The Importance of Being Earnest
Background:
-First performed at the St.James’s Theatre, London, in 1895; it was published in 1899.
Stylistically, it finds its predecessors in the “comedy of manners” tradition of the 18th century, relying on wit, farce and typical characters to create humor. It contributed to the ribirth of the English theatre during the Victorian period.
-This play is Wilde’s most successful one.
The title:
The title is a pun (a play on words) based on the two meanings of the word EARNEST ( both a man’s name and an adjective meaning ‘honest’, ‘sincere’)
The plot:
The plot is based on a series of confusions that have to be resolved, mysteries that have to be explained and cases of mistaken identity that have to be corrected.
John Worthing (called Jack) was found in a handbag at Victoria Station by Mr Worthing, who adopted him. He lives in the country but when he goes to London he uses the name of Earnest. He is in love with Gwendolen, cousin of his friend Algernon Moncrieff.
Gwendolen accepts to marry him because she wants to marry someone with the name of Earnest.
Algernon arrives in the country and introduced himself like Earnest, then he meets Cecily, Jack's Ward, and between them is love at first sight. The 2 girls believe they are both engaged to a man called Earnest.
Misunderstandings of identity cause funny and misleading situations but all ends well.
-Oscar Wilde amusingly analyses the English social classes and reflects on snobbery and the false values of late Victorian England.
-He relies on development of character and their witty dialogues to create humour in the play.
-Algernon Montcrieff is the typical dandy figure, amusing, rich, good-looking and well dressed.
-Jack is also something of al dandy, but he is always more serious than Algernon.
-Lady Bracknell is the caricature of the upper-class English snob;
-Miss Prism is the funny forgetful servant figure;
-Gwendolen and Cecily represent a silly and superficial approach to love (just a fashionable game, whose goal is marriage) and life.
-The language is witty, light and full of paradoxes and epigrams;
-There aren't moral judgements but only a satire of the upper-class English people.
When the girls realize that no one is Earnest
- This is the central scene of the play (act 2)
- It's based on a breethtaking succession of misunderstandings discoveries relying on superbly brilliant language
- The humour comes from the characters, what they say and how they say it.
- Importance of the stage directions: the characters are made to move on the stage as if they were puppets.
- Opposition between town (Gwendolen) and country (Cecily) ------> Gwendoline, as a Lord’s daughter living in London, is more snobbish and talkative than Cecily, a country orphan; in the end both girls prove to be vain and sharpe-tongued and to have the same attitude towards life..
- Relations based on social position.
- Superficial high-society relationship
- Absurdity of upper-class conventions
- Rivalry between the sexes
- Criticism of the Victorian novel tradition (Three-volume-novels)