Availability: Posted on Friday, February 17, 9 am

Deadline: Wednesday, March 1, by 11:59 pm. The grace day applies. The submission module

will CLOSE after the grace day (at 11:59 pm on Thursday, March 2), so please make sure to give yourself plenty of time to submit.

Submission: Submit as a Word file to

https://eclass.yorku.ca/mod/turnitintooltwo/view.php?id=2121614.

Details: Open-book, not timed. Avoid repetition from one part of the midterm to another.

Important: This test focuses on your own knowledge of the class material, as well as on your

ability to analyze primary works and to apply theories of comedy and humour we have covered.   Outside sources are permitted but not required, and excessive use of outside sources can decrease your grade on this test. Only peer-reviewed and published secondary sources can be used. Any

secondary sources or editions other than assigned on the syllabus need to be properly cited.

Academic honesty concerns (using outside material without acknowledgement, even if you are paraphrasing) will result in the grade of zero and a potential academic honesty case.

Part 1: Keywords. 30 points.

Choose 5 keywords from the list below. Each response is worth 6 points and should be approximately 1 paragraph long.

Briefly define each keyword in your own words, in the context of this class [2 points], and

explain how it applies to one of the works we’ve covered [4 points]. Use a different primary work for each response. If the same primary work is used more than once in this part of the   midterm, only one of these responses will be graded.

topsy-turvy world	pastoral tradition
farce	satire
social mobility	allegory
courtly love	comedy of manners
Renaissance	parody

Part 2: Passage Analysis. 40 points.

Choose 2 passages from the list of 6 below, identify the author and title, and produce detailed textual analysis of each passage. Each response is worth 20 points and should be approximately 2-3 paragraphs long. Line numbers and page numbers are provided in the passages for your convenience. Feel free to consult the editions we were using in class for editorial and glossary notes.

Make sure that the passages are not from the same work: you cannot do both responses on A Bold Stroke for a Wife or on The Importance of Being Earnest. If you choose two passages from the same work, only one of them will be graded.

Passage 1:

Here Gallypots and Vials placed,

Some filled with washes, some with Paste,

Some with Pomatum, Paints and Slops, [35]

And Ointments good for scabby Chops.

Hard by a filthy Basin stands,

Fouled with the Scouring of her Hands;

The Basin takes whatever comes

The Scrapings of her Teeth and Gums, [40]

A nasty Compound of all Hues,

For here she spits, and here she spews.

But oh! it turned poor Strephon's Bowels,

When he beheld and smelt the Towels,

Begummed, bemattered, and beslimed [45]

With Dirt, and Sweat, and Ear-Wax grimed.

No Object Strephon's Eye escapes,

Here Petticoats in frowzy Heaps;

Nor be the Handkerchiefs forgot

All varnished o'er with Snuff and Snot. [50]

The Stockings, why should I expose,

Stained with the Marks of stinking Toes;

Or greasy Coifs and Pinners reeking,

Which Celia slept at least a Week in?

A Pair of Tweezers next he found [55]

To pluck her Brows in Arches round,

Or Hairs that sink the Forehead low,

Or on her Chin like Bristles grow.

The Virtues we must not let pass,

Of Celia's magnifying Glass. [60]

When frighted Strephon cast his Eye on't

It showed the Visage of a Giant.

A Glass that can to Sight disclose,

The smallest Worm in Celia's Nose,

And faithfully direct her Nail [65]

To squeeze it out from Head to Tail;

For catch it nicely by the Head,

It must come out alive or dead.

Why Strephon will you tell the rest?

And must you needs describe the Chest? [70]

That careless Wench! no Creature warn her

To move it out from yonder Corner;

But leave it standing full in Sight

For you to exercise your Spite.

In vain, the Workman showed his Wit [75]

With Rings and Hinges counterfeit

To make it seem in this Disguise,

A Cabinet to vulgar Eyes;

For Strephon ventured to look in,

Resolved to go thro'thick and thin; [80]

He lifts the Lid, there needs no more,

He smelt it all the Time before.

Passage 2

41    And now, without Respect or Fear,

42   He seeks the Objects of his Vows;

43   His Love no Modesty allows:

44   By swift degrees advancing where

45   His daring Hand that Alter seiz'd,

46   Where Gods of Love do Sacrifice;

47   That awful Throne, that Paradise,

48   Where Rage is tam'd, and Anger pleas'd;

49   That Living Fountain, from whose Trills

50 The melted Soul in liquid Drops distils.

##

Her balmy Lips encountring his,

52   Their Bodies as their Souls are joyn'd,

53   Where both in Transports were confin'd,

54   Extend themselves upon the Moss.

55   Cloris half dead and breathless lay,

56   Her Eyes appear'd like humid Light,

57   Such as divides the Day and Night;

58   Or falling Stars, whose Fires decay;

59   And now no signs of Life she shows,

60But what in short-breath-sighs returns and goes.

##

He saw how at her length she lay,

62   He saw her rising Bosom bare,

63   Her loose thin Robes, through which appear

64   A Shape design'd for Love and Play;

65   Abandon'd by her Pride and Shame,

66   She do's her softest Sweets dispence,

67   Offring her Virgin-Innocence

68   A Victim to Loves Sacred Flame ;

69   Whilst th' or'e ravish'd Shepherd lies,

70   Unable to perform the Sacrifice.

##

71   Ready to taste a Thousand Joys,

72   Thee too transported hapless Swain,

73   Found the vast Pleasure turn'd to Pain :

74  Pleasure, which too much Love destroys!

75   The willing Garments by he laid,

76   And Heav'n all open to his view ;

77   Mad to possess, himself he threw

78   On the defenceless lovely Maid.

79   But oh ! what envious Gods conspire

80To snatch his Pow'r, yet leave him the Desire !

##

81  Natures support, without whose Aid

82   She can no humane Being give,

83   It self now wants the Art to live,

84   Faintness it slacken'd Nerves invade :

85   In vain th' enraged Youth assaid

86   To call his fleeting Vigour back,

87  No Motion 'twill from Motion take,

88   Excess of Love his Love betray'd ;

89   In vain he Toils, in vain Commands,

90Th' Insensible fell weeping in his Hands.

Passage 3:

Enter Obadiah Prim.

41 OBADIAH PRIM Not stripped of thy vanity yet, Anne? Why dost not thou make her put it off, Sarah?

MRS. PRIM She will not do it.

OBADIAH PRIM Verily, thy naked breasts troubleth my outward man; I pray 45 thee hide 'em, Anne; put on ahandkerchief, Anne Lovely.

MRS. LOVELY I hate handkerchiefs when 'tis not cold weather, Mr. Prim.

MRS. PRIM I have seen thee wear a handkerchief; nay, and a mask to boot, in the middle of July.

MRS. LOVELY Aye, to keep the sun from scorching me.

50 OBADIAH PRIM If thou couldst not bear the sunbeams, how dost thou think man should bearthy beams? Those breasts inflame desire; let them be hid, I say.

MRS. LOVELY Let me be quiet, I say. Must I be tormented thus forever? Sure no woman's condition ever equalled mine; foppery, folly, avarice, and hypocrisy are by turns my constant companions, and I must vary shapes as often as a player. I cannot think my father meant this tyranny! No; you usurp an authority which he never intended you should take.

OBADIAH PRIM Hark thee, dost thou call good counsel tyranny? Do I, or my

60 wife, tyrannize when we desire thee in all love to put off thy tempting attire and veil thy provokers to sin?

MRS. LOVELY Deliver me, good heaven! Or I shall go distracted. (Walks about.) MRS. PRIM So! Now thy pinners are tossed and thy breasts pulled up;

65 verily they were seen enough before; fie upon the filthy tailor who made them stays. MRS. LOVELY I wish I were in my grave! Kill me rather than treat me thus.

OBADIAH PRIM Kill thee! Ha, ha; thou think'st thou art acting some lewd play sure; kill thee! Art thou prepared for death, Anne Lovely? No,

70 no, thou wouldst rather have a husband, Anne. Thou wantest a gilt coach with six lazy fellows

behind to flaunt it in the ring of vanity among the princes and rulers of the land, who pamper themselves with the fatness thereof; but I will take care that none shall squander away thy

father's estate; thou

75 shalt marry none such, Anne.

MRS. LOVELY Would you marry me to one of your own canting sect?

OBADIAH PRIM Yea, verily, none else shall ever get my consent, I do assure thee, Anne. MRS. LOVELY And I do assure thee, Obadiah, that I will as soon turn papist

80 and die in a convent.

MRS. PRIM Oh wickedness!

MRS. LOVELY Oh stupidity!

OBADIAH PRIM Oh blindness of heart!

MRS. LOVELY [Aside to Prim.] Thou blinder of the world, don't provoke me,

85 lest I betray your sanctity and leave your wife to judge of your purity. What were the

emotions of your spirit when you squeezed Mary by the hand last night in the pantry, when she

told you, you bussed so filthily? Ah! You had no aversion to naked bosoms when you begged her

to show you a little, lit

90 tle, little bit of her delicious bubby. Don't you remember those words, Mr. Prim? MRS. PRIM What does she say, Obadiah?

OBADIAH PRIM She talketh unintelligibly, Sarah. (Aside.) Which way did she hearthis? This

should not have reached the ears of the

95 wicked ones; verily, it troubleth me.

Passage 4:

Enter Tradelove

88 FREEMAN Zounds! Mr. Tradelove, we're bit it seems.

TRADELOVE Bit do you call it, Mr. Freeman, I am ruined! Pox on your

90 news

FREEMAN Pox on the rascal that sent it me.

TRADELOVE Sent it you'Why Gabriel Skinflint has been at the minister's and spoke with him, and he has assured him 'tis every syllable false, he received no such express.

95 FREEMAN I know it. I this minute parted with my friend, who protested he never sent me any such letter. Some roguish stockjobber has done it on purpose to make me lose my money, that's certain I wish I knew who he was, I'd make him repent it — I have lost three hundred pounds by it.

100 TRADELOVE What signifies your three hundred pounds to what I have lost? There's two thousand pounds to that Dutchman with the cursed long name, besides the stock I bought, the   devil! I could tearmy flesh. I must never show my face upon Change more, for, by my soul, I  can't pay it.

105 FREEMAN I am heartily sorry for't! What can I serve you in? Shall I speak to the Dutch merchant and try to get you time for the payment?

TRADELOVE Time! Adsheart! I shall never be able to lookup again.

FREEMAN I am very much concerned that I was the occasion and wish I

110 could be an instrument of retrieving your misfortune; for my own, I value it not — Adso! A thought comes into my head, that well improved, maybe of service.

TRADELOVE Ah! There's no thought can be of any service tome, without paying the money or running away.

115 FREEMAN How do you know? What do you think of my proposing Mrs. Lovely to him?   He is a single man, and I heard him say he had a mind to marry an Englishwoman. Nay, more   than that, he said somebody told him, you had a pretty ward. He wished you had bether instead of your money.

120 TRADELOVE Aye, but he'd be hanged before he'd take her instead of the money; the Dutch are too covetous for that; besides, he did not know that there were three of us, I suppose

FREEMAN So much the better; you may venture to give him your con sent, if he'll but forgive you the wager. It is not your business

125 to tell him that your consent will signify nothing.

TRADELOVE That's right, as you say, but will he do it, think you?

FREEMAN I can't tell that; but I'll try what I can do with him. He has promised me to meet me here an hour hence; I'll feel his pulse and let you know. If I find it feasible, I'll send for you; if  130 not, you are at liberty to take what measures you please.

TRADELOVE You must extol her beauty, double her portion, and tell him I have the entire

disposal other, and that she can't marry with out my consent; and that I am a covetous rogue and will never part with her without a valuable consideration.

FREEMAN Aye, aye, let me alone for a he at a pinch.

135 TRADELOVE Egad, if you can bring this to bear, Mr Freeman, I'll make you whole again; I'll pay the three hundred pounds you lost, with all my soul.

FREEMAN Well, I'll use my best endeavors. Where will you be?

TRADELOVE At home; pray heaven you prosper. If I were but the sole

140 trustee now, I should not fear it. Who the devil would be a guardian,

If when cash runs low, our coffers t'enlarge,

We can't, like other stocks, transfer our charge? (Exit.)

Passage 5:

[page 8]

LADY BRACKNELL

I'm sorry if we are a little late, Algernon, but I was obliged to call on dear Lady Harbury. I hadn't been there since her poor husband's death. I never saw a woman so altered; she looks quite

twenty years younger. And now I'll have a cup of tea, and one of those nice cucumber

sandwiches you promised me. […]

I had some crumpets with Lady Harbury, who seems tome to be living entirely for pleasure now. ALGERNON

I hear her hair has turned quite gold from grief.

LADY BRACKNELL

It certainly has changed its colour. From what cause I, of course, cannot say.

[Algernon crosses and hands tea.]

[page 9]

Thankyou. I've quite a treat for you to-night, Algernon. I am going to send you down with Mary Farquhar. She is such a nice woman, and so attentive to her husband. It's delightful to watch

them.

ALGERNON

I am afraid, Aunt Augusta, I shall have to give up the pleasure of dining with you to-night after all.

LADY BRACKNELL

[Frowning.]

I hope not, Algernon. It would put my table completely out. Your uncle would have to dine upstairs. Fortunately he is accustomed to that.

ALGERNON

It is a great bore, and, I need hardly say, a terrible disappointment tome, but the fact is I have just had a telegram to say that my poor friend Bunbury is very ill again.

[Exchanges glances with Jack.]

They seem to think I should be with him.

LADY BRACKNELL

It is very strange. This Mr. Bunbury seems to suffer from curiously bad health. ALGERNON

Yes; poor Bunbury is a dreadful invalid.

LADY BRACKNELL

Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind

whether he was going to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the question is absurd. Nor do I in anyway approve of the modern sympathy with invalids. I consider it morbid. Illness of any

kind is hardly a thing to be encouraged in others. Health is the primary duty of life. I am always telling that to your poor uncle, but he never seems to take much notice ... as far as any

improvement in his ailments goes. I should be much obliged if you would ask Mr. Bunbury,

from me, to be kind enough not to have a relapse on Saturday, for I rely on you to arrange my

music forme. It is my last reception, and one wants something that will encourage conversation,  particularly at the end of the season when everyone has practically said whatever they had to say, which, in most cases, was probably not much.

ALGERNON

I'll speak to Bunbury, Aunt Augusta, if he is still conscious, and I think I can promise you he'll be all right by Saturday. Of course the music is a great difficulty. You see, if one plays good

music, people don't listen, and if one plays bad music people don't talk. But I'll run over the programme I've drawn out, if you will kindly come into the next room for a moment.

LADY BRACKNELL

Thankyou,Algernon. It is very thoughtful of you.

[Rising, and following Algernon.]

I'm sure the programme will be delightful, after a few expurgations. French songs I cannot

possibly allow. People always seem to think that they are improper, and either look shocked, which is vulgar, or laugh, which is worse. But German sounds a thoroughly respectable

language, and indeed, I believe is so.

Passage 6:

[page 43]

GWENDOLEN

The fact that they did not follow us at once into the house, as anyone else would have done, seems tome to show that they have some sense of shame left.

CECILY

They have been eating muffins. That looks like repentance.

GWENDOLEN

[After a pause.]

They don't seem to notice us at all. Couldn't you cough?

CECILY

But I haven't got a cough.

GWENDOLEN

They're looking at us. What effrontery!

CECILY

They're approaching. That's very forward of them.

GWENDOLEN

Let us preserve a dignified silence.

CECILY

Certainly. It 's the only thing to do now.

[Enter Jack followed by Algernon. They whistle some dreadful popular air from a British Opera.]

GWENDOLEN

This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.

CECILY

A most distasteful one.

GWENDOLEN

But we will not be the first to speak.

CECILY

Certainly not.

GWENDOLEN

Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.

CECILY

Gwendolen, your common sense is invaluable. Mr. Moncrieff, kindly answer me the following question. Why did you pretend to be my guardian's brother?

ALGERNON

In order that I might have an opportunity of meeting you.

CECILY

[To Gwendolen.]

That certainly seems a satisfactory explanation, does it not?

GWENDOLEN

Yes, dear, if you can believe him.

[page 44]

CECILY

I don't. But that does not affect the wonderful beauty of his answer.

GWENDOLEN

True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing. Mr. Worthing, what   explanation can you offer tome for pretending to have a brother? Was it in order that you might have an opportunity of coming up to town to see me as often as possible?

JACK

Can you doubt it, Miss Fairfax?

GWENDOLEN

I have the gravest doubts upon the subject. But I intend to crush them. This is not the moment for German scepticism.

[Moving to Cecily.]

Their explanations appear to be quite satisfactory, especially Mr. Worthing's. That seems tome to have the stamp of truth upon it.

CECILY

I am more than content with what Mr. Moncrieff said. His voice alone inspires one with absolute credulity.

GWENDOLEN

Then you think we should forgive them?

CECILY

Yes. I mean no.

GWENDOLEN

True! I had forgotten. There are principles at stake that one cannot surrender. Which of us should tell them? The task is not a pleasant one.

CECILY

Could we not both speak at the sametime?

GWENDOLEN

An excellent idea! I nearly always speak at the sametime as other people. Will you take the time from me?

CECILY

Certainly.

[Gwendolen beats time with uplifted finger.]

GWENDOLEN and CECILY

[Speaking together.]

Your Christian names are still an insuperable barrier. That is all!

JACK and ALGERNON

[Speaking together.]

Our Christian names! Is that all? But we are going to be christened this afternoon. GWENDOLEN

[To Jack.]

For my sake you are prepared to do this terrible thing?

JACK

I am.

CECILY

[To Algernon.]

To please me you are ready to face this fearful ordeal?

ALGERNON

I am!

GWENDOLEN

How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes!

Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us.

JACK

We are.

[Clasps hands with Algernon.]

CECILY

They have moments of physical courage of which we women know absolutely nothing. GWENDOLEN

[To Jack.]

Darling!

ALGERNON

[To Cecily.]

Darling!

[They fall into each other's arms.]

Part 3: Theories of comedy/humour. 30 points.

Choose 1 primary work we have covered so far, with the exception of the primary work you have used for your short essay. Discuss how the comedy/humour of this primary work can be interpreted through the lens of 2 theories we have discussed.

For definitions of the theories, please consult lecture slides, our class discussion, and the relevant secondary sources listed on the syllabus (please see the handout from Week 6 “midterm

resource: theories of comedy and humour).

Theory options:

1) Superiority Theory (the traditional version or Gruner’srecent variation) 2) Incongruity Theory

3) Relief Theory (Victorian or as theorized by Freud)

4) Benign Violation Theory