Salome & Oscar Wilde

For homework, please read Salome by Oscar Wilde. There is a bit of information you should be aware of before attempting the play.

• Salome is a story adapted from the Old Testament. Originally, the story is meant to suggest the decadence of King Herod, as he lustfully offers to fulfill any wish made to him by Salome. She, of course, takes advantage of him and asks for the head of John the Baptist served to her on a platter. 
• Salome is one of the greatest female villains in all of classical literature. In this production, Wilde gives her some very poetic and difficult monologues. Her monologue wooing John the Baptist is particularly fun. Enjoy the evil.
• The dialogue in this play is very affected. The idea that plays should sound natural and normal is a convention occurring just around the time that Wilde is writing. He is a poet, however, and a bit old fashioned in his writing style. His other works are much more conversational and the dialogue sparkles with wit. This is not the case here. The dialogue is meant to be stilted, formal, and poetic--not realistic.
• The non-realistic dialogue gives the play a certain dream-like quality. Even in its dream-like state, the play is highly representative (metaphoric or symbolic) and creepy. Personally, I love the ending, albeit it may come as a sudden shock to the system for young contemporary audiences like yourself.
• If you can stomach it, here is Ken Russel's lewd production of Wilde's Salome in its entirety. Make some popcorn and watch.
• Other staged productions: Sergiy Salome, Salome, Black Moon's Salome, Franciscan Univ's Salome, a full production of Salome

Peruse the brief bio of Oscar at the Official Oscar Wilde page. This short biographical film is also helpful. Please watch.

Oscar Wilde is often quoted and noted for his epigrams (short pithy sayings):

"No man is rich enough to buy back his past."

"Men become old, but they never become good." -- “Lady Windermere's Fan”

"A man who moralizes is usually a hypocrite, and a woman who moralizes is invariably plain." -- “Lady Windermere's Fan”

"Nowadays all the married men live like bachelors and all the bachelors live like married men." -- “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

"One should never trust a woman who tells one her real age. A woman who would tell one that, would tell one anything."-- “A Woman of No Importance”

"Crying is the refuge of plain women but the ruin of pretty ones."-- “Lady Windermere's Fan”

"Men know life too early. Women know life too late. That is the difference between men and women."-- “A Woman of No Importance”

"Women are meant to be loved, not to be understood." -- “The Sphinx Without a Secret”

"It takes a thoroughly good woman to do a thoroughly stupid thing."-- “Lady Windermere's Fan”

"Women give to men the very gold of their lives. But they invariably want it back in such very small change." -- “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

 Monty Python Sketch