Analysis by Using The Aristotle's Sex Elements
Elinor Fuchs sees the play as a world that passes in front of the critic in ‘time and space’; one that has elements that must be understood (Fuchs, 2004, p 6). These elements closely resembles Aristotle’s six elements of a play- plot, character, thought, diction, music and spectacle- elements that are clearly identifiable in Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’.
The play is divided into three scenes; acts as the author chooses to refer to them. The scene of these actions is three different places: 1) a flat on a London city street- Algernon Moncrieff’s living quarters; 2) a manor house garden in Woolton where Mr. John Worthing, J.P and his charge Cecily Cardew live; 3) and the drawing room at the Woolton manor house, where the issues raised in the play are resolved. Most of the characters are introduced in the first Act, even though we never get to see two of the main one- Cecily and Miss Prism- until the second Act. Only Merriman the butler and Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D. The priest is introduced in the second Act. However, we only get to know Cecily and Miss Prism as real characters in the second Act. The second Act naturally meshes into the second Act when Algernon Moncrieff metaphorically sneaks into the Woolton manor house garden. The fact that the scene opens when Cicely and Miss Prism are speaking is not surprising since they had been alluded to in the first scene. Canon Chasuble acts as glue to the events that happen in the second and the last scene. Algernon’s entry into the scene, even though, as another character, Earnest Worthington, who had only been alluded to in the first scene, physically connects the two scenes. The last scene acts as a climax, where the conflicts that had come up are resolved.
The dialogue that characters speak out reveals a lot about the themes the play deals with. After a light banter between Algernon and Lane his manservant, Algernon introduces one of the play's main themes- conflict among social classes
The play is divided into three scenes; acts as the author chooses to refer to them. The scene of these actions is three different places: 1) a flat on a London city street- Algernon Moncrieff’s living quarters; 2) a manor house garden in Woolton where Mr. John Worthing, J.P and his charge Cecily Cardew live; 3) and the drawing room at the Woolton manor house, where the issues raised in the play are resolved. Most of the characters are introduced in the first Act, even though we never get to see two of the main one- Cecily and Miss Prism- until the second Act. Only Merriman the butler and Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D. The priest is introduced in the second Act. However, we only get to know Cecily and Miss Prism as real characters in the second Act. The second Act naturally meshes into the second Act when Algernon Moncrieff metaphorically sneaks into the Woolton manor house garden. The fact that the scene opens when Cicely and Miss Prism are speaking is not surprising since they had been alluded to in the first scene. Canon Chasuble acts as glue to the events that happen in the second and the last scene. Algernon’s entry into the scene, even though, as another character, Earnest Worthington, who had only been alluded to in the first scene, physically connects the two scenes. The last scene acts as a climax, where the conflicts that had come up are resolved.
The dialogue that characters speak out reveals a lot about the themes the play deals with. After a light banter between Algernon and Lane his manservant, Algernon introduces one of the play's main themes- conflict among social classes