Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a play that epitomizes the Victorian age. “The Importance of Being Earnest” a man named Jack who goes by the alias Earnest‚ and Algernon who goes by Bunbury. These men are living double lives‚ and by them doing so‚ they would not be considered an ideal Victorian man. Earnest and Algernon come up with these names so that they can get away from their daily lives to be along in the country. During the Victorian age‚ it was common for women to
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ESSAY – THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Writers are often influenced by the ideologies upheld by society during the historical context in which they were writing in and texts can often challenge these ideologies‚ or uphold them‚ or even do both. Oscar Wilde’s‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ is a dramatic comedy of manners that takes place in polite wealthy Victorian society. Wilde successfully funnels the snobbery and superficiality of London’s elite during the 1890’s and has both challenged
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Oscar Wilde’s satirical depiction of Victorian Society in The Important of Being Earnest comments on the absurdity of their inability to recognize the difference between the important and unimportant. Characters in the play often make trivial matters into serious matters and vice versa‚ although there are times where issues are treated appropriately. However‚ the whole idea of what is important is subjective‚ and in a Victorian Era context‚ matters such as social status and proper etiquette were
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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