This talk (supported by slides) looks at the Oscar Wilde and how his approach has not been adopted by modern satirists to challenge the establishment. It shows how he developed a style to amuse, challenge and provoke the well-to-do, his paymasters. He examined the hypocrisy and morals of Victorian society without taking a political view. His humour is seen in later satirists such as Peter Cook, who also focused on the class system and social stereotypes.
I will show how Wilde’s work, ‘Dorian Gray’ and ’The Importance of Being Earnest’, was popular with the people it mocked. The nature of his public work raised questions about his private persona but he avoided categorisation of his work and being co-opted by the establishment. Satire has become a standard weapon in politics, marketing and media and it becomes more difficult to provide criticism to the establishment as it is quickly repurposed and absorbed.
Wilde was an insider/outsider and a reflecting glass on Victorian attitudes. People like Peter Cook and Bill Hicks are more modern equivalents but today’s insights on hypocrisy and attitudes are more likely seen in ‘Come Dine with Me’ and ‘W1A’ than alternative comedians or satirical quiz shows.
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