WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 4 ANALYSIS OF HUMOR IN THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST The Importance of Being Earnest is replete with two elements: pun and paradox. These two are played up immensely to present a very humorous approach to cultural criticism. In essence‚ it is a satirical comedy on the aristocratic class during the Victorian Era. The text is full of epigrams that expose the characters’ views on lying‚ marriage‚ reputation‚ society‚ gender‚ romance and love. Additionally‚ the play keeps
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Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a play that epitomizes the Victorian age. “The Importance of Being Earnest” a man named Jack who goes by the alias Earnest‚ and Algernon who goes by Bunbury. These men are living double lives‚ and by them doing so‚ they would not be considered an ideal Victorian man. Earnest and Algernon come up with these names so that they can get away from their daily lives to be along in the country. During the Victorian age‚ it was common for women to
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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
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satisfy their creative urges. For the most part‚ when adapting the play The Importance of Being Earnest‚ director Rob Parker stayed pretty faithful to the original source material. However‚ he did make a very slight amount of changes when making his film. Through his decision making Parker was able to create a film the was unique but still highly based on the play that he was adapting. In The Importance of Being Earnest film Parker stayed faithful to the dialogue‚ made slight
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Webster’s impacts are noted in mankind’s unrealistic characterization of moral code as completely evil or inherently good. No gray area or in between dwellings creates an inhumane rupture of the conscious leading to moral ineptitude in both The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Madea by Seneca. The mental
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Social‚ intellectual‚ and cultural ideals have always played an important role in defining history and shaping society; when these ideals are examined in a literary context‚ the process is labeled “the historical approach.” America today embraces its own set of ideals‚ including feminism‚ liberty‚ and individualism. Similarly‚ Victorian England (which lasted through the majority of the nineteenth century) upheld very specific ideals that shaped the culture of that time period. These specific social
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them to be very appreciated by other people. This age can be described as very hypocrite because no one is perfect so lying and pretending in order to present as a “saint” is absurd but in that age it meant everything. This essay will discuss the role of women in that age compared with this age. It will also show the vanity and insecurity of women and try to explain if that really remained even for today. Miss Gwendolen Fairfax is a member of upper class society and a perfect example of a beautiful
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College of Florida The Importance of Being Earnest: A tale of Victorian mockery "Every word and every part of an individual was expected to be in accordance with the rigid moral and behavior rules‚ and each‚ even the slightest deviation from the rule was considered an offence which made the delinquent publicly disgraced. Even literature and art had its cannons which were to be respected" (Mathews‚ 2009). In Oscar Wilde ’s satirical comedy‚ The Importance of Being Earnest‚ Victorian hypocrisy is
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Oscar Wilde’s satirical depiction of Victorian Society in The Important of Being Earnest comments on the absurdity of their inability to recognize the difference between the important and unimportant. Characters in the play often make trivial matters into serious matters and vice versa‚ although there are times where issues are treated appropriately. However‚ the whole idea of what is important is subjective‚ and in a Victorian Era context‚ matters such as social status and proper etiquette were
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Views on Marriage The Importance of Being Earnest is a comical drama using multiple types of irony to ridicule marriage‚ death‚ and birth. In the Victorian age‚ family was a major influence in choosing one’s offspring’s mate. Lady Bracknell accepted all Jack’s characteristics except the fact‚ he had inconsiderate parents. “To lose one parent‚ Mr.Worthing‚ may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness (1.1.1421). Gwendolen was willing to marry Jack regardless of his social
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