An Ideal Husband Diction

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Before reading, I expected to enjoy the play because Oscar Wilde’s quotes intrigued me. With An Ideal Husband, Wilde saturated it with numerous quotable lines. Not only did Wilde create fantastic lines, but he uses repetition of the lines. In Act I, Robert explains to Mrs. Cheveley that the Suez Canal is “a swindle”. Also, he wants her to “call things by their proper names. It makes matters simpler” (28). Then, when they discuss the letter, Robert calls it a speculation. However, Mrs. Cheveley takes Robert’s words and calls the letter “a swindle” (32). Throughout this play, Wilde includes repetition and it enhances the humor and message. In addition, humor presents itself in multiple ways, especially with the diction. The characters speak in

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