As a matter of fact, Wilde’s short stories are among the seminal pieces of social criticism at the turn of the 19th century. In the end, the results put forward the fact that there is a much deeper critical aspect to Wilde’s work than the generally accepted idea of him as an adherent of the ‘art for art’s sake’ ideology. These different interpretations of the themes key to the thesis are brought together in order to paint a vivid picture of Wilde’s use of irony in his attacks on the established Victorian social mores. The main body of the text is comprised of criticism by several prominent academics including Wilde himself. Therefore, this thesis deals with two of his most famous short stories: ‘The Model Millionaire’ and ‘The Canterville Ghost’. Even though this can be noticed throughout Wilde’s entire oeuvre, a very powerful genre through which he realized this objective is the short story. ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to examine Oscar Wilde’s use of irony and humor against the core values of the Victorian Era.
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