THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

A Trivial Comedy for Serious

People1895

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Written in 1895 A play in three* acts Genre: comedy of manners Immediate hit when first

performed Satirizes Victorian moral and

social values Bridges Victorian period with

Modern Uses wit, puns, exaggeration, and

wordplay to create humor

• Manners and Sincerity

• Idleness of the Leisure Class

• Dual Identities

• Critique of Marriage as a Social Tool

• Love

• Foolishness and Folly

THEMES TO IDENTIFY

Themes

Manners and Sinceri

ty

Idleness

Love

Critique of

Marriage

Dual Identiti

es

THE AESTHETIC MOVEMENTWilde was a leader of the

Aesthetic Movement, which professed a belief in “art for art’s sake.” Art shouldn’t merely look to life or nature for inspiration, for art that too closely imitates life is a failure, according to Wilde.

Plays with characters who spoke and acted just like they would in real life were utterly boring to followers of Wilde’s philosophy.

Characters in the play can be divided into two categories: aesthetes and non-aesthetes.

AESTHETE – ONE HAVING OR AFFECTING

SENSITIVITY TO THE BEAUTIFUL

Wilde's aesthetes are brilliantly witty, avoid work at all costs, and prize appearance above all else.

These are characters who can pull a perfectly phrased line right out of the air at a moment's notice and can do the same with a more material thing: a diary, for example.

NON-AESTHETES ARE BORING,

MUNDANE

They have no sense of the delicate beauty of life and it takes a lot of hard work for them to get what they want. There is none of the easy wit or graceful appearance that is characteristic of an Aesthete.

Even their dress reflects their toils: the colors are earthy and mundane in contrast to the jewel-toned Aesthetes.

John Worthing, aka “Jack,” aka “Ernest”

Algernon Moncrieff, aka “Ernest,” Jack’s friend

Lane, Algernon’s butler

Rev. Canon Chasuble, the preacher in the country

MAIN CHARACTERSLady Bracknell,

mother of GwendolynGwendolyn Fairfax,

wants to marry a man named “Ernest”

Cecily Cardew, Jack’s ward

Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess

SETTING

Time: Present, around

1890

Place(s): London (“the

City”), Jack’s estate in the

country,

the village church

VICTORIAN PERIOD

Named for Queen Victoria of EnglandQueen from 1837-1901Followed the reign of “Mad” King GeorgeThe culture was very moral and seriousWomen were expected to be the

“angel in the house” - to take care of their husband and family

QUEEN VICTORIABecame Queen as a

young girlMarried Albert, Prince

Consort and adored himAfter he died, she wore

black for the rest of her life

Had nine childrenCreated a culture that

valued family and stability

SOCIAL NORMSManners were supremely important; people

called on one another for formal visitsThe upper class was well-educated, rich and

respected families (“old money”); however, no amount of money can overcome poor manners

Modesty was key—women wore clothing that covered; young women were chaperoned until married, and it was considered bad manners to flaunt wealth

VICTORIAN FASHION

LITERARY VOCABULARYComedy – light-hearted literature with

humor and a happy ending (often a wedding or engagement)

Satire – literary writing that uses humor to expose something or someone to ridicule

Comedy of Manners – a popular form of satirical drama often directed at peculiar social behavior featuring witty and polished dialogue and plots that frequently involved illicit lovers and cases of mistaken identity

LITERARY VOCABULARYWit – using words to be clever and funny

with language

Farce – a broad comedy, dependent on overblown speech, unbelievable situations, exaggerated characters, and, frequently, sexual innuendoes

Epigram – a short statement or poem with a witty turn of thought or a wittily condensed expression

Pun – an expression that achieves emphasis or humor by utilizing two distinctly different meanings for the same word or two similar sounding words

Meet Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing.

Both characters are a type of character Wilde created called the “Dandy.”

Like Wilde, Algernon and Jack are witty, educated, effeminate, avid followers of the latest fashion and represent the Victorian upper class.

They both adopt a fictional identity named Ernest to shirk their responsibilities and escape to go on vacation in the city or the country.

A PUNNY TITLE

Neither the audience, nor the other fictional characters of the play can compliment either character as being honest,

serious or sincere.

Ironically, it just so happens that the word earnest means "serious" and "sincere." Earnest is used as a

pun for one of the lessons of the play.

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

Dramatic Irony – the audience knows something a character does not

Situational Irony – the opposite happens of what is expected