LRJ #4 - The Importance of Being Earnest

Sarita Beekie
Ms. Peifer
10 IB - Hour 5
10 May 2009

LRJ #4 - The Importance of Being Earnest

Absurdity is all too apparent when Jack's true identity is discovered through the revelation that he was the son of Ernest John Moncrieff (before Miss Prism placed him in the black handbag when he was a baby), so therefore he must be Ernest John Moncrieff. This is because Jack was the eldest son of Ernest John Moncrieff, and according to social conventions of the nineteenth century, Jack would've been christened with his father's Christian name. This can be inferred when Lady Bracknell tells Jack, "Being the eldest son you were naturally christened after your father" (Wilde iii). A prime example of wit can be seen when Jack (who is now earnestly Ernest) says, "It is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking the truth" (Wilde iii). Wit, (and oddly enough) absurdity and social conventions are what resolve all of the mishaps that accumulated throughout the play, as well as conclude the play while staying characteristic to the rest of the play.

LRJ #3 - The Importance of Being Earnest

Sarita Beekie
Ms. Peifer
10 IB - Hour 5
9 May 2009

LRJ #3 - The Importance of Being Earnest

There are several instances in The Importance of Being Earnest where wit is used to add dimension to the characters, and add humor to the play as a whole. Examples of wit include Algernon telling Jack, "It is awfully hard work to do nothing" (Wilde i) and "It is perfectly childish to be in deep mourning for a man who is staying for a whole week with you in your house a a guest (Wilde ii). Algernon also displays wit when he tells Cecily, "[Good looks] are a snare that every sensible man would like to be caught in" (Wilde ii). As well when Ms. Prism tells Dr. Chausuble, "No married man is ever attractive except to his wife" (Wilde ii).

The satire in The Importance of Being Earnest is used mostly to ridicule the actions of women and that of the upper class. When Gwendolen first meets Cecily, she politely tells her, "Cecily Cardew? What a very sweet name! Something tells me that we are going to be great friends. I like you already more than I can say. My first impressions of people are never wrong" (Wilde ii). However, this friendly conversing soon turns nasty, and eventually Gwendolen snaps at Cecily, "From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceived in such manners. My first impressions of people are invariably right" (Wilde ii). Oscar Wilde uses this spat to illustrate the cattiness and fickleness of women. As far as the absurdity of the upper class, Lady Bracknell's character does a most perfect job at demonstrating such a foible. When hearing of Cecily's immense inheritance, she replies, "A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady" (Wilde iii) and then goes onto tell Algernon, "There are distinct social possibilities in Miss Cardew's profile" (Wilde iii) as is he really cares about "social possibilities". Creating Lady Bracknell as the "aristocrat's aristocrat" Oscar Wilde portrays the British upper class of the time period as a group only concerned with appearances and money.

Comedy for comedy's sake (also known as farce) is what makes The Importance of Being Earnest so likable. The frequent "slipping-of-tongues" includes Cecily's, "Yes, to good heavens, Gwendolen, I mean to Gwendolen" (Wilde ii) and Algernon's, "Oh, I killed Bunbury this afternoon. I mean poor Bunbury died this afternoon" (Wilde iii).

LRJ #2 - The Importance of Being Earnest

Sarita Beekie
Ms. Peifer
10 IB - Hour 5
5 May 2009

LRJ #2 - The Importance of Being Earnest

The mishaps in The Importance of Being Earnest were (quite naturally) meant to be comical, but were also intended to entice the readers as to how these mishaps will eventually resolve.

Gwendolen doesn't necessarily fit into the mold of the stereotypical nineteenth century lady, however, Gwendolen doesn't completely defy the role of a stereotypical nineteenth century lady, either. True, she initiates Jack's proposal for her hand in marriage and secretly rejects her mother's ideas on whom she will marry, but at the same time, she has Jack propose to her (because it would've been shocking for a lady to propose to a man at the time), and she doesn't defy her mother outright, but "beats around the bush" to make secret plans with Jack, instead (because it would've been very rude [as well as inconvenient] for a lady of her standing to defy her mother for a man's whose lineage is a mystery). Lady Bracknell, on the other hand, epitomizes the stereotypical nineteenth century lady to the point it is comical (which is usually characteristic of comedies, and all). What's better (or worse) is that Lady Bracknell seems to take on all of the "less flattering" characteristics of the stereotypical nineteenth century lady (which is where satire plays its part in The Importance of Being Earnest) which is evident when she tells Jack, "I feel bound to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men...However, I am quite ready to enter your name" (Wilde i) and then proceeds to ask him of his income and lineage.

LRJ #1 - The Importance of Being Earnest

Sarita Beekie
Ms. Peifer
10 IB - Hour 5
5 May 2009

LRJ #1 - The Importance of Being Earnest

In Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, Algernon's views marriage as "a necessary evil". This is because he thinks that marriage puts a damper on one's freedom and fun, which is apparent when he tells his friend Jack, "It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If I ever get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact" (Wilde i). It is also apparent that Algernon views marriage as something that shouldn't damper ones freedom and fun, which can be inferred when he gives Jack a couple pieces of advice. The first being, "You don't seem to realize, that in married life three is a company and two is none" (Wilde i) and lastly "The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to someone else if she is plain" (Wilde i). Algernon's freedom and fun loving views are also blatantly evident when he complains, "The amount of women who flirt with their own husbands is quite scandalous. It looks so bad. It is simply washing one's clean linen in public" (Wilde i). Algernon's views on marriage make him out to be freewheeling, anti-commitment, and flirtatious (however that may have been defined in the nineteenth century) despite the fact that he thinks, "Lane's [his servant's] views on marriage seem somewhat lax" (Wilde i) because Lane apparently cheated on his wife back when he was married. This makes Algernon appear all the more inconsistent, and even less like the stereotypical nineteenth century British man.

The tone of the dialogue between Jack and Algernon is casual (for two nineteenth century British men) and it makes it clear that they are good friends. The trading of banter and the topic of their conversation supports this. From their first meeting in The Importance of Being Earnest, Algernon teases Jack, "My dear fellow, the way you flirt with Gwendolen is perfectly disgraceful. It is almost as bad as the way Gwendolen flirts with you" (Wilde i). The fact that Jack calls Algernon "Algy" is also a clue-in to their friendship.