|
|
Hilarity and Social Criticism in The Importance of Being Earnest Outline I. Intro II. Historical Background a. First performed b. No alienation, is reaffirming III. Characters a. Jack and Algernon i. Not as different as they first seem b. Gwendolyn and Cecily i. “New Woman” ii. opinionated, well-educated c. Lady Bracknell and Miss Prism i. Opposite of other women ii. Very proper, Victorian ideals iii. Truth about Miss Prism’s past and its relevance IV. Victorian Ideals V. Wilde’s beliefs on realism VI. Social and historical importance, precedents VII. Conclusion Oscar Wilde’s farcical comedy The Importance of Being Earnest is subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.” The playwright himself penned this, so the reader is inevitably inclined to ask himself whether this deprecating subtitle is accurate. Despite the simple humor, the play is not “trivial,” but rather a biting and relevant social commentary on Victorian era values and principles that undoubtedly “serious people” can decipher within the lines of the comedy without feeling threatened about their own beliefs. In fact, the title of the play alone gives the reader some inclination as to what the story is about; the importance of being serious and resolute, which not coincidentally are two of the most important Victorian ideals. First performed in London in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest’s plot centers on two couples who must overcome many hilarious obstacles on their journey to marriage. The play was critically acclaimed from its first performance and was instantly accepted by the public; a foreshadowing of the stories timelessness. Underlying the story line, Wilde illustrates the “polite conventions and restrictions of Victorian society” (Worth 126). This is aptly by Wilde in his droll depictions of aristocratic British men and women at the end of the nineteenth century. Despite his critical tone, Wilde does not alienate the members of his audience, but rather sheds light on the absurdity of societal traditions, such as courtship, engagement and marriage, while at the same time reaffirming the beliefs of his audience. To explore Wilde’s criticism of the absurdity of British culture and its implications in modern life, one must first examine the characters and plot of The Importance of Being Earnest. The two central figures are Jack and Algernon who are friends in spite of their seemingly artificial oppositions.
|
