Windermere’s Fan‚ and The Importance of Being Earnest seem quite disparate. The first is horror‚ while the latter two are comedies; the first is a novel‚ while the latter two are plays; the list of the differences between the works could continue. The striking thing about these works however‚ is their unified theme. Wilde uses the symbolism in each work—images of self in The Picture of Dorian Gray‚ the fan in Lady Windermere’s Fan‚ and the use of names in The Importance of Being Earnest—to criticize Victorian
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“The sole purpose of The Importance of Being Earnest is to amuse.” To what extent do you agree? The play The Importance of Being Earnest was written by Oscar Wilde in 1894. It is a farcical comedy in which the main protagonists maintain a fictional persona to escape from social obligations‚ and keep it up throughout the play. It has also been known as ‘A Trivial Comedy For Serious People’. The character of Jack Worthing has the persona of Ernest‚ who is his brother‚ whilst the character of
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The Importance of Being Earnest Social class and public reputation are two of the most common things that influence a person in their decision making. In “The Importance of Being Earnest”‚ Oscar Wilde mocks a society for their reasons of choosing who to marry. Oscar Wilde expresses an ironic and satiric perspective on a society that builds a marriage upon a foundation of money‚ power‚ and deceit. The play “The Importance of Being Earnest‚” is one of the most perfect examples of satire in our
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Explore how Wilde brings to life the two different characters in this passage and what does the passage reveal about their relationship with each other? This is an extract taken from the First Act of the play The Importance of Being Earnest which is written by the English writer‚ Oscar Wilde in the 19th century. This play is a comedy of manners‚ which satirizes the values during the Victorian Era. In this extract‚ the setting is only in the city - specifically in Algernon’s flat in Half-Moon
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to give him a reprieve from his real life. Algernon is constantly being summoned to Bunbury’s deathbed‚ which conveniently draws him away from tiresome or distasteful social obligations. Like Jack’s fictional brother Ernest‚ Bunbury provides Algernon with a way of indulging himself while also suggesting great seriousness and sense of duty. However‚ a salient difference exists between Jack and Algernon. Jack does not admit to being a “Bunburyist‚” even after he’s been called on it‚ while Algernon
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Discuss the use of duplicity and subterfuge for comic affect in The importance of being earnest. The importance of being Ernest written in 1899 by Oscar wild is a comedy of manners which was first shown to the Victorian society. Being a comedy of manners‚ the play includes many features of a Victorian melodrama including confusion‚ mistaken identity and a final happy ending. However subterfuge and duplicity is inherent in all characters and is the main source of comic value within the plot. We see
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that is easily understood. Oscar Wilde is not any different oh his approach in The Importance of Being Earnest. In The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde uses many witty literary devices‚ such as puns‚ epigrams‚ and inversions‚ to reveal the absurdity of his Victorian society’s hypocritical mortality. Puns have very little pull in the literary drama biased world‚ although they are still often used. Puns can add humor unknowingly. The audience may not even realize it until they study the
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Literature critical reading THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST‚ A TRIVIAL COMEDY FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE by the Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde‚ is a comedy about the customs and seriousness of society around Victorian values of that time. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is an excellent example of what a satire is‚ by the use of satirical devices such as irony‚ sarcasm and farce to show the society in a ridiculous way. In the play‚ Wilde often satirizes the Victorian society and all the rules that weren’t
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Anna Hidrogo The Importance of Being Earnest: Social Satire The definition of a satire is a humor that ridicules the faults and bad habits of a society. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is definitely a social satire. Wilde uses figures of speech such as paradoxes and humorous irony to breakdown the faults of the Victorian Era during the time period of the reform. The characters in this play each held a certain quality that added to the satire Wilde wanted describe. He acknowledges
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Samantha Soto Gilchrist AP English IV 28 October 2012 The Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde that can be viewed as a satire on the moral compass of people living in the Victorian era. The moral standards of the time held the ideas of sincerity and honesty on a high pedestal. To be Earnest would most likely fall between the two ideals; the first definition of the word earnest is “Serious in intention‚ purpose‚ or effort” and this can be a trait
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