The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

The Importance of Being Earnest • Written in 1895 • A comedy in 3 Acts • Is a satire • Immediate hit when first performed • Criticizes Victorian moral and social values • Bridges Victorian period or literature with Modern • Uses wit, puns, exaggeration, epigrams, and wordplay to create humor

John Worthing, aka “Jack”, aka “Earnest” Algernon Montcrief, Jack’s friend Lane, the butler for Algernon Rev. Chausible, the preacher in the country Lady Bracknell, mother of Gwendolyn Gwendolyn, wants to marry a man named “Earnest” Cecily, Jack’s ward Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess Main Characters

Settings • Time: Around 1890 • Place(s): • London (“the City”) • Jack’s House in the Country (a very large estate) • The village church

Settings • Jack’s Country House

Settings • Jack’s Drawing Room

Settings • Lady Bracknell’s mansion in London

Victorian Period • Named for Queen Victoria of England • Was Queen from 1837-1901 • Followed the reign of “Mad” King George • The culture was very moral and serious • Women were expected to be the “angel in the house” - to take care of their husband and family

Queen Victoria • Became Queen as a young girl • Married Albert, Prince Consort and adored him • After he died, she wore black for the rest of her life • Had 9 children • Created a culture that valued family and stability

Victorian Period • Manners were supremely important • English society was divided into classes • The Upper-class was well-educated, came from a rich and respected family (“old money”), and having good manners mattered more than anything else • Considered bad manners to flaunt wealth

Victorian Period • Young women were always chaperoned until they were married • Women’s clothing covered them from neck to ankle; clothes had to be modest • In the upper classes, people with a bad reputation were outcasts no matter how much money they had • Good manners were extremely important

Victorian Fashion • For the Gentlemen

Victorian Fashion • For the Ladies

Victorian Period • People did not just “drop in” to visit - they made formal appointments • Refreshments were expected when visitors came to “call” (visit) - usually tea and cake or tiny, elegant cucumber sandwiches • Men were expected to be well-educated • Women were expected to marry well

Otto Reinert, a critic who defends the satirical significance of “The Importance of Being Earnest,” claims that "Wilde's basic formula for satire is [his characters'] assumption of a code of behavior that represents the reality that Victorian convention pretends to ignore.”

Oscar Wilde - Author • Born in Ireland but lived in England (and France in his later years) • Attended Trinity College in Ireland and Oxford University in England • Believed in the value of “art for art’s sake” - art (literature) should not be concerned with political issues • Wrote several plays, but only one novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde • With other writers and artists, rebelled against the prim, moral, religious culture of Victorian England • Was known to be wild, flamboyant, witty • Although homosexual, married and had children • Being homosexual was illegal, and he served time in prison for it

Oscar Wilde • Loved clothes • Could be quite dramatic • Considered a “dandy”

Oscar Wilde • Came from upper-class family • Loved to shock people • Was considered a “bad boy” of his time - The ‘Lil Wayne’ of his day (but with better teeth)

Oscar Wilde • Never allowed to see his family again • Spent the remainder of his life in Paris • Died alone and poor in Paris

Literary Vocabulary • Comedy - light-hearted literature with humor and a happy ending • Satire - literary writing that points out flaws and foibles of people or groups • Wit - using words to be clever and funny with language • Pun - a play on words • Epigrams- a short, meaningful statement that points out a truth and are often witty or humorous • Motif - a recurring character or element repeated in a literary work. Food is a motif in The Importance of Being Earnest

Literary Vocabulary • Protagonist - the main character • Foil - the character who contrasts the main character (the foil “reflects” the traits of the main character) • Blocking figure - A character, often old and cranky, who interferes with the romantic desires or the other main characters and provides comic action

Importance of Being Earnest • The title of the play is a pun. • To be “earnest” means to be serious, and the main character (John/Jack) uses the name “Earnest” when he is in the city • “Bunburying” is using an alias to “get away with” avoiding social obligatioins

The Importance of Being Earnest