Wilde’s dramatic success is not unquestionable, yet his comedy, Importance of Being Earnest, is admired, more or less, by all This is also admitted as his most finished dramatic product. In this play, he is found to have successfully turned away from the trend of the theatre of his age and evolved a dramatic type at once serious and light. 

The theme of the play is based on an apparently trifling matter and the situation is overwhelmingly funny, almost absurd. Jack Worthing has rakish activists from his ward Cecily. His friend Algernon, too, has an invented friend to conceal his occasional departure from his residence. There is the confusion of  mistaken identities, leading to the final disclosure that Jack is a genuine Earnest, who has been long lost by his nurse's placement of the infant into a bag. This theme has nothing apparently serious, but it contains enough matters for comic entertainment which people care, without minding  the serious business that Wilde means. Like Arms and the man, Importance of Being Earnest pleases, and naturally it has a popular hold on the reader and the spectator alike.

Again, in the matter of  character-drawing, Wilde has succeeded in creating men and women, interesting, funny and,  at the same time, psychologically individual. His characters are not, like Shaw's mere puppets of the dramatist to propagate his own view-points. Wilde has not put his own self into his dramatic sketches and naturally his characters remain individually alive in their activities as well as conversations. Jack Worthing and Lady Bracknell are quite engaging character portraits. The latter,  in her show of personality, remains exceedingly interesting. Characters and scenes are used by Wilde to remind similar characteristics of the Restoration Comedy. Miss Prism  is also an interesting figure, Just as the two young girls are made quite diverting in their resolve and attachment. Wilde's play has no great personality, but the audience and serves to establish the effectiveness of his comic artistry. 

Indeed, Wilde's play is nothing extraordinary, nor is it a wonderful play. It is a pleasant play that has its  instructive aspect,  but never deviates from the comic line to give out its seriousness. In fact, the play gives pleasure,  and, in course of this, communicates spontaneously some serious thoughts, through the delightful fusion of the plot, characters and dramatic situations.

Wilde has rightly termed his play as a trivial comedy for serious people. This characterisation includes the two-fold aspect of the play - trivial merriment and serious message. The play , no doubt, appears an artificial but entertaining comedy on the surface,  but,  as indicated already,  there is a sermon of seriousness, underlying the play. Although shaw has disapproved the play as a mechanical force,  this is not merely farcical or funny, but contains some serious purpose to communicate about the social outlook of Wilde's age.                                 

Briefly discuss on Importance of Being Earnest

Green Land | March 25, 2021 | 0 comments

Wilde’s dramatic success is not unquestionable, yet his comedy, Importance of Being Earnest, is admired, more or less, by all This is also admitted as his most finished dramatic product. In this play, he is found to have successfully turned away from the trend of the theatre of his age and evolved a dramatic type at once serious and light. 

The theme of the play is based on an apparently trifling matter and the situation is overwhelmingly funny, almost absurd. Jack Worthing has rakish activists from his ward Cecily. His friend Algernon, too, has an invented friend to conceal his occasional departure from his residence. There is the confusion of  mistaken identities, leading to the final disclosure that Jack is a genuine Earnest, who has been long lost by his nurse's placement of the infant into a bag. This theme has nothing apparently serious, but it contains enough matters for comic entertainment which people care, without minding  the serious business that Wilde means. Like Arms and the man, Importance of Being Earnest pleases, and naturally it has a popular hold on the reader and the spectator alike.

Again, in the matter of  character-drawing, Wilde has succeeded in creating men and women, interesting, funny and,  at the same time, psychologically individual. His characters are not, like Shaw's mere puppets of the dramatist to propagate his own view-points. Wilde has not put his own self into his dramatic sketches and naturally his characters remain individually alive in their activities as well as conversations. Jack Worthing and Lady Bracknell are quite engaging character portraits. The latter,  in her show of personality, remains exceedingly interesting. Characters and scenes are used by Wilde to remind similar characteristics of the Restoration Comedy. Miss Prism  is also an interesting figure, Just as the two young girls are made quite diverting in their resolve and attachment. Wilde's play has no great personality, but the audience and serves to establish the effectiveness of his comic artistry. 

Indeed, Wilde's play is nothing extraordinary, nor is it a wonderful play. It is a pleasant play that has its  instructive aspect,  but never deviates from the comic line to give out its seriousness. In fact, the play gives pleasure,  and, in course of this, communicates spontaneously some serious thoughts, through the delightful fusion of the plot, characters and dramatic situations.

Wilde has rightly termed his play as a trivial comedy for serious people. This characterisation includes the two-fold aspect of the play - trivial merriment and serious message. The play , no doubt, appears an artificial but entertaining comedy on the surface,  but,  as indicated already,  there is a sermon of seriousness, underlying the play. Although shaw has disapproved the play as a mechanical force,  this is not merely farcical or funny, but contains some serious purpose to communicate about the social outlook of Wilde's age.                                 

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

Lady Bracknell is the perfect embodiment of the attitudes and rules of conduct of the British aristocracy. A shrewd businesswoman, snobbish and superior in her behaviour, she represents birth and status, the rule of the matriarch in society.

We first meet her when she arrives at Algernon's flat. She apologizes for being late, saying, "I am sorry if we are a little late, Algernon, but I was obliged to call on dear Lady Harbury." Learning of Banbury's death in Act III, she says, "I am glad.....that he made up his mind at the last to some definite course of action, and acted under proper medical advice". On hearing the name of Miss Prism towards the end of the play, she inquiries if this Miss Prism is "a female of repellent aspect, remotely connected with education". Dr. Chasuble's indignant reply is that "she is the most cultivated of ladies, and the very picture of respectability." Lady Bracknell quickly retorts "it is obviously the same person."Always in good voice, she has a mastery of rhetoric and authority; only once she is undermined, when Jack refuses his consent to the marriage of Cecily and Algernon. Fortunately circumstances, in the form of the reappearance of Miss Prism, give her the opportunity of making the final revelation about Jack. Wilde has made a clever choice of name for her-Augusta-for she is awe-inspiring in her capacity for taking complete control.

Lady Bracknell is critical of those with whom she mixes, holds up Mary Farquhar as a domestic model to Algernon, and is very conscious of the proprieties, such as having the right number of guests to balance her own table. She lives by a particular creed - "Health is the primary duty of life" - to which she insists that Lady Bracknell subscribes. She has the wholly unjustified English prejudice against the French, expressing her disapproval in terms of music. She has an acute sense of physical propriety among her own class. She believes that engagements are made by parents, and not by children.

Lady Bracknell is practical and unscrupulous. She finds Jack's handbag origin unacceptable but advises him to acquire some relations. Absent for the whole of the second act, she returns to dominate the third.

Lady Bracknell retrieves her own position by the revelation she has to make, though she accuses Jack of 'triviality' when he embraces Gwendolen. She is larger then life, with something of the Gorgon attributed to her by Jack. Thus Lady Bracknell is s realistic and life like portrait.

Discuss the role and character of Lady Bracknell in The Important of Being Earnest

Green Land | March 24, 2019 | 0 comments

Lady Bracknell is the perfect embodiment of the attitudes and rules of conduct of the British aristocracy. A shrewd businesswoman, snobbish and superior in her behaviour, she represents birth and status, the rule of the matriarch in society.

We first meet her when she arrives at Algernon's flat. She apologizes for being late, saying, "I am sorry if we are a little late, Algernon, but I was obliged to call on dear Lady Harbury." Learning of Banbury's death in Act III, she says, "I am glad.....that he made up his mind at the last to some definite course of action, and acted under proper medical advice". On hearing the name of Miss Prism towards the end of the play, she inquiries if this Miss Prism is "a female of repellent aspect, remotely connected with education". Dr. Chasuble's indignant reply is that "she is the most cultivated of ladies, and the very picture of respectability." Lady Bracknell quickly retorts "it is obviously the same person."Always in good voice, she has a mastery of rhetoric and authority; only once she is undermined, when Jack refuses his consent to the marriage of Cecily and Algernon. Fortunately circumstances, in the form of the reappearance of Miss Prism, give her the opportunity of making the final revelation about Jack. Wilde has made a clever choice of name for her-Augusta-for she is awe-inspiring in her capacity for taking complete control.

Lady Bracknell is critical of those with whom she mixes, holds up Mary Farquhar as a domestic model to Algernon, and is very conscious of the proprieties, such as having the right number of guests to balance her own table. She lives by a particular creed - "Health is the primary duty of life" - to which she insists that Lady Bracknell subscribes. She has the wholly unjustified English prejudice against the French, expressing her disapproval in terms of music. She has an acute sense of physical propriety among her own class. She believes that engagements are made by parents, and not by children.

Lady Bracknell is practical and unscrupulous. She finds Jack's handbag origin unacceptable but advises him to acquire some relations. Absent for the whole of the second act, she returns to dominate the third.

Lady Bracknell retrieves her own position by the revelation she has to make, though she accuses Jack of 'triviality' when he embraces Gwendolen. She is larger then life, with something of the Gorgon attributed to her by Jack. Thus Lady Bracknell is s realistic and life like portrait.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is the highest peak in the literary career of Oscar Wilde. The chief merit of the play lies in its use of witty dialogue, epigrams and paradoxical statements. This provides plenty of wit and humour.

There are two major love-affairs - between Jack and Gwendolen and between Algernon and Cecily, and the minor love-affair between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble. When the play opens, we find Jack visiting London under the assumed name of Ernest and it is by this name that he is known to Gwendolen. He proposes marriage to Gwendolen who readily accepts the proposal but her mother Lady Bracknell turns it down on account of Jacks unknown parentage.

Algernon, the lover of the second pair has invented a fictitious friend Bunbury who is constantly ailing. He uses this pretext to leave London whenever he wishes to escape the ordeal of attending his aunt Augusta's boring dinner parties. He comes to learn that Jack is the guardian of a young and pretty girl of eighteen, who lives in the countryside under the care of her governess, Miss Prism. He takes down Jack's country address and arrives at his country house uninvited in order to meet Cecily. This is a part of his 'Bunburying.'In the third love-affair, the spinster Miss Prism, the governess of Cecily, is attracted towards the pompous Rector, Dr. Chasuble. This love-affair runs parallel to the one between Algernon and Cecily. Meanwhile, Algernon poses as Jack's profligate younger brother Ernest with whom Cecily has already fallen in love because of his wicked ways. So when he proposes to him, she readily accepts him. She loves him because he is called 'Ernest' in the same manner as Gwendolen loves Jack because he moves around in London under this assumed name.The two major love stories have been interwoven perfectly. Algernon cannot marry Cecily unless Lady Bracknell permits Gwendolen to marry Jack, and Lady Bracknell permits Gwendolen's marriage to Jack only when it is discovered that Jack is Lady Bracknell's own nephew. The minor love-affair, between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble is also bright into a close relationship with the two major love-affairs.The play progresses on parallelism, such as Jack inventing a fictitious younger brother Ernest in order to come to London from the countryside and Algernon inventing a fictitious friend Bunbury whenever he wishes to escape the boredom of Aunt Augusta's societal get together. Another parallelism in the play is Gwendolen and Cecily's instant fascination with the name 'Ernest', which 'inspires absolute confidence" in both of them. They fall in love with the name rather than the persons. This gives rise to serious misunderstanding between the two.Finally, the construction of this play rests also on a series of secrets and the disclosure of those secrets. Deception and deceit are the basis of most comedies, and The Importance of Being Earnest is no exception.

Discuss Oscar Wilde's craftsmanship in The Importance of Being Earnest?

Green Land | March 22, 2019 | 0 comments

The Importance of Being Earnest is the highest peak in the literary career of Oscar Wilde. The chief merit of the play lies in its use of witty dialogue, epigrams and paradoxical statements. This provides plenty of wit and humour.

There are two major love-affairs - between Jack and Gwendolen and between Algernon and Cecily, and the minor love-affair between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble. When the play opens, we find Jack visiting London under the assumed name of Ernest and it is by this name that he is known to Gwendolen. He proposes marriage to Gwendolen who readily accepts the proposal but her mother Lady Bracknell turns it down on account of Jacks unknown parentage.

Algernon, the lover of the second pair has invented a fictitious friend Bunbury who is constantly ailing. He uses this pretext to leave London whenever he wishes to escape the ordeal of attending his aunt Augusta's boring dinner parties. He comes to learn that Jack is the guardian of a young and pretty girl of eighteen, who lives in the countryside under the care of her governess, Miss Prism. He takes down Jack's country address and arrives at his country house uninvited in order to meet Cecily. This is a part of his 'Bunburying.'In the third love-affair, the spinster Miss Prism, the governess of Cecily, is attracted towards the pompous Rector, Dr. Chasuble. This love-affair runs parallel to the one between Algernon and Cecily. Meanwhile, Algernon poses as Jack's profligate younger brother Ernest with whom Cecily has already fallen in love because of his wicked ways. So when he proposes to him, she readily accepts him. She loves him because he is called 'Ernest' in the same manner as Gwendolen loves Jack because he moves around in London under this assumed name.The two major love stories have been interwoven perfectly. Algernon cannot marry Cecily unless Lady Bracknell permits Gwendolen to marry Jack, and Lady Bracknell permits Gwendolen's marriage to Jack only when it is discovered that Jack is Lady Bracknell's own nephew. The minor love-affair, between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble is also bright into a close relationship with the two major love-affairs.The play progresses on parallelism, such as Jack inventing a fictitious younger brother Ernest in order to come to London from the countryside and Algernon inventing a fictitious friend Bunbury whenever he wishes to escape the boredom of Aunt Augusta's societal get together. Another parallelism in the play is Gwendolen and Cecily's instant fascination with the name 'Ernest', which 'inspires absolute confidence" in both of them. They fall in love with the name rather than the persons. This gives rise to serious misunderstanding between the two.Finally, the construction of this play rests also on a series of secrets and the disclosure of those secrets. Deception and deceit are the basis of most comedies, and The Importance of Being Earnest is no exception.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedy of manners which scarcely has any action. It is based on dialogue, which takes the form of paradoxes, epigrams and irony. This produces a great comic effect upon the readers and the audience. The play contains abundant paradoxical statements, witty epigrams, ironical or sarcastic remarks that are made by the characters in the course of their interaction. This evokes laughter and humour of the audience.

A paradox is a statement which appears to be self-contradictory but it is essentially true; or it may mean a statement expressing an idea which is contrary to the established opinion. Almost every character in The Importance of Being Earnest makes paradoxical remarks which are witty. We all accept the view that truth is always pure and simple, but Algernon remarks:

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility".

Jack makes a number of paradoxical remarks. On seeing tea-cups and cucumber sandwiches laid out for tea, he says, "Why all these cups? Why cucumber sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young?

"Gwendolen also gives paradoxical statements when her mother Lady Bracknell does not give her approval to Jack's proposal of marriage: "The old-fashioned respect for the young is dying out". Lady Bracknell is, of course, a master of paradox in the play. When she finds Cecily affluent, she immediately approves of her marriage to her nephew Algernon, " who has nothing but his debts to depend upon". During a heated argument, Lady Bracknell confesses, "I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing".

Irony is the recognition of the incongruity or difference between reality and appearance. It lies in the contrast between what is said and what is actually meant. The Importance of Being Earnest contains plenty of comic irony which is a kind of mockery or deception and its force derives from the pleasure in contrasting 'appearances' with 'reality'. For example, when Lady Bracknell has been nasty to Jack, he remarks, "How extremely kind of you, Lady Bracknell!

"Algernon goes to Jack's country house, in the guise of his younger brother just when Jack arrives there to announce Ernest's 'death' from a severe chill in Paris. This gives rise to several funny situations and verbal skirmishes between the two friends, who later turn out to be brothers.

Comment on the importance of being earnest as a comedy of manners

Green Land | March 22, 2019 | 0 comments

The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedy of manners which scarcely has any action. It is based on dialogue, which takes the form of paradoxes, epigrams and irony. This produces a great comic effect upon the readers and the audience. The play contains abundant paradoxical statements, witty epigrams, ironical or sarcastic remarks that are made by the characters in the course of their interaction. This evokes laughter and humour of the audience.

A paradox is a statement which appears to be self-contradictory but it is essentially true; or it may mean a statement expressing an idea which is contrary to the established opinion. Almost every character in The Importance of Being Earnest makes paradoxical remarks which are witty. We all accept the view that truth is always pure and simple, but Algernon remarks:

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility".

Jack makes a number of paradoxical remarks. On seeing tea-cups and cucumber sandwiches laid out for tea, he says, "Why all these cups? Why cucumber sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young?

"Gwendolen also gives paradoxical statements when her mother Lady Bracknell does not give her approval to Jack's proposal of marriage: "The old-fashioned respect for the young is dying out". Lady Bracknell is, of course, a master of paradox in the play. When she finds Cecily affluent, she immediately approves of her marriage to her nephew Algernon, " who has nothing but his debts to depend upon". During a heated argument, Lady Bracknell confesses, "I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing".

Irony is the recognition of the incongruity or difference between reality and appearance. It lies in the contrast between what is said and what is actually meant. The Importance of Being Earnest contains plenty of comic irony which is a kind of mockery or deception and its force derives from the pleasure in contrasting 'appearances' with 'reality'. For example, when Lady Bracknell has been nasty to Jack, he remarks, "How extremely kind of you, Lady Bracknell!

"Algernon goes to Jack's country house, in the guise of his younger brother just when Jack arrives there to announce Ernest's 'death' from a severe chill in Paris. This gives rise to several funny situations and verbal skirmishes between the two friends, who later turn out to be brothers.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

A satire is a literary form that blends ironic humour and wit with criticism for the purpose of ridiculing follies, vices, foibles, stupidity, etc. in individuals and institutions. The Importance of Being Earnest gives us a satirical picture of the English upper class of the time, although there is a couple of satirical portraits of persons belonging to certain different orders of society, namely those of a clergyman and a governess.Let us first consider the satirical portrayal of Algernon who is a typical representative of the English upper class of the time. His shallowness, irresponsibility, extravagance, vanity and gluttony are the main targets of satire. He belongs to the English aristocracy but because of extravagance, he is always in debt as it is pointed out by Lady Bracknell; "he has nothing but his debts to depend upon"

Jack also represents the upper class but he is much better than Algernon in certain respects. He is a responsible guardian and a serious type of young man. Whill Algernon is too light-hearted, Jack is too serious-minded. His very solemnity is made to look ridiculous. Cecily opines that her Uncle Jack sometimes looks so serious as to give the impression that he is unwell. His over seriousness may be found in his refusal to go either to the theatre, or to the club, or to empire.

The portrayal of Lady Bracknell is perhaps the most satirical of all. Through her portrayal the playwright exposes to ridicule the foibles, absurdities and vanity of the upper class ladies of his time. Lady Bracknell claims to have a taste for music but she would like her nephew to make the selection of the numbers to be played at her party. Her principal absurdities are her snobbery, class-consciousness, her mercenary outlook on life, her suspicions nature and her domineering temperament.

Next two characters outside the aristocracy are Dr. Chasuble, the elergyman and Miss Prism, the governess. Dr. Chasuble instead of inspiring respect, is subject to ridicule for his pompous manner of speaking, his hypocrisy, his lack of real scholarship and his materialistic attitude to life.Thus The Importance of Being Earnest satirizes vividly the mannerisms, vices and follies of the England society of the time.

Discuss The Importance of Being Earnest as a social satire?

Green Land | March 22, 2019 | 0 comments

A satire is a literary form that blends ironic humour and wit with criticism for the purpose of ridiculing follies, vices, foibles, stupidity, etc. in individuals and institutions. The Importance of Being Earnest gives us a satirical picture of the English upper class of the time, although there is a couple of satirical portraits of persons belonging to certain different orders of society, namely those of a clergyman and a governess.Let us first consider the satirical portrayal of Algernon who is a typical representative of the English upper class of the time. His shallowness, irresponsibility, extravagance, vanity and gluttony are the main targets of satire. He belongs to the English aristocracy but because of extravagance, he is always in debt as it is pointed out by Lady Bracknell; "he has nothing but his debts to depend upon"

Jack also represents the upper class but he is much better than Algernon in certain respects. He is a responsible guardian and a serious type of young man. Whill Algernon is too light-hearted, Jack is too serious-minded. His very solemnity is made to look ridiculous. Cecily opines that her Uncle Jack sometimes looks so serious as to give the impression that he is unwell. His over seriousness may be found in his refusal to go either to the theatre, or to the club, or to empire.

The portrayal of Lady Bracknell is perhaps the most satirical of all. Through her portrayal the playwright exposes to ridicule the foibles, absurdities and vanity of the upper class ladies of his time. Lady Bracknell claims to have a taste for music but she would like her nephew to make the selection of the numbers to be played at her party. Her principal absurdities are her snobbery, class-consciousness, her mercenary outlook on life, her suspicions nature and her domineering temperament.

Next two characters outside the aristocracy are Dr. Chasuble, the elergyman and Miss Prism, the governess. Dr. Chasuble instead of inspiring respect, is subject to ridicule for his pompous manner of speaking, his hypocrisy, his lack of real scholarship and his materialistic attitude to life.Thus The Importance of Being Earnest satirizes vividly the mannerisms, vices and follies of the England society of the time.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde's triumph of comic writing, though it has several improbabilities and absurdity. In fact, the merit of the play lies in the fact that the laughter it gives rise to is absolutely free from any bitter after thought. The personages are ridiculous but Wilde does not ridicule them-young men about town, rebellious daughters, a clergyman, a prim governess and a glib valet. He makes us laugh at their conduct.

There is hardly any action in The Importance of Being Earnest. The only action that we find in the first act is such developments as Jack Worthing's visit to Algernon's flat in London, the arrival of Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen, Jack's proposal of marriage to Gwendolen and her immediate acceptance, Jack's decision to change his name to Ernest and Lady Bracknell's rejection to Jack as her son-in-law after she learns of his unknown parentage.In the second act, we find the mutual attracting between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble; Algernon unexpected visit to Jack's country house in the guise of Ernest, the verbal exchanges between Jack and Algernon, Algernon's proposal to Cecily who accepts it with amazing alacrity, the misunderstanding between Gwendolen and Cecily.In the third act, we find Lady Bracknell's arrival in search of her daughter who has fled from her London home, her cross examination of Cecily before giving her approval to Algernon's marriage to her, the resolution of the mystery concerning Jack's birth and the happy-note ending when the three sets of lovers-Jack and Gwendolen, Algernon and Cecily, and Dr. Chasuble and Miss Prism-are united in matrimony.

This is the so-called plot in the play. Yet it holds the reader's as well as the audience's interest through its wits and humour emanating from the verbal exchanges between several characters. Each of them gives instances of brilliant wit and repartee. It is not laboured, but spontaneous and effortless.

When Jack arrives in London in order to propose marriage to Gwendolen, Algernon says: "I thought you had come up for pleasure ?............... I call that business.......... I really don't see anything romantic in proposing". Jack retorts: "I have no doubt about that, dear Algy. The Divorce Court was specially invented for people whose memories are so curiously constituted".

And so it goes on till the formidable Lady Bracknell arrives on the scene with her daughter Gwendolen. When she learns that Algernon would be away that evening on the pretext of seeing his constantly ailing friend, Mr.Bunbury, she tells Algernon: " well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or die. This shelly-sallying with the question is absurd".

She turns down Jack's proposal of marriage to her daughter Gwendolen.Thus witty exchanges and repartee keep us interested in the play, rather than its plot or action, and herein lies Oscar Wilde's triumph as a playwright.

Trace the elements of wit and humour?

Green Land | March 22, 2019 | 1comments

The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde's triumph of comic writing, though it has several improbabilities and absurdity. In fact, the merit of the play lies in the fact that the laughter it gives rise to is absolutely free from any bitter after thought. The personages are ridiculous but Wilde does not ridicule them-young men about town, rebellious daughters, a clergyman, a prim governess and a glib valet. He makes us laugh at their conduct.

There is hardly any action in The Importance of Being Earnest. The only action that we find in the first act is such developments as Jack Worthing's visit to Algernon's flat in London, the arrival of Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen, Jack's proposal of marriage to Gwendolen and her immediate acceptance, Jack's decision to change his name to Ernest and Lady Bracknell's rejection to Jack as her son-in-law after she learns of his unknown parentage.In the second act, we find the mutual attracting between Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble; Algernon unexpected visit to Jack's country house in the guise of Ernest, the verbal exchanges between Jack and Algernon, Algernon's proposal to Cecily who accepts it with amazing alacrity, the misunderstanding between Gwendolen and Cecily.In the third act, we find Lady Bracknell's arrival in search of her daughter who has fled from her London home, her cross examination of Cecily before giving her approval to Algernon's marriage to her, the resolution of the mystery concerning Jack's birth and the happy-note ending when the three sets of lovers-Jack and Gwendolen, Algernon and Cecily, and Dr. Chasuble and Miss Prism-are united in matrimony.

This is the so-called plot in the play. Yet it holds the reader's as well as the audience's interest through its wits and humour emanating from the verbal exchanges between several characters. Each of them gives instances of brilliant wit and repartee. It is not laboured, but spontaneous and effortless.

When Jack arrives in London in order to propose marriage to Gwendolen, Algernon says: "I thought you had come up for pleasure ?............... I call that business.......... I really don't see anything romantic in proposing". Jack retorts: "I have no doubt about that, dear Algy. The Divorce Court was specially invented for people whose memories are so curiously constituted".

And so it goes on till the formidable Lady Bracknell arrives on the scene with her daughter Gwendolen. When she learns that Algernon would be away that evening on the pretext of seeing his constantly ailing friend, Mr.Bunbury, she tells Algernon: " well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or die. This shelly-sallying with the question is absurd".

She turns down Jack's proposal of marriage to her daughter Gwendolen.Thus witty exchanges and repartee keep us interested in the play, rather than its plot or action, and herein lies Oscar Wilde's triumph as a playwright.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

There are three pairs of lovers in the Importance of Being Earnest: the love-affair of Jack Worthing and Gwendolen Fairfax, that of Algernon and Cecily Cardew, and on a lesser level, that of Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble. There is no major obstacle in the way of their love and marriage, except that both Gwendolen and Cecily have fallen in love with men called Ernest. This gives rise to numerous comic situations in the play with both the girls disputing at o one time, that it is the same Ernest who has proposed to them. As for Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble, they are both celibates who are willing to enter into matrimony at a later stage of their lives.

Jack, the guardian of Cecily in the countryside, assumes the name of Earnest a fictitious and reckless younger brother whose wild and wicked ways often take him to London, where he gets an opportunity to court Gwendolen, the only daughter of Lady Bracknell, a member of British aristocracy. Gwendolen has fallen in love with Jack simply because his name is Ernest, a name that "inspires confidence" in her. She cannot think of marrying a person with some other name.

In much the same way, Cecily has fascination for the name of Ernest even before she has met her guardian. Jack's fictitious younger brother, Ernest, who lives a dissolute life in London is the perpetual cause of anxiety to her dear uncle Jack. She has discussed his wicked ways with her governess, Miss Prism, and fallen in love with him. She has even got engaged to him on her own, bought an engagement ring in his name, a bangle with a lover's knot which she promises to were always, and written several letters on his behalf to herself. She has even broken off the engagement once on account of an imaginary lover's tiff. Algernon asks her whether she could not have loved him, if his name had been different, and Cecily replies in the negative. However, the tangle is resolved when both the men express their resolve to be christened as Ernest and Gwendolen praises their spirit of sacrifice.Now the only obstacle on their way is the difficulty in obtaining the approval of Lady Bracknell to their respective marriages. She objects to Jack's marriage to her only daughter Gwendolen on account of his unknown parentage. But when the mystery of Jack's birth is revealed, he is discovered to be Algernon's elder brother and Lady Bracknell's nephew. Now there is no obstacle for Jack in the way of his being united with Gwendolen. Cecily, however, who is passionately in love with Algernon, has to face a cross examination of Lady Bracknell for her marriage to Algernon. Lady Bracknell suddenly finds Cecily charming and pretty when Jack tells her that her grandfather has left a fortune for her in the funds.There is, however no such obstacle in the way of the spinster Miss Prism, Cecily's governess, and the Rector, Dr. Chasuble. They are both attracted to each other; only their social inhibitions present them from tying the knot.Thus the play ends with the fulfilment of the three love-affairs after the temporary obstacles on the way of the lovers whose comic behaviour, witty talks and trivialities remind one of the Restoration comedy of manners.

Discuss the comic treatment of love and marriage in The Importance of Being Earnest?

Green Land | March 21, 2019 | 0 comments

There are three pairs of lovers in the Importance of Being Earnest: the love-affair of Jack Worthing and Gwendolen Fairfax, that of Algernon and Cecily Cardew, and on a lesser level, that of Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble. There is no major obstacle in the way of their love and marriage, except that both Gwendolen and Cecily have fallen in love with men called Ernest. This gives rise to numerous comic situations in the play with both the girls disputing at o one time, that it is the same Ernest who has proposed to them. As for Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble, they are both celibates who are willing to enter into matrimony at a later stage of their lives.

Jack, the guardian of Cecily in the countryside, assumes the name of Earnest a fictitious and reckless younger brother whose wild and wicked ways often take him to London, where he gets an opportunity to court Gwendolen, the only daughter of Lady Bracknell, a member of British aristocracy. Gwendolen has fallen in love with Jack simply because his name is Ernest, a name that "inspires confidence" in her. She cannot think of marrying a person with some other name.

In much the same way, Cecily has fascination for the name of Ernest even before she has met her guardian. Jack's fictitious younger brother, Ernest, who lives a dissolute life in London is the perpetual cause of anxiety to her dear uncle Jack. She has discussed his wicked ways with her governess, Miss Prism, and fallen in love with him. She has even got engaged to him on her own, bought an engagement ring in his name, a bangle with a lover's knot which she promises to were always, and written several letters on his behalf to herself. She has even broken off the engagement once on account of an imaginary lover's tiff. Algernon asks her whether she could not have loved him, if his name had been different, and Cecily replies in the negative. However, the tangle is resolved when both the men express their resolve to be christened as Ernest and Gwendolen praises their spirit of sacrifice.Now the only obstacle on their way is the difficulty in obtaining the approval of Lady Bracknell to their respective marriages. She objects to Jack's marriage to her only daughter Gwendolen on account of his unknown parentage. But when the mystery of Jack's birth is revealed, he is discovered to be Algernon's elder brother and Lady Bracknell's nephew. Now there is no obstacle for Jack in the way of his being united with Gwendolen. Cecily, however, who is passionately in love with Algernon, has to face a cross examination of Lady Bracknell for her marriage to Algernon. Lady Bracknell suddenly finds Cecily charming and pretty when Jack tells her that her grandfather has left a fortune for her in the funds.There is, however no such obstacle in the way of the spinster Miss Prism, Cecily's governess, and the Rector, Dr. Chasuble. They are both attracted to each other; only their social inhibitions present them from tying the knot.Thus the play ends with the fulfilment of the three love-affairs after the temporary obstacles on the way of the lovers whose comic behaviour, witty talks and trivialities remind one of the Restoration comedy of manners.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is a Best  play but it belongs to the genre of Comedy of manners that flourished in England during the Restoration period. This kind of comedy gives us a picture of artificial society given to immortality,  affectation and fashions . However, The Importance of Being Earnest is free from indecency , obscenity or immortality . It is characterized  by exaggeration and extravagance both in it'd plot and dialogue. The keynote of the play is absurdity which turns it into a farce.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a Best absurd drama

Most of the situations in The Importance of Being Earnest are absurd and Iudicrous, raising laughter of audience . The central situation of Jack's being found in a large handbag by Mr. Thomas Cardew in the cloak -room of the Victoria railway station in London is in itself a funny story and so it is farcical.  Then we are told that Mr.Cardew named the boy Worthing because at that time he had with him a first -class train ticket to Worthing and later left his grand-daughter Cecily under his care.  This was the result of the carelessness of Miss Prism who absent -mindedly put her three - volume novel in the perambulator and the baby in the handbag,  which she deposited in the clock -room of Victoria station . Now it is impossible for us to believe that anybody , no matter how absent -minded,  can commit a blunder like this . There is nothing absurd about Mr. Thomas  Cardew's discovery of the foundling,but it absurd that he should have named the child Worthing on the grounds that he had a first class railway ticket to Worthing,  a seaside resort.

When Jack proposes to Lady Bracknell and sincerely says that he has no parents because he was found in a handbag the situation is hilarious, Lady Bracknell then advises him "to produce at any rate one parent of either sex".When Jack expresses his inability to manage that ,Lady Bracknell turns down his proposal of marriage to Gwendolen . When miss prism gives an account of hoe she had mistakenly deposited the handbag containing the infant in the cloak -room of Victoria station , Jack jumps to the conclusion that he is the illegitimate son of Miss Prism. He is ready to forgive his mother , for her indiscretion in her youth and forgives her. Here we cannot suppress our hilarious laughter .

Further Cecily is fascinated by the wild reputation that the fictitious Ernest enjoys and his curly hair.  The situation is undoubtedly absurd drama but it gives rise to witty remarks and evokes laughter , but laughter only of the superficial kind. Thus absurd and trivial issues give rise to momentous occasion in the life of London's high society.

Thus the entire play is light -hearted,  full of banter and verbal skirmishes , sarcasm , wit epigrams and humour.

Comment on the absurdity in Oscar Wilde's play,The Importance of Being Earnest

Green Land | June 01, 2018 | 0 comments

The Importance of Being Earnest is a Best  play but it belongs to the genre of Comedy of manners that flourished in England during the Restoration period. This kind of comedy gives us a picture of artificial society given to immortality,  affectation and fashions . However, The Importance of Being Earnest is free from indecency , obscenity or immortality . It is characterized  by exaggeration and extravagance both in it'd plot and dialogue. The keynote of the play is absurdity which turns it into a farce.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a Best absurd drama

Most of the situations in The Importance of Being Earnest are absurd and Iudicrous, raising laughter of audience . The central situation of Jack's being found in a large handbag by Mr. Thomas Cardew in the cloak -room of the Victoria railway station in London is in itself a funny story and so it is farcical.  Then we are told that Mr.Cardew named the boy Worthing because at that time he had with him a first -class train ticket to Worthing and later left his grand-daughter Cecily under his care.  This was the result of the carelessness of Miss Prism who absent -mindedly put her three - volume novel in the perambulator and the baby in the handbag,  which she deposited in the clock -room of Victoria station . Now it is impossible for us to believe that anybody , no matter how absent -minded,  can commit a blunder like this . There is nothing absurd about Mr. Thomas  Cardew's discovery of the foundling,but it absurd that he should have named the child Worthing on the grounds that he had a first class railway ticket to Worthing,  a seaside resort.

When Jack proposes to Lady Bracknell and sincerely says that he has no parents because he was found in a handbag the situation is hilarious, Lady Bracknell then advises him "to produce at any rate one parent of either sex".When Jack expresses his inability to manage that ,Lady Bracknell turns down his proposal of marriage to Gwendolen . When miss prism gives an account of hoe she had mistakenly deposited the handbag containing the infant in the cloak -room of Victoria station , Jack jumps to the conclusion that he is the illegitimate son of Miss Prism. He is ready to forgive his mother , for her indiscretion in her youth and forgives her. Here we cannot suppress our hilarious laughter .

Further Cecily is fascinated by the wild reputation that the fictitious Ernest enjoys and his curly hair.  The situation is undoubtedly absurd drama but it gives rise to witty remarks and evokes laughter , but laughter only of the superficial kind. Thus absurd and trivial issues give rise to momentous occasion in the life of London's high society.

Thus the entire play is light -hearted,  full of banter and verbal skirmishes , sarcasm , wit epigrams and humour.

Oscar Wilde , The Importance of Being Earnest