Is The Importance of Being Earnest a Realistic Fiction?
Is The Importance of Being Earnest A Realistic Fiction?
Realistic fiction is stories about imaginary people and/or events that can actually happen (Cullinan, 1989). The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde may seem realistic but, in fact, it is not. Fictional characters of the Victorian Period and various occasions of ridicule represent nothing but sarcastically mirror the reality of the Victorian society. The characters look humane and world view seems to be based on the Victorian society. Many scenes in the play suggest, with sarcasm, possible situations in the period. The Importance of Being Earnest chimes with Abrams’s notion of “realistic fiction” through three themes: the nature of marriage, the restriction of morality, and the lack of earnestness.
The nature of marriage has a leading role in developing the plot of The Importance of Being Earnest and is a major debate on whether the reality is “pleasant”. Discussion about the nature of marriage first appears in the opening scene of Algernon and Lane talking about how demoralising marriage can be. Lane remarks that his marriage was pleasant but has ended because of “a misunderstanding between himself and a younger person” (Wilde, 2006), which might be between him and his younger self or his ex-wife. This reflects the reality that, in the Victorian Period, marriage could be lax and divorce was common. The next question on the nature of marriage emerges when Algernon and Jack have a little disagreement on whether proposing to a woman is “pleasure” or a “business”. “Business” does not describe marriage proposal correctly. Although the result of a proposal may usually be an acceptance, the process is where it is romantic and hence “pleasure”. Before the marriage proposal, Gwendolen tells Jack that she loves a man called Ernest because she believes the name “inspires absolute confidence” (Wilde, 2006). Even before she knows Ernest, she already has fascination with him. Marriage is thought to be serious
Realistic fiction is stories about imaginary people and/or events that can actually happen (Cullinan, 1989). The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde may seem realistic but, in fact, it is not. Fictional characters of the Victorian Period and various occasions of ridicule represent nothing but sarcastically mirror the reality of the Victorian society. The characters look humane and world view seems to be based on the Victorian society. Many scenes in the play suggest, with sarcasm, possible situations in the period. The Importance of Being Earnest chimes with Abrams’s notion of “realistic fiction” through three themes: the nature of marriage, the restriction of morality, and the lack of earnestness.
The nature of marriage has a leading role in developing the plot of The Importance of Being Earnest and is a major debate on whether the reality is “pleasant”. Discussion about the nature of marriage first appears in the opening scene of Algernon and Lane talking about how demoralising marriage can be. Lane remarks that his marriage was pleasant but has ended because of “a misunderstanding between himself and a younger person” (Wilde, 2006), which might be between him and his younger self or his ex-wife. This reflects the reality that, in the Victorian Period, marriage could be lax and divorce was common. The next question on the nature of marriage emerges when Algernon and Jack have a little disagreement on whether proposing to a woman is “pleasure” or a “business”. “Business” does not describe marriage proposal correctly. Although the result of a proposal may usually be an acceptance, the process is where it is romantic and hence “pleasure”. Before the marriage proposal, Gwendolen tells Jack that she loves a man called Ernest because she believes the name “inspires absolute confidence” (Wilde, 2006). Even before she knows Ernest, she already has fascination with him. Marriage is thought to be serious
References: Cullinan, B. (1989). Literature and the child. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Oxford Dictionaries. (2013). Earnest: definition of earnest (1) in Oxford dictionary (British & World English). [online] Retrieved from: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/earnest?q=earnestness #earnest__7 [Accessed: 28 Nov 2013]. SparkNotes Editors. (2004). Sparknote on The Importance of Being Earnest. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/earnest [Accessed: November 26, 2013]. Wilde, O. (2006). The Importance of Being Earnest. [e-book] The Project Gutenberg. [Accessed: 27 Nov 2013].