The Importance of Being Earnest

1
The Importance of Being Earnest

• A look at Victorian ideals.

2
Oscar Wilde

• Born October 16, 1854 in Dublin
• Educated at Trinity College and Oxford
• Famous for flamboyant dress, contempt of
  conventional values and belief in aestheticism
• Married Constance Lloyd in 1884
• Did not hide his homosexuality

3
Aestheticism

• Embraced the idea of art for the sake of beauty
  and beauty alone.
• Characterised by the attitude of making "art for
  art's sake.
• Belongs to the anti-Victorian reaction and had
  post-Romantic roots.
• Took place in the late Victorian period from
  around 1868 to 1901, and is generally considered
  to have ended with the trial of Oscar Wilde.

4
Wildes Downfall

• The end began when Wilde met Lord Alfred Douglas
  (Bosie)
• Had a homosexual affair from 1891 his death in
  1900.
• Was put on trial for homosexual acts. Being gay
  was not a crime, the sexual act itself was.
• Trial brought by Bosies homophobic father
  (Queensberry).

5
The Court Case

• Bosie (protected by his powerful family) was
  never charged.
• Only names mentioned were those of working class.
  Names of upper class were written if necessary
  but never revealed.
• Case allegedly was partly to redirected attention
  away from Queensberrys older brother who was
  having an affair with Philip Primrose who would
  later become Prime Minister.
• Government punished Wilde to appease Queensberry.

6
The Punishment

• Wilde sentenced to two years imprisonment in
  Pentonville Prison.
• Spent 23 hours a day in a poorly ventilated cell
  and 1 hour exercising. Had very little human
  contact.
• Allowed no photos, could only read The Bible and
  prayer books.
• Food was unspeakable, bed was wooden boards.

7
The Rest of His Punishment

• Left this prison 30 lbs lighter and in poor
  health.
• Transferred to Wandsworth Prison.
• Released in May 19, 1897. Was in falirly good
  health.
• Immediately went to France and never returned to
  England.

8
The Final Years

• Did not write again.
• Drank heavily and begged money from friends.
• Lived the rest of his life with Bosie.
• Died on Nov 30th, 1900 at age 46. Believed that
  he died of meningoencephalitis complicated by
  chronic middle ear infection.
• Left behind two sons Vyvyan and Cyril.

9
The Victorian Era

• Queen Victoria had the longest reign in British
  history.
• Cultural, political, economic, industrial and
  scientific changes that occurred during her reign
  were remarkable.
• When Victoria ascended to the throne, England was
  essentially agrarian and rural upon her death,
  the country was highly industrialized and
  connected by an expansive railway network.

10
Queen Victoria

• Born 1819
• Became queen at 18
• Reigned from 1837-1901
• Husbands name was Albert. He died in 1861 and
  she mourned him for the rest of her life.

11
Victorian Prudery

• It was improper to say "leg" in mixed company
  instead, the preferred euphemism limb was used.
  
• Verbal or written communication of emotion or
  sexual feelings was not acceptable so people
  instead used the language of flowers or food.
• Alleged that tableclothes and bedskirts were
  created to cover legs of tables and beds.
• More likely they were created to cover the
  shabbiness of the furniture.

12
Repression

• Characterised by sexual repression.
• Men's clothing is formal and stiff, women's is
  fussy and over-done.
• Ankles are scandalous