Title: Oscar%20Wilde%20The%20Importance%20of%20Being%20Earnest%20A%20Trivial%20Comedy%20for%20Serious%20People
1Oscar WildeThe Importance of Being EarnestA
Trivial Comedy for Serious People
2The Victorian Age
- In the Victorian Age, which encompassed the last
quarter of the nineteenth century, England was at
its climax of power. The British Empire extended
all over the world, coining the phrase, "The sun
never sets in the British Empire." - The era saw the flourishing of the English
aristocracy, but the rise of the elite created a
huge wealth disparity between the very rich and
the very poor. - Wilde, a respected member of the upper-class,
concentrated his satirical efforts only on the
aristocracy.
3Victorian Age continued
- The Victorians were interested in order and
manners. - This emphasis on manners grew from the idea that
life would be improved if it became more refined,
more rationally organized, better policed, and
therefore safer.
4Timeline
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde dies
Oscar Wilde is born
1800
1900
2000
M. Thatcher
Elizabeth II
Victoria
World War I
World War II
5"Oscar took the ball of talk wherever it happened
to be and played with it so humorously that
everyonewas soon smiling delightedly.
(Frank Harris)
6The Author
7Introduction
- With The Importance of Being Earnest (1895),
Irish-born Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) created
his final and most lasting play in every
respect, a masterpiece of modern comedy. - A century later, it produces a wonderful balance
by remaining both a respected and studied piece
of literature, as well as a favorite with
audiences.
8Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
- Next to his literature, Wilde is largely
remembered for his flamboyant lifestyle and
outrageous behaviour, at least as measured by the
times in which he lived. - Educated at the University of Oxford, he wrote
poetry, studied the classics and adopted a
philosophy of "arts for arts sake". It wasnt
uncommon to see him strolling through Picadilly
Circus in London, outfitted with a velvet coat,
knee breeches, and shoulder-length hair, carrying
a lily.
9Wilde and his Play
- On Feb. 14, 1895, was the opening night of the
original production of The Importance of Being
Earnest at the St. James Theatre in London. It
was a major social event, partly due to the
stunning popularity of Wilde The Importance of
Being Earnest was his fourth play in only three
years. - While Earnest was in rehearsal, Wilde was in the
middle of his troubled but long-term relationship
with Lord Alfred Douglas, and was being pursued
by Douglass father, the homophobic marquess of
Queensberry.
10Wilde and his Play
- Two weeks later, Queensberry left a calling card
in Wildes mailbox, accusing Wilde of being
homosexual.
Wilde decided to take legal action and sued
Queensberry for libel, a step that would
backfire. While Queensberry was acquitted, Wilde
was tried and convicted of homosexual practices,
and subsequently sentenced to two years hard
labor, in what was called the trial of the
century,
11Wilde and his Play
- Upon his release in 1897, Wilde moved to Paris.
With broken spirit and empty pockets, he lived
out the remainder of his life in poor health,
relying on the charity of friends. - On Nov. 30, 1900, at the age of 46, Wilde died of
cerebral meningitis. During the height of Wilde's
controversial trial and imprisonment, Earnest
closed down.
It was revived in 1902, without the disgraced
playwright's name on the program. Only in a 1909
revival after his death, was Wilde's name
returned to the bill, and the play had the long
and commercially successful theatrical run that
it deserved.
12And alien tears will fill for himPitys long
broken urnFor his mourners will be outcast
menAnd outcasts always mourn
(Wildes tombstone)
13The Dramatis Personae
Jack Worthing
Algernon Moncrieff
ward of
Y
Gwendolen Fairfax
Cecily Cardew
aunt of
mother of
Lady Bracknell
14- A "comedy of manners" is defined as A comedy
concerned with the social actions and behavior of
members of a highly sophisticated, upper-class
society.
15Genre Notes
- Oscar Wilde, rather than focusing on the lower
classes or social conditions, chose to satirize
the life of the English aristocracy, a world with
which he was personally familiar. - His characters are typical Victorian snobs they
are often arrogant, dont seem to work at all,
are overly proper, formal and concerned with
money.
16- One of the ways Wilde's wit manifests itself is
in puns Running throughout the entire play is
the double meaning behind the word earnest, as a
male name and as an adjective for seriousness. - Wilde saw earnestness as being a key ideal in
Victorian culture. Much of British society struck
him as dry and conservative, and so concerned
with the maintenance of social norms that it had
become almost inhuman. The Importance lightly
shows the limitations and unhappiness produced by
such a way of life.
17- Also fundamental to Wilde's wit is his use of
epigrams short, witty sayings. - We see this type of humor at work, for instance,
as Jack announces that he has come to town to ask
Gwendolen to marry him and Algernon responds "I
thought you had come up for pleasure? I call that
business. I really don't see anything romantic in
proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. The
very essence of romance is uncertainty. If I ever
get married, I'll certainly try to forget the
fact."
18- The Importance has many goalsIt pokes fun at
the aristocracy, the literary world, marriage and
love, English manners and customs, women and men
in modern society. - Furthermore, it does so in a lighthearted fashion
while creating some of the most memorable
characters in the history of English theater. It
has always been a huge commercial success because
both its humor and its themes are as timely today
as they have ever been.
19It is awfully hard work doing nothing.
(Algernon, Act I)
"
20Sources / Links
- http//www.hoboes.com/html/FireBlade/Wilde/earnest
/The full text of The Importance of Being
Earnest - http//together.net/theatre/earnest/synopsis.htm
A short synopsis and analysis of Earnest - http//www.english.upenn.edu/cmazer/imp.html
- Wilde, Society, and Society Drama an essay
- http//www.sparknotes.com/lit/earnest/
information for pupils - http//ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/govind/earnest.html
questions and quotes - http//www.showgate.com/tots/gross/wildeweb.html
the world wilde web - http//www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/8889/poetr
y/mp-wilde.htm The Monty Python Oscar Wilde
Sketch - http//www.oscariana.net/ Oscariana a wonderful
fan site