What good does always being earnest do you if you are not "Ernest"? Oscar Wilde’s play‚ "The Importance of Being Earnest"‚ explores exactly this notion‚ following two men who readily abandon their namesakes in order to win the affections of their respective fair ladies. The play opens in London with a conversation held between these two men‚ Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. However‚ at the play’s origin‚ Algernon only knows his friend as "Ernest". This rapidly changes with the aid of a cigarette
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era
they had their first international hockey match: Wales v. Ireland; also‚ they had the lowest ever temperature of −27.2 F‚ and the premier of Oscar Wilde’s latest play‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ at the St. James’ Theatre‚ in London. During this time‚ social class was very important. Oscar Wilde’s explores the importance of how social class affects the lives of the characters in his play during the Victorian era. During the Victorian era‚ appearance‚ style‚ reputation‚ respect‚ and wealth were
Premium Victorian era Victoria of the United Kingdom Social class
lives into the plays‚ be it their character‚ or in their influence from other persons or social aspects of their lives. This is clearly evident in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest. Many of the‚ especially social themes and issues of Wilde’s life are contextually applied to or expressed in The Importance Of Being Earnest. Class and superiority‚ gender themes with regards to marriage or wealth and the general hypocrisy‚ double meanings and the lives of the characters. The play generally
Premium Poetry Edgar Allan Poe The Raven
In The importance of Being Earnest the author uses the stereotype of gender and Queer theory to describe the attitude of men and women. Three important points reveal the use of gender stereotype and Queer theory. The first is the discrimination and marginalization based on social classes. In addition‚ the role played by women in The Importance of Being Earnest show the gender stereotype. The last element is the definition of personal capacity based on the gender of each person. In “The importance
Premium Gender Gender role Sociology
Marriage is often depicted as a sacred union of love‚ communication‚ loyalty and companionship. For some it is simply a legal contract or social institution that binds two people together for a “lifetime commitment”. Oscar’s Wilde’s “The importance of being earnest”‚ deconstructs the former interpretation of marriage‚ highlighting its trivialities and the comedic journey to finding a spouse. Likewise‚ Samuel Beckett’s “Happy Days” suggests that marriage is not all a bed of roses by highlighting the
Premium Marriage The Importance of Being Earnest Husband
needed to follow specific guidelines. In Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest‚ these expectations can be identified through Algernon and Jack‚ the “earnest” men of the play. Men had a greater influence and power than women‚ but there are many steps to take to be considered a “men.” The process is quite tiring; men didn’t only need to gain women’s respect‚ but also impress society as a whole and their peers sharing the same gender. Being a man was hard‚ they are the victims of social pressure
Premium Gender Man Male
false identity to break away from the social obligations. Being truthful‚ sincere‚ or serious could be the idea of earnestness. It will also reveal the true definition of honesty versus the Victorian definition of honesty. The comedy of this play shows several of the ways that the characters make fun of the moral strictness of the Victorian era. In The Importance of Being Earnest‚ there is false virtue and hypocrisy that shows being earnest is the greatest challenge of morality. Wilde’s characters
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era
majority of the nineteenth century) upheld very specific ideals that shaped the culture of that time period. These specific social‚ cultural‚ and intellectual ideals of Victorian England can be explored in the famous play by Oscar Wilde‚ “The Importance of Being Earnest.” This play is set in the late 1890’s‚ and features two young couples who struggle to overcome the misgivings‚
Premium Sociology United States Humanities
try to make her best to look good in front of everyone. She needs to stay in fashion “Sugar? No‚ thank you. Sugar is not fashionable any more.” She is in love with Jack but in the beginning she is mostly concerned around his name because the name Earnest itself shows great honesty and decency. When she finds out that he is really named Jack she has some doubts around him which is absurd because name has nothing to do with the person itself and the love you show to each other. Yet‚ it is another meaningless
Premium Victorian era Woman Neo-Victorian
The “Importance of Being Earnest” is a story of full of deceit and a twisted and tangled tale about love. The story is about a man‚ named Jack that forms a fake identity to escape the country life; his false persona is named Ernest. Jack tells his family about his “brother” named Ernest and often goes to “visit him” when he needs to get away. Now‚ Ernest is in fact not a real person but a made up one. When Jack goes to the city and pretends to be Ernest‚ he goes to meet the love of his life‚ Gwendolyn
Premium English-language films The Importance of Being Earnest Victorian era