Which literary approach best describes the play's method of attacking social rules?

• A. Drama
• B. Romanticism
• C. Satire
• D. Weather reporting

Answer: (C)

Satire is the literary approach that best describes how the play attacks social rules. Oscar Wilde uses sharp, witty dialogue and farcical situations to reveal the hypocrisy and rigidity of Victorian conventions—especially around marriage, class, and reputation. By presenting characters who deceitfully improvise identities and treat trivial matters as matters of life and death, the play mocks the seriousness with which society Upholds its rules. The title itself signals this playful critique of earnestness and propriety. This method is about using humor and irony to illuminate social absurdities, rather than aiming to evoke romantic longing or to report on weather.