The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

1. Discuss the settings, when, where, and how long does the action takes place?

The play, “The importance of Being Earnest: A trivial Comedy for serious People,” is done by Oscar Wilde, written in 1895 and published in 1899. The setting of the play is in England in the year 1890s (Wilde 1.1.1). Act 1 of the play is done in London, while for Act 2 and 3, they take place in another country (Hertfordshire). The play is well set in London and Hertfordshire, England, during the Victorian era in the late 19^th century. It seems to have two different locales in an unspoiled countryside estate and lavish London, giving readers a marked contrast. The heart of England is demonstrated by London’s urban center, which is full of culture, decadence, and fashion, and business. In contrast, the quaint Hertfordshire is characterized by nature, an Edenicoasis where people can rush to escape the busy city life.

2. Why could the play be described as “a trivial comedy for serious people”?

Jack, in the play accepts Victorian values though he seeks to trivialize Victorian society. The play “The importance of Being Earnest” is an exquisite trivial to make the people reason more; it creates a strong awareness of the serious things in life that require sincere perception and treatment with a lot of seriousness (Wilde 2). Throughout the play, he succeeds in trivializing particular parodies such as society, marriage, and aristocracy through the use of epigrams and paradoxes (Wilde 3.1.pg. 5). The trivial pieces in the play construct and assemble a scattered story that, in the end, adds humor. The insignificant sections provide a satirical mood in a light, hearted manner. The play being trivial shows clearly how the high-class people complain about sandwiches and education when the poor, low-class people do not have access to food and education. Jack Wilde includes situational irony; inversions devices create an interesting play while at the same time revealing curiosity where characters say things contrary to the expectations of audiences, adding satire, and creating verbal irony (Wilde 2). The trivial is employed to mock the way people acted and their view of what was acceptable. The author intends to bring humor as he points at society’s flaws without creating an alarm.

3. What features of Victorian society and relationships at that time does the author mock in the play?

Although Oscar Wilde was born in Ireland, he moved to England to study and became known because of his decadence and extravagance. He discovered the differences in moral standards that existed in the social contexts and the people’s behavior outside the public eye (Wilde 3). In the play “The importance of Being Earnest,” Oscar Wilde mocks the upper class by portraying them as dishonest, erratic, and snobbish. He ridicules the proper social conduct. People during the Victorian Era were much focused on one’s behavior in public. Thus Jack and Algernon assume false identities in the strive to get away with their ideal actions.

Formal invites and calling cards characterized the era for social engagements. This is exploited in the play where Algernon mocks Jack’s carelessness, not sending him to dinner invitations (Wilde 3). The British felt to be superior to the French. The play yields some fun of the French promiscuity with Jack referring to the corrupt French Dramas. The play also tackles marriage and courtship. During the Victorian era, it was very advisable to marry within one’s social class and, if possible, to acquire wealth through the marriage. Though lady Bracknell is very dismissive of Algernon’s stated on engagement to Cecile, she changes her mind discovering that Cecile has significant inheritance (Wilde 3).

In his play “the importance of being earnest,” mocks certain features in the Victorian Era. The writing is characterized by Victorian society and values, which experienced increased wealth, strict social norms, and political stability (Wilde 3). The strict rules of conduct during this time adversely motivated people are influencing their social standing, thus making them behave in a socially acceptable way in public. Though women were seen as weaker than men during this time, they were more nurturing than men and expected to run the households. Men who were viewed as being more strong and rational, they were considered to be suited for politics and business. To be considered moral, strict rules were available to dictate living for both sexes (Wilde 3). During this time, a class division was also cored with increased industrialization, moving middle-class families to higher society. The poor were treated unfairly due to improper conduct.

4. The title of the play contains a pun (a literary device). Read what a pun is, find it in the title, and then explain it and its purpose

.           A pun is a word that is humorously used to portray two or more of its meaning or even the purpose depicted in another story with similar sounding. Jack’s title has a pun since Jack lacks earnestness and sincerity (Wilde 1). He lies about being named Ernest. The cousin of his fiancé, Algernon, finds him lying and remarks, “you are the most earnest-looking person I have ever seen in my life. It is quite absurd to hear you say that you are not Ernest.” The title thus possesses the homophones “Ernest” and “earnest,” which form the pun (Wilde 1). The play ends ironically, where Jack comes to learn that he was christened as Ernest at birth. The truth reveals itself, and he admits that he has discovered “the vital importance of Being Earnest.”