Due Tuesday, November 26th - "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde - Act III
Overview and Directions:
If you have not done so, please compose and post the previous blog response for Acts I and II.
Finish reading the play.
Watch the London production of Act III from 2015, below. It will give you a taste of the live performance and pacing.
For this post, please choose 1-2 of your favorite quotations from the play and discuss, in detail, why you love the lines and/or exchanges. Be sure to make connections to the themes addressed in the previous blog: Aestheticism, religion, education, marriage, relationships, social standing, or any combination of the aforementioned.
Have fun with this post. We will begin a writing experience on Wilde before the Thanksgiving recess. When you return, we will explore the work of Jhumpa Lahiri, Franz Kafka, Nikolai Gogol, and writings from the Bhagavad Gita. I look forward to your responses.
Though the entire beauty behind The Importance of Being Earnest lies in the comedic lines given throughout the entire play, my overall favorite scene was when Jack and Algernon had just faced the climax of the story, but their characters aren't completely overwhelmed- but they are completely relaxed and hardly focusing on the main issue at hand. They’re arguing over these muffins like their more important than the engagements they have gotten themselves into. Wilde even points this out when Jack argues, “How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You Seem to me to be perfectly heartless.” Completely contradicting this statement, Jack eventually tries to get a muffin afterwards. This scene was so funny to me, especially watching it in the London Production. After the men are finished arguing over the muffins and go to finish the conversation with the ladies about their bunburying, they come in whistling, as if to show a sense of happiness and that they are not troubled by what is currently happening to them! They’re so carefree, it’s ridiculous and hilarious. Watching the women be overwhelmed with the situation of the men's false identity and analyzing every answer the men give, made me realize how it addresses marriages. I feel like Wilde picks at the idea that these couples don’t know each other at all in how the girls don’t know their true names. By having the men argue like children over who will get the last muffins, it shows how immature they are within their relationships. Overall, I loved this play a lot and I’m even forcing my mom to read it because I know she will love it too.
I can’t believe that marrying cousins is something that was considered acceptable at the time. The nobility had limited options to marry, but still… However, as before, there are many exchanges and small plot lines that are comedic and really stupid things for the characters to say. Jack tells Gwendolen “that I always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn’t I? Well, it is Ernest after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.” This is a really poor justification of his Bunburying, since Jack had no idea that he was actually named Earnest in the first place, that was the just the name of his made up persona. It is by coincidence, pure and simple, that Jack actually turned out to have Earnest as his given name. The resistance that Lady Bracknell displayed to letting her daughter marry off to Jack is representative of the importance of the institution. Divorce wasn’t commonplace, and since Gwendolen was Lady Bracknell’s only daughter, there was a lot riding on her marriage.
What is really bizarre is how Miss Prism is berated by both Cecily and Lady Bracknell for writing a soppy work of fiction, and Oscar Wilde continuously attacked the form of the novel by his contemporaries, and yet “The Importance of Being Earnest” ended up all trying up together in a neat little ribbon. Everything came together, and very character, even those who seemed to be auxiliary, like Miss Prism. The men got their women, and the scene was more perfect than any of the characters could have imagined. However, the level of comedy was probably unsurpassed at the time, and the play reflected the values of the Aesthetic movement. Scenes are ornate an pretty, and so many of the lines don’t really have any point in, such as the exchanges, such as the fact that jack mentions that “I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?” Several lines up, earlier in Act III, Jack mentions that it is impossible that he has a brother. However, these moments were among my favorite, since they were just the babble of those so unwilling to accept the possibility that they could be wrong.
Although the ending did end perfectly, there were no major themes that the reader was to walk away with. In this case, Wilde did create a work reflective upon the ideals of Aestheticism, art for art’s sake. “The Importance of Being Earnest” needs to no point, it just is.
Gwendolen: True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing. Mr. Worthing, what explanation can you offer to me 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?
This line embodies Wilde’s purpose for writing the play as it mimics the shallowness of a classic comedy. Gwendolyn is asking Jack to tell her what she wants to hear so that they can make up and therefore produce a resolution. The characters suddenly forgive each other and a lesson is learned so the audience can feel good. Wilde criticizes this predictable plot in this line as Gwendolyn is able to forget her doubts and accept Mr. Worthing again, even though he has lied to her about a huge part of his life. Although she knows he is not honest she still wants to marry him. He has created the perfect example of his view of marriage in this scene, by exposing his characters low standards of moral. Gwendolyn decides whether or not they should forgive Algernon and Jack based on their delivery of apology instead of the meaning behind it. This line proves Wilde weighs the importance of a statement based on its beauty and execution, because if something is worth being said it will be said beautifully. I love this line, because I am able to see how Wilde saw the world through his writing.
1. Jack:...” Christian names, Ernest John. [Puts book very quietly down and speaks quite calmly.] I always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn’t I? Well, it is Ernest after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.” I really liked this quote and thought that it was such a witty way to end the play. After all of this time of Jack pretending to be Ernest, the story really comes around into full circle when we find out that his name was actually Ernest all along. I also thought it was quite funny how Jack then asks Gwendolen if he can ever forgive him for telling the truth and i thought that it was an interesting Oxymoron. I feel like this scene also describes many of the ideals of Aestheticism in it. This seems to be another very big and astonishing revelation in the play yet it is truly of no great deep meaning or philosophical questioning. It is simply that a man’s fake name ended up actually being his real name. It’s a silly and simple event yet it’s enjoyable to the audience and that’s the only reason that it’s there in the play; to be enjoyed by the audience which is what aestheticism is about.
2. “Algernon: [Airily.] Oh! I killed Bunbury this afternoon. I mean poor Bunbury died this afternoon. Lady Bracknell: What did he die of? Algernon: Bunbury? Oh, he was quite exploded.” I also really liked this scene in the play because it is so funny and a very believable moment. In more serious plays the characters never mess up or make a lot of silly mistakes. But this is exactly what Algernon does throughout the play and it is so funny how he makes up how his fake friend died that same day, on the spot while he was talking to Lady Bracknell. He first says that he killed him, then that he died and then that he exploded. How odd and absurd and it is more amusing that the proper and intelligent Lady Bracknell believes all of these crazy lies. I feel like this is one of the ways that Oscar Wilde incorporated comedy and satire into this work for it is such a hilarious and over exaggerated explanation.
“Gwendolen: From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceived in such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right.”
“Jack: . . . Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?”
These quotes are two of my favorites from The Importance of Being Earnest. They are quite similar to each other in that both Jack and Gwendolen contradict what they so confidently said previously. When Gwendolen and Cecily meet for the first time, Gwendolen says that she knows they are going to be like sisters, but then once she finds out that Cecily is also engaged to a man named Earnest, her attitude makes a complete 180 degree turn. But then she says that her “first impressions of people are invariably right,” denying everything she said only a few minutes prior. The second quote is said when Jack learns about his true identity. In Act II, he reveals to Gwendolen and Cecily that he actually does not have a brother, but in this quote he claims, “I always said I had a brother” and then blames Cecily for doubting him! Through this quote it can be seen that Wilde always like to be in the right, so he suggests that instead of admitting to a wrong, one should insist that they have been right all along and convince the other person that they are the crazy one. Confidence is key, in Wilde’s eyes. If one is confident about anything, then no one will deny it. I find it so funny that Jack is extremely happy about Algy being his brother because not so long ago, he was angrily forcing Algy to take the train back to London. Wilde is making fun of the shallowness of people, particularly British people during the Victorian era, who seem thoughtful and elegant on the outside. In this play, there is no clear moral except that of Wilde making fun of English society, and the ending where all the couples hug each other is so trivial that one cannot help but laugh. Wilde successfully achieves the idea of “art for art’s sake” through an absurdly hilarious plot that is solely made for entertainment.
My favorite interaction was between Jack and Lady Bracknell, where Jack tells her that Cecily has “about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds. That is all. Goodbye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you”. Lady Bracknell replies, “a moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her”. Performed live from the video of the show, it made it even funnier. The point that Oscar Wilde was making with this comment, though, was on the absurdity of the class system. It’s based on nothing but superficial qualities, and anything that is considered beautiful or expensive. Immense effort is needed to rise in social classes, yet the irony is that in a single moment, Lady Bracknell changes her mind. The idea of superiority is so strongly tied to wealth and excess and unnecessary splendor that Lady Bracknell’s opinion of a person relies on it directly. She does not view Cecily as anything other than an object. Set in the later 1800s, this was even more heightened than we know today since every aspect of life depended on what social class people belonged to. Lady Bracknell is certainly an exaggerated character, but many in the upper class during Wilde’s time were similar to her. Oscar Wilde’s writing style, in general, is funny while also being serious and critical of the society he lived in. The irony is that he is from the upper class himself, so the only one he is making fun of is his own kind.
I am not fond of Lady Bracknell only started to be nice to Cecily because she found out Cecily was worth something. She even says it, “ A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time.” Though she does not say it directly, her actions imply that she will only associate with people who have money. They are only worth her time if they have money. Her way of thinking seems absurd to me, but it feeds into the humorous irony that can be seen in Oscar Wilde’s work. The humorous nature makes up for how absurd it is. When Jack found out he was named Ernest, and he had a brother, he seemed so happy. When he said “Cecily, how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?” I finally understood “The Importance of Being Ernest”. Not only is he named Ernest, but he was also being earnest all along. He never actually lied about being named Ernest or about having a brother. It seems like it, but by the end, everyone realized that he’s telling the truth. I love that not only did the story end happily, but it also tied back to the title.
I thought the ending of the play was very funny and also filled with contradictions. Oscar Wilde brilliantly resolves all the conflicts in the show by making Jack a relative of Algernon, thus producing a parent for him and allowing Lady Bracknell to approve his and Gwendolen’s marriage. What makes this ending so amusing is Jack’s reaction to everything and his dialogue, which is filled with hypocritical statements. Algernon, who is probably the most brother-like figure in Jack’s life, constantly acting like a nuisance to him, is criticized by Jack who states, “Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a brother in all your life.” He also goes on to say that he’s always known he had a brother, which is not true considering earlier in the play he claimed to have no intention of having a brother. I loved this bit of dialogue because it represents the traits shared by most of the conversations throughout the play. Another bit of dialogue I liked was the conversation between Cecily and Lady Bracknell, which resembled her interview of Jack earlier in the show. After Cecily reveals she lies about her age, Lady Bracknell says “You are perfectly right in making some slight alteration. Indeed, no woman should ever be quite accurate about her age. It looks so calculating…Eighteen, but admitting to twenty at evening parties. Well, it will not be very long before you are of age and free from the restraints of tutelage. So I don’t think your guardian’s consent is, after all, a matter of any importance.” This quote is very symbolic of Lady Bracknell’s character, which is a complete stereotype of upper class women during the time of the play. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this play and discovering similarities between it and modern plays. Surprisingly such an old piece of literature contains some very striking similarities with the shows you can see nowadays in terms of comedy and formatting. It's pretty timeless.
One of my favorite quotes from the play is “To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable” -Lady Bracknell pg 33. I really like this line because it demonstrates a real human characteristic in Lady Bracknell. Throughout the play, Lady Bracknell is continuously saying witty yet cynical comments towards others regarding their wealth or status. In this line, Lady Bracknell continues with her humerus comments, however this time, she brings up a common fear held by many, the fear of someone finding out who they truly are. Regardless of who someone is, they have some sort of self confidence issue in which they try to make themselves into who someone else would want them to be. Both Algernon and Jack do this by telling the women they love that their names are Ernest in hopes that they will love them even more. Other circumstances may not be as drastic as changing ones names, but it is common for humans to say or do things that differ from who they really are for fear that their real self will not be liked. Lady Bracknell touches on this fear by encouraging couples to have short engagements so that they do not have the “opportunity” to discover the “other’s character before marriage” so that they have reason to call off the wedding. In a sense, Lady Bracknell is saying that as long as someone does not know the true you until you are married then you are fine because once you are married, they are stuck with you and cannot leave whereas before, they have the potential to leave. After learning about Oscar Wilde, I know that the line said by Lady Bracknell was not meant to have any significance whatsoever because that is the beauty of aesthetics but I couldn't help but notice the underlying human fear of judgement related in the comment. This line unbeknownst to Oscar Wilde, gives Lady Bracknell the human characteristics that she had been lacking the entire play. No longer is she seen as the cruel, power and money hungry Aunt, but rather as someone who can be empathized by all. I believe that this line shows Lady Bracknell’s own fear of not being good enough, and serves as a warning to the others to keep up any facades they have now so that they may eventually be wed.
Well that was an ending I never saw coming! While I already spoke on on of my favorite quotes in my last blog post, I discovered another gem that reveals the social standings of society. When Lady Bracknell is attempting to convince Jack to allow Cecily to marry Algernon, Jack lists to her the many grievances that he feels Algernon has acted upon him. The back and forth is golden.
Lady Bracknell: Ahem! Mr. Worthing, after careful consideration I have decided entirely to overlook my nephew’s conduct to you. Jack: That is very generous of you, Lady Bracknell. My own decision, however, is unalterable. I decline to give my consent.
There is a lot to unpack in these two lines. First, I would like to address the almost anti-aestheticism that comes with these lines. While we know that Wilde preferred to evoke emotions rather than thought, it is my belief that the hidden meaning behind these lines was meant to be taken as unsaid dialogue. We as people very rarely say entirely what we mean, especially when we are at odds with one another. It is for this reason that we can learn a lot about the social standings that affect Jack and Lady Bracknell. By “overlooking” her nephew’s conduct, Lady Bracknell is signalling to Jack that her decision should be valued higher because of her status in society. Lady Bracknell is not used to being told ‘no’, and this exchange shows it. Her diction provides the reader with the knowledge that she expects her request to be fulfilled. Jack’s response is a prime example of how the new generation gets rid of the old generation’s power. Jack first deflects the power that Lady Bracknell commands by giving ground. By calling her gesture “generous”, he concedes that she may be of higher status, but it also has a tone of rebellion. This phrasing can have a very sarcastic meaning behind it, and with it, Jack has cast aside Lady Bracknell’s “favor”. Now that they are again on equal terms, Jack takes the rhetorical highground by reenforcing his prior decision. In modern terms, Jack says ‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not changing my mind.’ This exchange is amazing because it speaks to the rebellion of the younger generation without disrupting the satirical nature of the play.
Lady Bracknell: [Sitting down again.] A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces. Wilde also instills major commentary about the disparity between social classes and the societal view of marriages. The shift in attitude of Lady Bracknell accompanied with the amazing timing of the actor in the play attached created a hilarious effect that also provided commentary on the monetary goals that the upper class focuses on. The cherry on top is her remarking how they live “in an age of surfaces.” He exaggerates Victorian ideals in the play to portray how harsh and often unrealistic they are in real life. He portrays the upper class as fickle beings who cannot come to a consensus on what they consider to be the most qualities in a groom. His background? His manners? His undying love for his partner in question? What specific plot of land he owns and how it compares to his neighbors? No, it all comes down to his name according to the two love interests, or so Wilde wants you to think. I find this dialogue below to be exceptionally hilarious because of how true it is in the context of my own life: “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.” Despite the both of them agreeing that they will not reach out to the men that wronged them first, Gwendolen caves in and speaks first anyway. It shows that much did not just rest on the way the men duped their love interests but that Cecily and Gwendolen do love them for more than just their names but the way society is structured to condition them of certain views prevent them from fully realizing their love.
This play is fantastic. There is something about theatre that is just indescribably fun to me, and The Importance of Being Earnest elicited that very feeling in me as I read it. The sheer ridiculousness of each character is portrayed with such effortless elegance and gravitas that it makes me wish I could meet Oscar Wilde himself. One of my favorite lines in the piece is when Lady Bracknell refuses her blessing for Jack to marry Gwendolen, for she tells him, “You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter—a girl brought up with the utmost care—to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel? Good morning, Mr. Worthing!” The way he writes is just beautiful. Describing Jack’s origins as “marrying into a cloak-room” is absolutely hilarious, yet also critical of the time. Although it may seem cliche, one of my other favorite lines in the play is at the very conclusion. When Jack realized his true name, he exclaims to Lady Bracknell, “On the contrary, Aunt Augusta,I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.” This single line reveals that the entire play was a set up for this one joke! I absolutely love it, and reading this piece of art was a joy. I hope to someday perform it, for as enjoyable as it is to read, it truly comes to life on the stage.
“Gwendolen: Ernest! My own Ernest! I felt from the first that you could have no other name!” and “Gwendolen: From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceived in such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right.”
I find it super interesting how throughout the play Wilde pokes fun at the idea of intuition. Time and time again characters ‘feel’ a certain way and then, oftentimes, the opinions that they have changed. I think it is Wilde’s prerogative to show how fickle the human psyche truly is. He points out that no predisposition is infallible. I think that such a sentiment is, especially today, incredibly poignant. For, the more steadfast a belief is held the more foolish one looks when they are forced to adopt a new perspective.
“Lady Bracknell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her” and “Gwendolen: True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.”
To me, lines like these seem super enigmatic; From my, admittedly rudimentary, understanding, Oscar Wilde, as a proponent of aestheticism, would argue that for a work of art to be considered true art the only purpose of said work can be to be art. However, it is clear that Wilde has a purpose in writing The Importance of Being Earnest; He pokes fun at the shallowness of elites and socialites and the hypocrisy inherent in such rigid social structures. Such a blatant meaning is juxtaposed with the fundamental principles of aestheticism as well as the obvious artistry poured into the work. I find it so ironic that Wilde can create such a spectacular work of art but tacitly prohibit his own work from being considered art through the aesthetic ideas he is the champion of.
Though the entire beauty behind The Importance of Being Earnest lies in the comedic lines given throughout the entire play, my overall favorite scene was when Jack and Algernon had just faced the climax of the story, but their characters aren't completely overwhelmed- but they are completely relaxed and hardly focusing on the main issue at hand. They’re arguing over these muffins like their more important than the engagements they have gotten themselves into. Wilde even points this out when Jack argues, “How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You Seem to me to be perfectly heartless.” Completely contradicting this statement, Jack eventually tries to get a muffin afterwards. This scene was so funny to me, especially watching it in the London Production. After the men are finished arguing over the muffins and go to finish the conversation with the ladies about their bunburying, they come in whistling, as if to show a sense of happiness and that they are not troubled by what is currently happening to them! They’re so carefree, it’s ridiculous and hilarious. Watching the women be overwhelmed with the situation of the men's false identity and analyzing every answer the men give, made me realize how it addresses marriages. I feel like Wilde picks at the idea that these couples don’t know each other at all in how the girls don’t know their true names. By having the men argue like children over who will get the last muffins, it shows how immature they are within their relationships. Overall, I loved this play a lot and I’m even forcing my mom to read it because I know she will love it too.
This was one of my favorite pieces of literature that I have ever read. The writing of Oscar Wilde is so clever, and comedic. I think what makes it so funny is that the humor is subtle, but impactful. Although all of the characters had lines that stuck out to me, the funniest character to me was Lady Bracknell. She reminded me a lot of Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey. Each of them are the oldest character and through witty lines, pokes fun at society and the other characters. My favorite quote was “The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately, in England at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.” The line was humorous to me not by its words, but by what the quote showed about the character. It was humorous to me because it represented Lady Bracknell’s age over the other characters. Due to Lady Bracknell’s age, she does not like the changes in society that are occuring. It sounded exactly like a line that Julian Fellowes would write for Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey. The line is also humorous because we all have times when the older adults in our lives say things about how society has changed since they were young, and sometimes what they are saying doesn’t have any logic, just as Lady Bracknell’s thoughts about education don’t really make sense. The writing of Oscar Wilde is humorous to us today, 100 years later, because the themes and the characters are relatable to society today.
Jack: How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can't make out. You seem to me to be perfectly heartless.
Algernon: Well, I can't eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.
Jack: I say it's perfectly heartless you're eating muffins at all, under the circumstances.
Algernon: When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me. Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as anyone who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink. At the present moment I am eating muffins because I am unhappy. Besides, I am particularly fond of muffins. [Rising]
I think this quote is hilarious. These men have both just lost the loves of their lives. And here they sit, fighting over muffins. It’s so childish, but so relatable - I’m sure everyone at some point in their life has stress eaten, or done a similar uncontrollable activity to alleviate stress. These actions are what makes the characters seem realistic, not too over dramatic. The characters have depth; they aren't just symbols for literary themes. I think this is an impressive skill that Wilde has crafted, using humor to allow for depth in his writing.
The theme of society and class is prevalent throughout the play. In Act III, there are two quotes that I like that stand out to me. One is from when Lady Bracknell says to Algernon "Never speak disrespectfully of society, Algernon. Only people who can't get into it do that."
There is also this exchange between Lady Bracknell and Jack:
Lady Bracknell: As a matter of form, Mr. Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?
Jack: Oh! about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds. That is all. Goodbye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you.
Lady Bracknell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.
I like this exchange because it's important in the sense that it reveals how much power the rich have in this society and how much money is valued, even though I don't like the actual concept of them having all that control.
This was definitely the most and the fastest thing I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor throughout this process.
“On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.”
The ending is perfect, as far as Wilde’s aesthetic tastes go. Everything is pointless and no one learns anything. Jack has cleared learned nothing about the importance of being earnest, and neither has anyone else, whereupon the two man couples go through the most insane romance and marriage that in no way could be confused with a more romantic concept of true love. Nothing anyone has done actually matters. Jack was Ernest the whole time, as well as Algy’s real brother and a man of high status. Gwendolyn doesn’t love Jack/Ernest for who he is. Cecily is still in love with the concept of Jack’s brother more than anything else. Algy is… Algy. Augusta isn’t motivated to approve anything because of the sincerity of their feelings but instead because of dollar signs and family names.
The most dramatic scene in Act III. When Gwendolen and Cecily meet, thinking they're rivals for "Ernest." Both of them are obsessed with the name Ernest. Gwendolen loves a name but an actual person. Cecily even creates her love story with Ernest, whom she has never met. When realizing that neither of their lovers are named Ernest, they become indignant and distraught. What surprises me is how eager they are to forgive Jack and Algernon. Two women want to believe the men are genuinely sorry for what they've done; even the men don't feel. While Jack and Algernon live a double life, Gwendolen and Cecily live in a virtual world and love with men in their imagination. The most dramatic coincidence is that Jack eventually discovers: the life he made up is real, but and his real life is the deception. He has indeed been both "Ernest" and "earnest" during the years he thought he was deceiving his friends and family. But when he was honest, he was a liar. The paradox is a sharp satire through which Wilde wants to reveal the absurdity of Victorian morals, values, and traditions. In this play, none of the four main characters, Jack, Algernon, Gwendolen, and Cecily, live in real life. They either invent a new life, or create a virtual life for themselves, escaping from the real world.
Gwendolen: How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes! Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us
Mrs. Bradwell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces. [To Cecily.] Come over here, dear. [Cecily goes across.] Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all that.
These are my two favorite quotes as they incorporate humor and Wilde's opinion on social values in London. We can see how Wilde's personal life is leaked into this play as he discusses the importance of women in society in a clever and ironic way through Gwendolen's lines. Apart from this, values of English society are conveyed through Mrs. Bradwells lines as she quickly switches from disliking Cecily to tolerating her after discovering her riches. I really enjoyed reading this play not only because of its humor but because it has a lot of values that society still hold to this day.
Though the entire beauty behind The Importance of Being Earnest lies in the comedic lines given throughout the entire play, my overall favorite scene was when Jack and Algernon had just faced the climax of the story, but their characters aren't completely overwhelmed- but they are completely relaxed and hardly focusing on the main issue at hand. They’re arguing over these muffins like their more important than the engagements they have gotten themselves into. Wilde even points this out when Jack argues, “How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You Seem to me to be perfectly heartless.” Completely contradicting this statement, Jack eventually tries to get a muffin afterwards. This scene was so funny to me, especially watching it in the London Production. After the men are finished arguing over the muffins and go to finish the conversation with the ladies about their bunburying, they come in whistling, as if to show a sense of happiness and that they are not troubled by what is currently happening to them! They’re so carefree, it’s ridiculous and hilarious. Watching the women be overwhelmed with the situation of the men's false identity and analyzing every answer the men give, made me realize how it addresses marriages. I feel like Wilde picks at the idea that these couples don’t know each other at all in how the girls don’t know their true names. By having the men argue like children over who will get the last muffins, it shows how immature they are within their relationships.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I loved this play a lot and I’m even forcing my mom to read it because I know she will love it too.
I can’t believe that marrying cousins is something that was considered acceptable at the time. The nobility had limited options to marry, but still… However, as before, there are many exchanges and small plot lines that are comedic and really stupid things for the characters to say. Jack tells Gwendolen “that I always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn’t I? Well, it is Ernest after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.” This is a really poor justification of his Bunburying, since Jack had no idea that he was actually named Earnest in the first place, that was the just the name of his made up persona. It is by coincidence, pure and simple, that Jack actually turned out to have Earnest as his given name. The resistance that Lady Bracknell displayed to letting her daughter marry off to Jack is representative of the importance of the institution. Divorce wasn’t commonplace, and since Gwendolen was Lady Bracknell’s only daughter, there was a lot riding on her marriage.
ReplyDeleteWhat is really bizarre is how Miss Prism is berated by both Cecily and Lady Bracknell for writing a soppy work of fiction, and Oscar Wilde continuously attacked the form of the novel by his contemporaries, and yet “The Importance of Being Earnest” ended up all trying up together in a neat little ribbon. Everything came together, and very character, even those who seemed to be auxiliary, like Miss Prism. The men got their women, and the scene was more perfect than any of the characters could have imagined. However, the level of comedy was probably unsurpassed at the time, and the play reflected the values of the Aesthetic movement. Scenes are ornate an pretty, and so many of the lines don’t really have any point in, such as the exchanges, such as the fact that jack mentions that “I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?” Several lines up, earlier in Act III, Jack mentions that it is impossible that he has a brother. However, these moments were among my favorite, since they were just the babble of those so unwilling to accept the possibility that they could be wrong.
Although the ending did end perfectly, there were no major themes that the reader was to walk away with. In this case, Wilde did create a work reflective upon the ideals of Aestheticism, art for art’s sake. “The Importance of Being Earnest” needs to no point, it just is.
ReplyDeleteGwendolen: True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing. Mr. Worthing, what explanation can you offer to me 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?
This line embodies Wilde’s purpose for writing the play as it mimics the shallowness of a classic comedy. Gwendolyn is asking Jack to tell her what she wants to hear so that they can make up and therefore produce a resolution. The characters suddenly forgive each other and a lesson is learned so the audience can feel good. Wilde criticizes this predictable plot in this line as Gwendolyn is able to forget her doubts and accept Mr. Worthing again, even though he has lied to her about a huge part of his life. Although she knows he is not honest she still wants to marry him. He has created the perfect example of his view of marriage in this scene, by exposing his characters low standards of moral. Gwendolyn decides whether or not they should forgive Algernon and Jack based on their delivery of apology instead of the meaning behind it. This line proves Wilde weighs the importance of a statement based on its beauty and execution, because if something is worth being said it will be said beautifully. I love this line, because I am able to see how Wilde saw the world through his writing.
1. Jack:...” Christian names, Ernest John. [Puts book very quietly down and speaks quite calmly.] I always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn’t I? Well, it is Ernest after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.”
ReplyDeleteI really liked this quote and thought that it was such a witty way to end the play. After all of this time of Jack pretending to be Ernest, the story really comes around into full circle when we find out that his name was actually Ernest all along. I also thought it was quite funny how Jack then asks Gwendolen if he can ever forgive him for telling the truth and i thought that it was an interesting Oxymoron. I feel like this scene also describes many of the ideals of Aestheticism in it. This seems to be another very big and astonishing revelation in the play yet it is truly of no great deep meaning or philosophical questioning. It is simply that a man’s fake name ended up actually being his real name. It’s a silly and simple event yet it’s enjoyable to the audience and that’s the only reason that it’s there in the play; to be enjoyed by the audience which is what aestheticism is about.
2. “Algernon: [Airily.] Oh! I killed Bunbury this afternoon. I mean poor Bunbury died this afternoon.
Lady Bracknell: What did he die of?
Algernon: Bunbury? Oh, he was quite exploded.”
I also really liked this scene in the play because it is so funny and a very believable moment. In more serious plays the characters never mess up or make a lot of silly mistakes. But this is exactly what Algernon does throughout the play and it is so funny how he makes up how his fake friend died that same day, on the spot while he was talking to Lady Bracknell. He first says that he killed him, then that he died and then that he exploded. How odd and absurd and it is more amusing that the proper and intelligent Lady Bracknell believes all of these crazy lies. I feel like this is one of the ways that Oscar Wilde incorporated comedy and satire into this work for it is such a hilarious and over exaggerated explanation.
“Gwendolen: From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceived in such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right.”
ReplyDelete“Jack: . . . Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?”
These quotes are two of my favorites from The Importance of Being Earnest. They are quite similar to each other in that both Jack and Gwendolen contradict what they so confidently said previously. When Gwendolen and Cecily meet for the first time, Gwendolen says that she knows they are going to be like sisters, but then once she finds out that Cecily is also engaged to a man named Earnest, her attitude makes a complete 180 degree turn. But then she says that her “first impressions of people are invariably right,” denying everything she said only a few minutes prior. The second quote is said when Jack learns about his true identity. In Act II, he reveals to Gwendolen and Cecily that he actually does not have a brother, but in this quote he claims, “I always said I had a brother” and then blames Cecily for doubting him! Through this quote it can be seen that Wilde always like to be in the right, so he suggests that instead of admitting to a wrong, one should insist that they have been right all along and convince the other person that they are the crazy one. Confidence is key, in Wilde’s eyes. If one is confident about anything, then no one will deny it. I find it so funny that Jack is extremely happy about Algy being his brother because not so long ago, he was angrily forcing Algy to take the train back to London. Wilde is making fun of the shallowness of people, particularly British people during the Victorian era, who seem thoughtful and elegant on the outside. In this play, there is no clear moral except that of Wilde making fun of English society, and the ending where all the couples hug each other is so trivial that one cannot help but laugh. Wilde successfully achieves the idea of “art for art’s sake” through an absurdly hilarious plot that is solely made for entertainment.
My favorite interaction was between Jack and Lady Bracknell, where Jack tells her that Cecily has “about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds. That is all. Goodbye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you”. Lady Bracknell replies, “a moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her”. Performed live from the video of the show, it made it even funnier. The point that Oscar Wilde was making with this comment, though, was on the absurdity of the class system. It’s based on nothing but superficial qualities, and anything that is considered beautiful or expensive. Immense effort is needed to rise in social classes, yet the irony is that in a single moment, Lady Bracknell changes her mind. The idea of superiority is so strongly tied to wealth and excess and unnecessary splendor that Lady Bracknell’s opinion of a person relies on it directly. She does not view Cecily as anything other than an object. Set in the later 1800s, this was even more heightened than we know today since every aspect of life depended on what social class people belonged to. Lady Bracknell is certainly an exaggerated character, but many in the upper class during Wilde’s time were similar to her.
ReplyDeleteOscar Wilde’s writing style, in general, is funny while also being serious and critical of the society he lived in. The irony is that he is from the upper class himself, so the only one he is making fun of is his own kind.
I am not fond of Lady Bracknell only started to be nice to Cecily because she found out Cecily was worth something. She even says it, “ A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time.” Though she does not say it directly, her actions imply that she will only associate with people who have money. They are only worth her time if they have money. Her way of thinking seems absurd to me, but it feeds into the humorous irony that can be seen in Oscar Wilde’s work. The humorous nature makes up for how absurd it is.
ReplyDeleteWhen Jack found out he was named Ernest, and he had a brother, he seemed so happy. When he said “Cecily, how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?” I finally understood “The Importance of Being Ernest”. Not only is he named Ernest, but he was also being earnest all along. He never actually lied about being named Ernest or about having a brother. It seems like it, but by the end, everyone realized that he’s telling the truth. I love that not only did the story end happily, but it also tied back to the title.
I thought the ending of the play was very funny and also filled with contradictions. Oscar Wilde brilliantly resolves all the conflicts in the show by making Jack a relative of Algernon, thus producing a parent for him and allowing Lady Bracknell to approve his and Gwendolen’s marriage. What makes this ending so amusing is Jack’s reaction to everything and his dialogue, which is filled with hypocritical statements. Algernon, who is probably the most brother-like figure in Jack’s life, constantly acting like a nuisance to him, is criticized by Jack who states, “Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a brother in all your life.” He also goes on to say that he’s always known he had a brother, which is not true considering earlier in the play he claimed to have no intention of having a brother. I loved this bit of dialogue because it represents the traits shared by most of the conversations throughout the play. Another bit of dialogue I liked was the conversation between Cecily and Lady Bracknell, which resembled her interview of Jack earlier in the show. After Cecily reveals she lies about her age, Lady Bracknell says “You are perfectly right in making some slight alteration. Indeed, no woman should ever be quite accurate about her age. It looks so calculating…Eighteen, but admitting to twenty at evening parties. Well, it will not be very long before you are of age and free from the restraints of tutelage. So I don’t think your guardian’s consent is, after all, a matter of any importance.” This quote is very symbolic of Lady Bracknell’s character, which is a complete stereotype of upper class women during the time of the play. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this play and discovering similarities between it and modern plays. Surprisingly such an old piece of literature contains some very striking similarities with the shows you can see nowadays in terms of comedy and formatting. It's pretty timeless.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes from the play is
ReplyDelete“To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give
people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before
marriage, which I think is never advisable” -Lady Bracknell pg 33.
I really like this line because it demonstrates a real human characteristic in Lady Bracknell. Throughout the play, Lady Bracknell is continuously saying witty yet cynical comments towards others regarding their wealth or status. In this line, Lady Bracknell continues with her humerus comments, however this time, she brings up a common fear held by many, the fear of someone finding out who they truly are. Regardless of who someone is, they have some sort of self confidence issue in which they try to make themselves into who someone else would want them to be. Both Algernon and Jack do this by telling the women they love that their names are Ernest in hopes that they will love them even more. Other circumstances may not be as drastic as changing ones names, but it is common for humans to say or do things that differ from who they really are for fear that their real self will not be liked. Lady Bracknell touches on this fear by encouraging couples to have short engagements so that they do not have the “opportunity” to discover the “other’s character before marriage” so that they have reason to call off the wedding. In a sense, Lady Bracknell is saying that as long as someone does not know the true you until you are married then you are fine because once you are married, they are stuck with you and cannot leave whereas before, they have the potential to leave. After learning about Oscar Wilde, I know that the line said by Lady Bracknell was not meant to have any significance whatsoever because that is the beauty of aesthetics but I couldn't help but notice the underlying human fear of judgement related in the comment. This line unbeknownst to Oscar Wilde, gives Lady Bracknell the human characteristics that she had been lacking the entire play. No longer is she seen as the cruel, power and money hungry Aunt, but rather as someone who can be empathized by all. I believe that this line shows Lady Bracknell’s own fear of not being good enough, and serves as a warning to the others to keep up any facades they have now so that they may eventually be wed.
Well that was an ending I never saw coming! While I already spoke on on of my favorite quotes in my last blog post, I discovered another gem that reveals the social standings of society. When Lady Bracknell is attempting to convince Jack to allow Cecily to marry Algernon, Jack lists to her the many grievances that he feels Algernon has acted upon him. The back and forth is golden.
ReplyDeleteLady Bracknell: Ahem! Mr. Worthing, after careful consideration I have decided entirely to overlook my nephew’s conduct to you.
Jack: That is very generous of you, Lady Bracknell. My own decision, however, is unalterable. I decline to give my consent.
There is a lot to unpack in these two lines. First, I would like to address the almost anti-aestheticism that comes with these lines. While we know that Wilde preferred to evoke emotions rather than thought, it is my belief that the hidden meaning behind these lines was meant to be taken as unsaid dialogue. We as people very rarely say entirely what we mean, especially when we are at odds with one another. It is for this reason that we can learn a lot about the social standings that affect Jack and Lady Bracknell. By “overlooking” her nephew’s conduct, Lady Bracknell is signalling to Jack that her decision should be valued higher because of her status in society. Lady Bracknell is not used to being told ‘no’, and this exchange shows it. Her diction provides the reader with the knowledge that she expects her request to be fulfilled. Jack’s response is a prime example of how the new generation gets rid of the old generation’s power. Jack first deflects the power that Lady Bracknell commands by giving ground. By calling her gesture “generous”, he concedes that she may be of higher status, but it also has a tone of rebellion. This phrasing can have a very sarcastic meaning behind it, and with it, Jack has cast aside Lady Bracknell’s “favor”. Now that they are again on equal terms, Jack takes the rhetorical highground by reenforcing his prior decision. In modern terms, Jack says ‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not changing my mind.’ This exchange is amazing because it speaks to the rebellion of the younger generation without disrupting the satirical nature of the play.
Lady Bracknell: [Sitting down again.] A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces.
ReplyDeleteWilde also instills major commentary about the disparity between social classes and the societal view of marriages. The shift in attitude of Lady Bracknell accompanied with the amazing timing of the actor in the play attached created a hilarious effect that also provided commentary on the monetary goals that the upper class focuses on. The cherry on top is her remarking how they live “in an age of surfaces.”
He exaggerates Victorian ideals in the play to portray how harsh and often unrealistic they are in real life. He portrays the upper class as fickle beings who cannot come to a consensus on what they consider to be the most qualities in a groom. His background? His manners? His undying love for his partner in question? What specific plot of land he owns and how it compares to his neighbors? No, it all comes down to his name according to the two love interests, or so Wilde wants you to think.
I find this dialogue below to be exceptionally hilarious because of how true it is in the context of my own life:
“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.”
Despite the both of them agreeing that they will not reach out to the men that wronged them first, Gwendolen caves in and speaks first anyway. It shows that much did not just rest on the way the men duped their love interests but that Cecily and Gwendolen do love them for more than just their names but the way society is structured to condition them of certain views prevent them from fully realizing their love.
This play is fantastic. There is something about theatre that is just indescribably fun to me, and The Importance of Being Earnest elicited that very feeling in me as I read it. The sheer ridiculousness of each character is portrayed with such effortless elegance and gravitas that it makes me wish I could meet Oscar Wilde himself. One of my favorite lines in the piece is when Lady Bracknell refuses her blessing for Jack to marry Gwendolen, for she tells him, “You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter—a girl brought up with the utmost care—to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel? Good morning, Mr. Worthing!” The way he writes is just beautiful. Describing Jack’s origins as “marrying into a cloak-room” is absolutely hilarious, yet also critical of the time. Although it may seem cliche, one of my other favorite lines in the play is at the very conclusion. When Jack realized his true name, he exclaims to Lady Bracknell, “On the contrary, Aunt Augusta,I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.” This single line reveals that the entire play was a set up for this one joke! I absolutely love it, and reading this piece of art was a joy. I hope to someday perform it, for as enjoyable as it is to read, it truly comes to life on the stage.
ReplyDelete“Gwendolen: Ernest! My own Ernest! I felt from the first that you could have no other name!” and “Gwendolen: From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceived in such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right.”
ReplyDeleteI find it super interesting how throughout the play Wilde pokes fun at the idea of intuition. Time and time again characters ‘feel’ a certain way and then, oftentimes, the opinions that they have changed. I think it is Wilde’s prerogative to show how fickle the human psyche truly is. He points out that no predisposition is infallible. I think that such a sentiment is, especially today, incredibly poignant. For, the more steadfast a belief is held the more foolish one looks when they are forced to adopt a new perspective.
“Lady Bracknell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her” and “Gwendolen: True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.”
To me, lines like these seem super enigmatic; From my, admittedly rudimentary, understanding, Oscar Wilde, as a proponent of aestheticism, would argue that for a work of art to be considered true art the only purpose of said work can be to be art. However, it is clear that Wilde has a purpose in writing The Importance of Being Earnest; He pokes fun at the shallowness of elites and socialites and the hypocrisy inherent in such rigid social structures. Such a blatant meaning is juxtaposed with the fundamental principles of aestheticism as well as the obvious artistry poured into the work. I find it so ironic that Wilde can create such a spectacular work of art but tacitly prohibit his own work from being considered art through the aesthetic ideas he is the champion of.
Though the entire beauty behind The Importance of Being Earnest lies in the comedic lines given throughout the entire play, my overall favorite scene was when Jack and Algernon had just faced the climax of the story, but their characters aren't completely overwhelmed- but they are completely relaxed and hardly focusing on the main issue at hand. They’re arguing over these muffins like their more important than the engagements they have gotten themselves into. Wilde even points this out when Jack argues, “How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You Seem to me to be perfectly heartless.” Completely contradicting this statement, Jack eventually tries to get a muffin afterwards. This scene was so funny to me, especially watching it in the London Production. After the men are finished arguing over the muffins and go to finish the conversation with the ladies about their bunburying, they come in whistling, as if to show a sense of happiness and that they are not troubled by what is currently happening to them! They’re so carefree, it’s ridiculous and hilarious. Watching the women be overwhelmed with the situation of the men's false identity and analyzing every answer the men give, made me realize how it addresses marriages. I feel like Wilde picks at the idea that these couples don’t know each other at all in how the girls don’t know their true names. By having the men argue like children over who will get the last muffins, it shows how immature they are within their relationships.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I loved this play a lot and I’m even forcing my mom to read it because I know she will love it too.
This was one of my favorite pieces of literature that I have ever read. The writing of Oscar Wilde is so clever, and comedic. I think what makes it so funny is that the humor is subtle, but impactful. Although all of the characters had lines that stuck out to me, the funniest character to me was Lady Bracknell. She reminded me a lot of Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey. Each of them are the oldest character and through witty lines, pokes fun at society and the other characters. My favorite quote was “The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately, in England at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.” The line was humorous to me not by its words, but by what the quote showed about the character. It was humorous to me because it represented Lady Bracknell’s age over the other characters. Due to Lady Bracknell’s age, she does not like the changes in society that are occuring. It sounded exactly like a line that Julian Fellowes would write for Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey. The line is also humorous because we all have times when the older adults in our lives say things about how society has changed since they were young, and sometimes what they are saying doesn’t have any logic, just as Lady Bracknell’s thoughts about education don’t really make sense. The writing of Oscar Wilde is humorous to us today, 100 years later, because the themes and the characters are relatable to society today.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJack: How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can't make out. You seem to me to be perfectly heartless.
ReplyDeleteAlgernon: Well, I can't eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.
Jack: I say it's perfectly heartless you're eating muffins at all, under the circumstances.
Algernon: When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me. Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as anyone who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink. At the present moment I am eating muffins because I am unhappy. Besides, I am particularly fond of muffins. [Rising]
I think this quote is hilarious. These men have both just lost the loves of their lives. And here they sit, fighting over muffins. It’s so childish, but so relatable - I’m sure everyone at some point in their life has stress eaten, or done a similar uncontrollable activity to alleviate stress. These actions are what makes the characters seem realistic, not too over dramatic. The characters have depth; they aren't just symbols for literary themes. I think this is an impressive skill that Wilde has crafted, using humor to allow for depth in his writing.
The theme of society and class is prevalent throughout the play. In Act III, there are two quotes that I like that stand out to me. One is from when Lady Bracknell says to Algernon "Never speak disrespectfully of society, Algernon. Only people who can't get into it do that."
ReplyDeleteThere is also this exchange between Lady Bracknell and Jack:
Lady Bracknell: As a matter of form, Mr. Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?
Jack: Oh! about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds. That is all. Goodbye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you.
Lady Bracknell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.
I like this exchange because it's important in the sense that it reveals how much power the rich have in this society and how much money is valued, even though I don't like the actual concept of them having all that control.
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ReplyDeleteThis was definitely the most and the fastest thing I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor throughout this process.
ReplyDelete“On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.”
The ending is perfect, as far as Wilde’s aesthetic tastes go. Everything is pointless and no one learns anything. Jack has cleared learned nothing about the importance of being earnest, and neither has anyone else, whereupon the two man couples go through the most insane romance and marriage that in no way could be confused with a more romantic concept of true love. Nothing anyone has done actually matters. Jack was Ernest the whole time, as well as Algy’s real brother and a man of high status. Gwendolyn doesn’t love Jack/Ernest for who he is. Cecily is still in love with the concept of Jack’s brother more than anything else. Algy is… Algy. Augusta isn’t motivated to approve anything because of the sincerity of their feelings but instead because of dollar signs and family names.
The most dramatic scene in Act III. When Gwendolen and Cecily meet, thinking they're rivals for "Ernest." Both of them are obsessed with the name Ernest. Gwendolen loves a name but an actual person. Cecily even creates her love story with Ernest, whom she has never met. When realizing that neither of their lovers are named Ernest, they become indignant and distraught. What surprises me is how eager they are to forgive Jack and Algernon. Two women want to believe the men are genuinely sorry for what they've done; even the men don't feel. While Jack and Algernon live a double life, Gwendolen and Cecily live in a virtual world and love with men in their imagination.
ReplyDeleteThe most dramatic coincidence is that Jack eventually discovers: the life he made up is real, but and his real life is the deception. He has indeed been both "Ernest" and "earnest" during the years he thought he was deceiving his friends and family. But when he was honest, he was a liar. The paradox is a sharp satire through which Wilde wants to reveal the absurdity of Victorian morals, values, and traditions.
In this play, none of the four main characters, Jack, Algernon, Gwendolen, and Cecily, live in real life. They either invent a new life, or create a virtual life for themselves, escaping from the real world.
Gwendolen: How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes! Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us
ReplyDeleteMrs. Bradwell: A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces. [To Cecily.] Come over here, dear. [Cecily goes across.] Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all that.
These are my two favorite quotes as they incorporate humor and Wilde's opinion on social values in London. We can see how Wilde's personal life is leaked into this play as he discusses the importance of women in society in a clever and ironic way through Gwendolen's lines. Apart from this, values of English society are conveyed through Mrs. Bradwells lines as she quickly switches from disliking Cecily to tolerating her after discovering her riches. I really enjoyed reading this play not only because of its humor but because it has a lot of values that society still hold to this day.