthearted, satirical comedy.