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
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest Lie Truth
In Oscar Wilde’s play‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ the conversations between characters reveal a lot about their relationships and create a language. The relationship of Earnest and Gwendolen is primarily based on a surface characteristic; his name. Gwendolyn is only attracted to Earnest because of his name‚ because she is so consumed by what others will think. Cecily is portrayed as the wholesome girl in this play who is attracted to the devious and mysterious Algernon. However‚ their relationship
Premium Oscar Wilde
In his play‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ Oscar Wilde portrays his beliefs by satirizing the beliefs and values of his society. Within Act I‚ Algernon states that “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” Wilde’s witty epigram projects a major theme within the play. It attacks the perception of fixed truth. The major target of Wilde’s scathing social criticism is the hypocrisy that society creates. Often in Victorian society‚ its participants acted in overly sincere‚ polite ways while
Premium Truth Victorian era The Importance of Being Earnest
Teacher’s notes LEVEL 2 PENGUIN READERS Teacher Support Programme The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde Act 1‚ pages 1–6 (line 8): The play begins in the sitting room of Algernon Moncrieff ’s flat in London. Algernon is expecting a visit from his aunt‚ Lady Bracknell. Before she arrives‚ his friend‚ Jack Worthing‚ visits him. Jack declares that he intends to marry Lady Bracknell’s daughter‚ Gwendolen. Algernon points out that Jack has overlooked the problem with another girl called
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest Love
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
Premium Victorian era Victoria of the United Kingdom Absurdism
irony‚ exaggeration‚ or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices. ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is one of his better-known satires‚ effectively ridiculing many of the Victorian values that were of the greatest importance at the time. Wildes cutting and playful dialogue show his utter contempt for these values‚ most clearly satiring the ways of social class and the traditional roles of men vs. women. In the Victorian era‚ the class system led to the belief that the different
Premium Victorian era Social class Sociology
and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest satirize conformity through the fetishization of products of Empire‚ status‚ and traditional sexuality in order to characterize society
Premium Homosexuality
In this Lady bracknell shows no sympathy for Mr.Bunbury and does not exhibit pity for him as he is less privileged then status. It is befitting that how cursory is Victorian values. BUNBARING AS A CENTRAL THEME :- Marriage:- It is of principle importance in the story both as a chief plot and also a topic of debate. The issue of marriage came for the first time when Algernon asks Lane” Is marriage so demoralizing as that ? “(Pg 7). They discuss the attributes of marriage and discuss whether marriage
Premium Marriage Love Victoria of the United Kingdom
s Wilde upholding the gender stereotypes of this time?I truly believe that Wilde is upholding the gender stereotypes of this time in the book The Importance of Being Earnest. Men are to support the wife and family in this time while the woman are to be at home at the house doing chores and making the food. Wilde never lied about the day to day doings of the men‚ woman‚ and children. He gives all of the characters their own personality‚ men to be supporting the wife and kids finically and the women
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era
In our world today‚ fate vs. free will remains the biggest mystery of all‚ the Greeks believed that there is an underlying relationship of free mans will exist within fate which the Greeks believed guided the universe in a harmonious purpose. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. A wise man will make good decisions in his life; an ignorant and stubborn man won’t be so fortunate. The play “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles demonstrates that this concept of free will
Premium Oedipus Oedipus the King Blindness