Dr. Frederick Chasuble

Dr. Frederick Chasuble

1. Attitudes

   • Love and Marriage
     • Interactions with Miss Prism
       • Says of Miss Prism, 'I must not disturb Egeria and her pupil any longer'
         • Humorously Miss Prism does not get the classical reference, thus suggesting her intellectual demeanour is little more than a facade to enforce her identity as a respectable, intellectual, governess.
         • Egeria the nymph who instructed the king of Rome on the art of judicial responsibility, government and self-discipline.
           • Views her idealistically, LB:'... Is this Miss Prism a female of repellent aspect, remotely connected with education?' Chasuble: 'She is the most cultivated of ladies, and the very picture of respectability.'
     • His celibacy mentioned a couple of time throughout the play
       • 'I am a celibate, madam.'
       • Miss Prism: '... this very celibacy leads weaker vessels astray.'
       • "The precept as well as the practise of the Primitive Church was distinctly against matrimony.'
         • Humour then when he eventually rejects doctrine with no real reason or prompt, and passionately declares his love to Miss Prism at the end, implying a third engagement/
           • Symbolises Wilde's view of the church as stuffy, pedantic, only happy ending for a man of the church could be to go against it and give into melodramatic impulse
   • Propriety/Religion
     • Willing to baptise the two Ernests and seminally sacrifice the sacred nature of the practise
       • Use of language almost as casual as Jack's
         • 'You need have no apprehensions. Sprinkling is all that is necessary, or I believe advisable. Our weather is so changeable. at what hour do you wish the ceremony to be performed.'
           • Inclusion of the comment of the weather- blending what is traditionally a very spiritual ceremony with periphrastic comments about the weather
     • Sees Jack as 'not one of those whose sole aim is enjoyment'
       • Reflects Miss Prisms attitudes towards Jack- again showing the deceptions and pointlessness of trying to judge someones respectability, most of the time it is a facade.
     • 'However as your (Jack's) present mood seem to be one peculiarly secular, I will return to the church at once.'

2. How he fits key motifs

   • Satire
     • Similar to Miss Prism repetition of moralistic phrases Wilde also satirises the void nature of church sermons and how teaching form the bible have such little real world application that they can be applied to nearly any situation.
       • Link to context, Wilde not making an serious comment on the possible existence of god, simply satirising the institution that was losing its power with the raise of darwinism and ideas of self-determination, showing the church as little more than a institution to pander to the desires of the upper classes.
       • 'My sermon on the meaning of the manna in the wilderness can be adapted to almost any occasion, joyful, or, as in the present case, distressing.'
       • Focus also on impressing Jack and possible social standing that may be gained from this, not so subtle, name dropping- 'The last time I performed it was in the cathedral, as a charity sermon on behalf of the Society of the Prevention of Discontent among the Upper Orders. The Bishop, who was present, was much stock by come of the analogies I drew.'
         • Detail of the 'Society of the Prevention of Discontent among the Upper Orders' a comedic reference to Wilde's satirisation of the church as little more than an institution to pander to the rich, traditionally would be presented as the 'lower orders' that the church would focus its charity on- Wilde humorously removes this pretence.

3. Language

   • Metaphors and teachings
     • Flirtation echo Miss Prism's with the use of metaphors, 'Were I fortunate enough to be Miss Prism's pupil I would hang upon her lips. [Miss Prism glares].- My metaphor was drawn from bees.'
     • Also seems to punctuate speech with moralistic piece of advise, like Prism
       • [Raising his hand.] 'Charity, dear Miss Prism, charity!'
       • 'I am grieved to hear such sentiments from you Mr. Worthing. They savour the heretical views of the Anabaptists, views that I have completely refuted in four of my unpublished sermons.'
   • Points where language slips
     • Like Miss Prism with the discussion of marriage and stronger expression of his desires.
   • Manner of speech satirises the 'typical' country vicars who gives fatherly advice and is absent minded
     • Mocks repetitive speech of archetypal country clergy man, 'Perfectly, perfectly!', 'Admirably! Admirably', "My child!, My Child!'