In the play ’The Importance of Being Earnest’ Wilde effecively uses wit to satirize the idea of earnestness. Victorians have been very fond of the idea of hard work‚ sincerity and an earnest lifestyle which was perfectly ideal for them. However‚ Wilde’s use of irony shows that none of the characters in the play prove to be any of those ideals. He therefore satrizies hypocrisy and false ideals which mock their authentic presence. Wilde mocks the high society with the high status characters which
Premium
Lady Augusta Bracknell In The Importance of Being Ernest The most memorable character and one who has a tremendous impact on the audience is Lady Augusta Bracknell. Wilde’s audience would have identified most with her titled position and bearing. Wilde humorously makes her the tool of the conflict‚ and much of the satire. She serves well the plot and the theme of the play. She is the strong hand who forces the whole play to move forward with a happy ending. . Generally‚ Lady Bracknell is first
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest Working class Social class
A Marxist Criticism on "The Importance of Being Earnest" "Excuse me Geoffrey‚ could you get me some more water. I’m terribly thirsty‚ and the weather out here isn’t doing any good for my complexion." declares the man as he sighs in exhaustion. "Right away sir‚ anything else?" proclaims the servant. "No that will be all." says the man as he waves off the servant. So is this the scene of yesteryear’s society or one of today’s‚ well in actuality it can be either. In today’s world the rich
Premium Nobility Social class Bourgeoisie
In Act 2 of The Importance of Being Earnest‚ Oscar Wilde uses irony to comment on the‚ absurd nature of the Victorian morals and values‚ context as well as highlight the satire‚ that he implemented‚ and humour. In the scene‚ Cecily admonishes Algy‚ who is pretending to be Ernest by saying‚ "I hope you have not been leading a double life‚ pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy." This is a use of dramatic irony as usually the act of being a hypocrite is
Premium
You are Jack Worthing. You have left London to go back to the Country. Write your thoughts. I heave a sigh of relief as I plop myself in the creaky carriage. I glance back at the congested city‚ and watch it turn into a minuscule black dot. The image of breezy winds‚ fresh green grass and the acres of beautiful land have quite faded from my hassled mind. It has been forever and a day since I felt the warmth of my home; alongside my dear Gwendolen‚ toasting ourselves lying on the satin-like fields
Premium Debut albums Wind Sky
Secrecy In The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde‚ secrecy holds a great significance in allowing Jack and Algernon to retain their double lives. These double lives are used by the two to achieve relationships with the women they desire. Early on‚ the character’s will to retain their double lives empowers the two to develop negative relationships with each other. Eventually however‚ Jack and Algernon realize that through telling the truth‚ true happiness can really be found. Early on in
Premium Love Romance Marriage
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
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest While some critics contend that The Importance of Being Earnest is completely fanciful and has no relation to the real world‚ others maintain that Oscar Wilde’s "trivial comedy for serious people" does make significant comments about social class and the institution of marriage. These observations include the prevalent utilization of deceit in everyday affairs. Indeed the characters and plot of the play appear to be entirely irreverent‚ thus
Premium Marriage The Importance of Being Earnest Proposals
Joanna Martinez Ms. Tobenkin AP Literature‚ Period 4 7 December 2015 The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde is definitely an odd character and this is present in his play‚ The Importance of Being Earnest. Throughout the play‚ Wilde uses puns and unusual situations so that it could make the play humorous and enjoyable for audience. Each character finds themselves in peculiar situations which becomes unusually strange. Wilde uses comical dialogue to mock society and the higher class. Although
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era
The Importance of Being Ernest – Act 1 Task 1 How are the characters of Algernon and Jack/Ernest created for the audience? They are presented to within a high class of society‚ with a lack of consideration or care for the lower classes. Both are bored by their high society lives and “stiff” lunches/meetings that they must attend‚ so have created alter egos which they use to have fun in a different place. Algernon has invented a sick friend called Bunbury‚ who he sometimes must spend long lengths
Premium Working class Alter ego Social class