An Ideal Husband is an 1895 play by Oscar Wilde. In the play, which is a satire, Wilde suggests that...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
An Ideal Husband is an 1895 play by Oscar Wilde. In the play, which is a satire, Wilde suggests that a character named Lady Gertrude Chiltern is perceived as both extremely virtuous and unforgiving, as is evident when another character says ______
Which quotation from An Ideal Husband most effectively illustrates the claim?
'Lady Chiltern is a woman of the very highest principles, I am glad to say. I am a little too old now, myself, to trouble about setting a good example, but I always admire people who do.'
'Do you know, [Lady Chiltern], I don't mind your talking morality a bit. Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike.'
'[Lady Chiltern] does not know what weakness or temptation is. I am of clay like other men. She stands apart as good women do—pitiless in her perfection—cold and stern and without mercy.'
'Lady Chiltern, you are a sensible woman, the most sensible woman in London, the most sensible woman I know.'
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'An Ideal Husband is an 1895 play by Oscar Wilde.' |
|
| 'In the play, which is a satire,' |
|
| 'Wilde suggests that a character named Lady Gertrude Chiltern is perceived as both extremely virtuous and unforgiving,' |
|
| 'as is evident when another character says ______' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Wilde portrays Lady Gertrude Chiltern as a character who is seen by others as both extremely virtuous and unforgiving.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes context about Wilde's satirical play, then makes a specific claim about how one character (Lady Chiltern) is perceived, and sets up that this perception will be supported by a quote from another character.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct quote needs to show that Lady Chiltern is perceived as:
- Extremely virtuous - described as good, moral, principled, or perfect
- Unforgiving - described as harsh, without mercy, inflexible, or judgmental
- Both characteristics should be clear from the same quote
'Lady Chiltern is a woman of the very highest principles, I am glad to say. I am a little too old now, myself, to trouble about setting a good example, but I always admire people who do.'
✗ Incorrect
- Shows virtue ('very highest principles') but doesn't address whether she's unforgiving
- Only covers half of what we need to prove
'Do you know, [Lady Chiltern], I don't mind your talking morality a bit. Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike.'
✗ Incorrect
- General comment about morality, not specifically about Lady Chiltern
- Doesn't establish her as virtuous or unforgiving
'[Lady Chiltern] does not know what weakness or temptation is. I am of clay like other men. She stands apart as good women do—pitiless in her perfection—cold and stern and without mercy.'
✓ Correct
- Shows virtue ('stands apart as good women do' and 'pitiless in her perfection') AND shows unforgiving nature ('pitiless,' 'cold and stern and without mercy')
- Perfectly captures both aspects
'Lady Chiltern, you are a sensible woman, the most sensible woman in London, the most sensible woman I know.'
✗ Incorrect
- Only calls her 'sensible' - doesn't address virtue or moral character
- Nothing about being unforgiving