The Importance Of Being Earnest, By Oscar Wilde

Minor details are often considered insignificant or irrelevant and as a result they are rarely given the attention they deserve. In Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” we see cleverly hidden details within the drama that, while serving significant roles, people may view as inhibitors to understanding the play. Cigarette cases and tea parties are two of the many details within the drama that contain background meanings; their most prominent purpose being to emphasize the importance of propriety within their era. However, they also play substitute roles in accentuating character themes and building dramatic irony. Using situational comedy, we can link these two particulars through turning points within the novel that increase both
Within the play, a tea party featuring Cecily and Gwendolen is used to exploit secrets previously embedded in the drama, as well as provide comedic tension through the stressed niceties between the two women. Seemingly betrayed by Ernest, represented by both Algernon and Jack, tensions climb as the two women struggle to maintain etiquette and keep their composure. Through the forced use of endearing terms such as darling and dear, we witness an onslaught of passive aggressive behaviour that Cecily and Gwendolen impose on each other. Following this strained exchange, we see Gwendolen insult Cecily, reverting her initial impression "Something tells me that we are going to be great friends…My first impressions of people are never wrong” (Wilde 41) and undermining herself in saying “From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt you that were false and deceitful.” (Wilde 46) By fixating on the importance of dignity within Victorian high society, Wilde once again flexes his comedic fingers by exaggerating the comicality of the conflict occurring between the two women. As their poise shatters following the absence of the servants, we observe a clumsy array of reverted loyalties and jealous competition. Consequently, through Wilde’s use of flamboyant satire and skilled mockery, we are able to understand and joke about character actions opening up the possibility of
Furthermore, the correlation between symbolism and comedy within the drama would not be complete without these details as they serve more active roles including bestowing truth, turning the plot, and creating gradients through which Wilde can actively apply mockery of high society. Whether it’s the cigarette case or the tea party that is absent, crippling effects would be imposed on the development and fixation of comedy within the drama because there would be no fundamental aspects to anchor Wilde’s comedic genius. In the Victorian era, cigarette cases symbolized an ascent into manhood and were essential in showing active behaviour within society. As a more male orientated theme within the play, it seems reasonable that Wilde would also include a more female prominent ritual within the drama represented by the tea party; which subsequently includes an array of food that serves more of a status purpose than a functional one. We can supplement that food is also an indicator of status by quoting Gwendolen “Cake is rarely seen at the best houses nowadays.” (Wilde 45) Coming to the end of the play, we can reflect on our overall understandings and interpret the subtle differences in comedy and symbolism fixated throughout