Wilde uses puns throughout this play‚ but the major pun is found within the title. In The Importance of Being Earnest‚ the pun‚ widely considered to be the lowest form of verbal wit‚ is rarely just a play on words. The title‚ - The Importance of Being Earnest‚- insinuates the importance of being honest and truthful‚ while playing on the male name‚ Ernest. The pun in the title is a case in point. The earnest/Ernest joke strikes at the very heart of Victorian notions of respectability and duty. Gwendolen
Premium Victorian era The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde in many ways was far ahead of the Victorian society that he found himself in. Wilde’s homosexual lifestyle and focus on sensuality were so frowned upon in the Victorian society that they were actually illegal‚ which led to his eventual imprisonment and downfall (Bastiat 2). It is almost as if Oscar Wilde’s life itself was a satire‚ because these aspects of himself that were illegal and frowned upon were what made his play The Importance of Being Earnest so successful. Wilde’s play was
Premium Victorian era English-language films The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde is remembered today for his use of epigrams and his plays. Wilde wrote ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ in which many people argue that it appears Wilde subverts the typical Victorian gender role. Gender roles are cultural and personal‚ they determine how males and females should think‚ speak‚ dress‚ and interact within the context of society. Masculinity and Femininity refer to the dominant sex role pattern in the vast majority of both traditional and modern societies: that of male assertiveness
Premium Gender role Gender Victorian era
The Importance of Being Victorian: Oscar Wilde “The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either‚ and modern literature a complete impossibility” (Wilde 14). As a brilliant writer of the 1800’s‚ Oscar Wilde devoted the majority of his works towards unveiling the harsh truths of the Victorian society. Leading a life of deception himself‚ he chose to showcase his distastes for the social injustice he saw around him with unrestrained humor. Being the first
Premium Oscar Wilde Victorian era
What good does always being earnest do you if you are not "Ernest"? Oscar Wilde’s play‚ "The Importance of Being Earnest"‚ explores exactly this notion‚ following two men who readily abandon their namesakes in order to win the affections of their respective fair ladies. The play opens in London with a conversation held between these two men‚ Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. However‚ at the play’s origin‚ Algernon only knows his friend as "Ernest". This rapidly changes with the aid of a cigarette
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era
Chiderah Onyeukwu Professor Daniel Galvin English 213 18 April 2013 Role of Marriage in Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest‚ Oscar Wilde’s last and most famous play‚ debuted in London on February 14‚ 1895. Throughout the play‚ one major theme seems to override the others. That theme is the role of marriage; the question of whether marriage as an institution is “pleasant” or “unpleasant” comes up repeatedly. It seems as if every character has a strong stance on the role of
Premium Marriage Victorian era Social class
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest The Novel The Importance of Being Earnest was more enjoyable to me than the film. The reason for this was‚ while my imagination pictured the story and the visuals of the people and the settings quite similar to the on-screen portrayal‚ my mind’s images were more enjoyable. The differences portrayed on film were distinctive in the characters‚ scenery‚ and mostly the soundtrack I had not envisioned while reading the play. While they absolutely worked
Premium Comedy The Importance of Being Earnest Samuel Beckett
and as a result they are rarely given the attention they deserve. In Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest‚” we see cleverly hidden details within the drama that‚ while serving significant roles‚ people may view as inhibitors to understanding the play. Cigarette cases and tea parties are two of the many details within the drama that contain background meanings; their most prominent purpose being to emphasize the importance of propriety within their era. However‚ they also play substitute roles
Premium Irony Victorian era Comedy
After learning about the Victorian Era‚ we watched the film/play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest is a satire comedy where the main characters‚ John and Algernon‚ create fictitious people to escape from oppressive social obligations. Before watching the film‚ I had no clue what the play was about. I honestly had never really heard of the characteristics and social classes of the Victorian Era. After watching the play‚ I now have a better understanding
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest Victorian era Marriage
English 1C 30 May 2018 An Interpretation of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde’s play‚ The Importance of Being Earnest allows the reader to question the value of morals and whether they are significant or not. His work may be argued to be “quite useless” to some‚ but may be impactful to others. In this sense‚ it may be both meaningful as a piece of art and entertainment. The “moral” of the play‚ if anything‚ suggests that one in fact can be rewarded by being less than earnest and presents itself at the end
Premium The Importance of Being Earnest English-language films Victorian era