In researching the ideas and themes behind Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest‚ I stumbled upon numerous questions and underlying themes which I plan to dissect thoroughly in the following body of this paper treating each question individually and in an abstract manner. The questions I encountered ranged from the incestual tendencies of Lady Bracknell in relation to the gothic genre to Wilde’s use of food as a weapon and a means of demonstrating one’s power. Before diving into the
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In Act II of The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde creates humor in the scene where Algernon and Cecily talk about their relationship. Wilde not only personally makes fun of the characters themselves but also of the values that the Victorian Era upholds. Such values include cherishing looks over personality and the confusion between them. Wilde cleverly does this by also uses satire‚ characterization and irony to not only ensued laughter in the audience but also deliver an undertone message
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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
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Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest tells the story of two gentlemen who lead a double life under the name “Earnest” in order to win the hearts of their love interests.The play premiered in London’s St. James’ Theater in 1895 and is now performed in theaters throughout the world because of its timeless humor and whit. In his play The Importance of Being Earnest‚ Oscar Wilde employs the use of satire to convey his criticism towards Victorian society’s views on marriage‚ deceit and duality
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of comedy‚ present in pages 1-10 of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ Numerous aspects of comedy can be found in pages one to ten of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. The aspect of servants and masters is one that presents itself immediately in the play‚ through the relationship that exists between Algernon‚ the ‘master’‚ and Lane‚ the servant. The first thing that is spoken about between these two characters‚ is Algernon’s piano playing. Upon being asked “Did you hear what I was playing‚
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THE IMPORTANCE OF B EING ERNEST Oscar Wilde’s satire‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ targets society from the Victorian era. Wilde uses his characters and Tragic Comedy to satirize Victorian society. Wilde’s Jack and Algernon reveal this idea in his play. Wilde uses tragic comedy in his satire. The main plot of the story is that Jack needs to find his parents in order to marry Gwendolyn. Jack however has been living another life in the country as Uncle Jack to his adopted father’s granddaughter
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Victorian Conventions in “The Importance of Being Earnest” In Victorian society‚ the conventional norms of status‚ gender roles‚ and marriage were closely linked by an institution that men and women were placed with unrealistic demands and expectations from society. Women were brought up by their parents to become the perfect housewife‚ and men were forced into marriages based on status within the society. In Oscar Wilde’s play‚ “The Importance of Being Earnest‚” he mocks the typical Victorian
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4) How Does Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest Challenge Constructions of Sexuality? Oscar Wilde; the renowned Irish writer is most commonly known for his famed social comedies‚ including: Lady Windermere’s Fan‚ A Women of No Importance and of course The Importance of Being Earnest. Regrettably this period of fame was followed by his fall into public disgrace and time spent in Reading Gaol after the critical libel suit from the father of his lover; Lord Alfred Douglas. While Wilde is now known
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Throughout act 1‚ Wilde tells the audience of his intentions by subtly dropping hints at his views on both his past and Victorian society. Wilde’s social background indicates many thing concerning his social beliefs and values. These values and attitude to society can be found throughout the play. One of the first things Wilde makes clear is his distaste for the views the upper classes hold on education. Lady Bracknell states when discussing education for the lower classes‚ “It would prove a serious
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The Importance of Being Earnest‚ to be “Earnest” is to be “honest‚ and “truthful”. Which was what the protagonist and main character Jack Worthing used to slip away from responsibilities he had to face. Oscar Wilde used the name earnest but the characters act completely different from it. It’s a pun on the word earnest‚ when the title is the importance of being earnest but
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