--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Examinations, sir, are pure humbug from…" description: "\"Examinations, sir, are pure humbug from beginning to end. If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he kno..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/oscar-wilde-16_ends_examinations-sir-are-pure-humbug-from-be_2124645.jpg" --- # Examinations, sir, are pure humbug from beginning to end… ![“Examinations, sir, are pure humbug from beginning to end. If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he knows is bad for him.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/oscar-wilde-16_ends_examinations-sir-are-pure-humbug-from-be_2124645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/oscar-wilde-16_ends_examinations-sir-are-pure-humbug-from-be_2124645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daf/oscar-wilde-16_ends_examinations-sir-are-pure-humbug-from-be_2124645.jpg) > “Examinations, sir, are pure humbug from beginning to end. If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he knows is bad for him.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker dismisses exams as pointless, claiming true knowledge belongs to gentlemen, while others suffer from useless learning. **In simple terms:** Exams are useless unless you already know enough. Key Takeaway Question the value of formal testing. Themes education elitism knowledge testing society Mood skeptical witty Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - school - professional certification - self‑assessment - learning policies - academic culture Key Concepts critical thinking social critique philosophy of education Questions to Reflect On - Do exams truly measure ability? - Can anyone be a gentleman without formal tests? A Different Perspective Not all knowledge is useless; exams can reveal gaps and motivate growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Examination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examination/) [Examinations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examinations/) [Examinations Sir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examinations-sir-4351998/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Gentleman Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman-knows-1955830/) [Humbug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbug/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Man Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-gentleman-349136/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) ## Related quotes > [“If a man is a gentleman, he knows quite enough, and if he is not a gentleman, whatever he knows is bad for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-a-man-is-a-gentleman-he-knows-quite-enough-and-if-he-is-not-a/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-examinations-the-foolish-ask-questions-that-the-wise-cannot-answer/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In examinations, the foolish ask questions the wise cannot answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-examinations-the-foolish-ask-questions-the-wise-cannot-answer/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“A large number of students don’t read to understand, they read because an examination is around the corner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/a-large-number-of-students-don-t-read-to-understand-they-read-because/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Students should not feel as if they had missed the boat if they failed examinations and should be presented with more opportunities to further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-muscat/students-should-not-feel-as-if-they-had-missed-the-boat-if-they/) [Joseph Muscat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-muscat/) > [And finally I begin to have such a success in my examinations that I found myself in a career you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-finally-i-begin-to-have-such-a-success-in-my-examinations-that-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Though the academic authorities are actually proud of conducting everything by means of Examinations, they seldom indulge in what religious people used to descibe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/though-the-academic-authorities-are-actually-proud-of-conducting/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I wasn't good at examinations, but I went to a very good secondary school - Bolton-on-Dearne - with wonderful teachers, who taught me drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/i-wasn-t-good-at-examinations-but-i-went-to-a-very-good-secondary/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [“Half of what students learn in school is useful only during examinations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/half-of-what-students-learn-in-school-is-useful-only-during/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [There are cases where examinations are admitted, namely, before the coroner, and before magistrates in cases of felony. That appears to me to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/there-are-cases-where-examinations-are-admitted-namely-before-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Examinations consist of the foolish asking questions the wise cannot answer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/examinations-consist-of-the-foolish-asking-questions-the-wise-cannot/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [A gentleman knows when to call her sexy and when to let her know shes beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-rogers/a-gentleman-knows-when-to-call-her-sexy-and-when-to-let-her-know-shes/) [Sydney Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-rogers/) > [A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-gentleman-is-someone-who-knows-how-to-play-the-banjo-and-doesn-t/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“An English gentleman is someone who knows exactly when to stop being one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rodale/an-english-gentleman-is-someone-who-knows-exactly-when-to-stop-being/) [Maya Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rodale/) > [I like to be bought flowers and taken out for dinner. I like a man to be a gentleman. I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/i-like-to-be-bought-flowers-and-taken-out-for-dinner-i-like-a-man-to/) [Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. 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For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. 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