Oscar Wildes

THOU DOTH SHALT HAST THINE NAY THY ART THEE NIGH DOST

Some of the words used in The Star-Child are from an old-fashioned version of English. See if you can match up the words to their modern meanings (a lot of them sound very similar!)

The Star-Child
NO SHALL YOURS YOU (Singular) YOUR NEAR DOES SHALL HAVE ARE DO

Shakespeares Romeo & Juliet, O Romeo! Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde. Hazelle

Can you translate this passage into modern English?

Thou art mad to say so, cried the Star-Child angrily. I am no son of thine, for thou art a beggar, and ugly, and in rags. Therefore get thee hence, and let me see thy foul face no more.

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Other old words used in The Star-Child include: bade (bid), careth (care), feedeth (feed), wilt (will), cometh (come), morrow (the next day, like tomorrow), wherefore (where), sitteth (sit), knowest (know), shouldst (should), hence (here), drave (drove), mine (my), canst (cannot), spake (spoke or said), thrice (three times).

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

CREATIVE WRITING TASK

- Romantic view of the situation (idealised, glamourised) When something is made to sound much nicer than it is.

It was winter, and a night of bitter cold. The snow lay thick upon the ground

becomes
'The Earth is going to be married, and this is her bridal dress,' whispered the Turtle-doves to each other. Their little pink feet were quite frost-bitten, but they felt that it was their duty to take a romantic view of the situation.
Can you change the way these are described to a romantic view. e.g. The tall skyscraper spoilt the beautiful city view

The powerful structure stood tall and proud like it was watching over its people in the streets below. The street was so icy, people were falling over and hitting their heads. _______________________________________________

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05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde. Hazelle

ELEMENTS OF A STORY
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ theme plot exposition rising action conflict climax falling action resolution flat character rounded character protagonist antagonist tone setting autobiography first person third person point of view symbolism short story 1) the hero or good person in the story 2) story told in first person and is a true story 3) something that stands for something else 4) story told from the "I" point of view 5) set of actions bringing the story to an end 6) the author's attitude toward the subject of his/her writing 7) the opposing force(s) between the protagonist and antagonist 8) where a story takes place 9) plot in the story that builds to the climax 10) the high point of the story when the conflict is resolved 11) come across as real people 12) the force that opposes the protagonist 13) to chart a course 14) position from which the story is told to the reader 15) a piece of prose that can be read in one sitting 16) the main idea or message of the story 17) story told from the "he she they" point of view 18) stereotype 19) background information
20) "wrap up" of the story plot

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

SIMILE
- the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more vivid.
he was white and delicate as sawn ivory, and his curls were like the petals of a red flower, and his eyes were like violets by a river of pure water, and his body like the narcissus of a field where the mower comes not. The Star-Child Can you come up with some of your own? o Brave as a o She was crazy like a o He was as evil as o Her hair was black like o His eyes were as red as. o As dull as o The math test was as easy as o The man ran as fast as

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

Oscar Wildes
BEAUTIFUL

The Star-Child
DELICATE SELFISH

CRUEL EVIL MASTER NOBLE PROUD KIND

The Star-Child goes through several changes in this story. Can you draw a picture of what you think the Star-Child looks like at the beginning of the story and then what he looks like after he rejected his mother.
Before

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After

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05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde. Hazelle

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

CLOSE READING
Now this wood was very fair to look at from without, and seemed full of singing birds and of sweet-scented flowers, and the Star-Child entered it gladly. Yet did its beauty profit him little, for wherever he went harsh briars and thorns shot up from the ground and encompassed him, and evil nettles stung him, and the thistle pierced him with her daggers, so that he was in sore distress.

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

Oscar Wildes
PLOT SUMMARY

The Star-Child

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle

16 - theme 13 - plot 19 - exposition 9 - rising action 7 - conflict 10 - climax 5 - falling action 20 - resolution 18 - flat character 11 - rounded character 1 - protagonist 12 - antagonist 6 - tone 8 - setting 2 - autobiography 4 - first person 17 - third person 14 - point of view 3 - symbolism 15 - short story

05/10/11. The Star-Child, Oscar Wilde.

Hazelle