“The Importance of Being Earnest,” a play by Oscar Wilde, gives an interesting look into each of the social classes existent in late Victorian England. As the play follows Ernest Worthing, the main character, through his dilemmas concerning his love for the wealthy Gwendolen, his lack of knowledge concerning his parentage and his overall lack of knowledge concerning his own identity, we see the many classes that he encounters throughout and are given a good interpretation of each. Each character is clearly included in Wilde’s masterpiece to represent a different class: both butlers, Lane and Merriman, although small characters, are seen to represent the realities of the lower class; characters Ernest and Algernon are those that represent the middle class; and characters Lady Bracknell, Cecily and Gwendolen act as the highest class or the nobles. As we can see, Wilde recognizes and separates each class. Wilde satirizes each social class’ attitudes and realities by using his own satire and wit. Their dialogue or their actions help convey their stereotypical views on death, on marriage and on the other social classes as well.
The play opens with a conversation between character Algernon and his butler, Lane. Algernon and Lane are seen to be discussing the institution of marriage:
Lane:…in married households the champagne is rarely of first-rate brand.
Algernon:Good Heavens! Is marriage as demoralizing as that?
Lane: I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it myself up to the present I have only been married once. That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person.
Algernon: I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.
Lane: No, sir; it is not very interesting subject. I never think of it myself.
… Algernon: Lane’s views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them?
This dialogue goes on to characterize many different ideas that hold true in the classes of each of these characters and also goes on to satirize the stereotypical butler/master relationship. When one thinks of a butler in this time period, they think of a total and complete servant who is completely agreeable in all aspects. This scene satirizes that stereotype by watching Lane’s obvious disagreement to much of Algernon’s statements but also his ability to hide these ideas. An example is Lane’s disagreement to Algernon’s “demoralization” statement and then his quick retraction to reclaim his loyalty. Also, in allowing this discussion between the two characters, Wilde is able to bring the two classes together, an idea that was unthinkable at the time. Although the separation between the two classes was evident, it wasn’t as thick as is usually seen. Also, Algernon closes this interaction by making a statement that is very bold coming from a higher class in response to that of a lower. Critic Kyle Hawkins agrees and further recognizes the Algernon’s bold statement, “as though the wealthy observed the lower class members as role models.” This contradicts the general idea held by the higher class that is later embodied by Lady Bracknell.
This incident between Lane and Algernon is soon followed by one similar discussion between Algernon and Ernest concerning Lady Bracknell’s beliefs concerning this holy institution of marriage. Ernest pronounces his love for Gwendolen to Algernon and Algernon introduces his individual views on the institution. Algernon states that to him marriage is more of a “business” and goes on to twist the traditional idea that “marriages are made in heaven” by stating here that “divorces are made in heaven.” This also is a use of satire to put a negative light on the view of the middle class on an institution that is recognized by many as a bond of love. Algernon further goes on to criticize marriage by stating “that in married life, three is a company, two is none.” One critic goes on to say:
Wilde satirizes the excess of the elite, but at the same time the ideas proposed by Algernon do not seem so far off. In marriage, one need not look any further than Lady Bracknell to see a situation where three is company and two none: the epigrams delight also because they seem true.
This becomes evident as we hear Lady Bracknell tell Algernon that if he choose not to dine with her husband and herself tonight that no dining will happen at all and “your [Algernon's] uncle would have to dine upstairs.” This illustrates that the marriage and feeling between these two is only existent with the company of three. A satirical idea that is expressed by Algernon and holds true in the life of Lady Bracknell.
The idea and discussion of marriage also goes on to continue the satire throughout the play. Lady Bracknell, following her discussion with Ernest, refuses to allow Gwendolen to marry him because of his lack of a parentage. She says that she refuses to allow her “only daughter, a girl brought up with the utmost care, to marry into a cloakroom, and form an alliance with a parcel.” This proves the idea that the wealthier class views marriage not as something for love but instead as something that needs to be “the result of careful selection and planning on the part of parents, based on social respectability and standing… Ultimately, the only thing that matters to Lady Bracknell is not emotional happiness but rather financial and social security.” (Hawkins) Gwendolen views on the marriage, however, are almost at the same level of absurdity and go on to mirror those of Cecily in a later scene. Gwendolen agrees to marry Ernest because she feels the the name Ernest is one that “inspires absolute confidence.” This allows the reader to question her actual love for the individual against her love for the name. Gwendolen goes on to state that she felt she couldn’t love Ernest say his name be, hypothetically, Jack. This is a further satirization of this institution of marriage. These two examples show Wilde suggesting that, “to deny marriage based on birthright, as Lady Bracknell does, is no less ridiculous than denying marriage based on one’s name.” These examples are used together to connect the more obvious absurdity to one that was less obvious of the time and overall poke fun at the actions made by this social class.
Another satirical theme throughout this play of the brilliant Oscar Wilde is the everchnging view on death. The upper class seems to toy with the idea of death and seems to question the importance of those who may die. Lady Bracknell proves this with her response to Algernon’s need to visit his non-existent friend, “Bunbury” who had recently become ill. When Lady Bracknell heard of this news she stated:
…I think it is high time that this Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or to die… I should be obliged that you ask Mr. Bunbury, from me, to be kind enough not to have a relapse on saturday, for I rely on you to arrange my music for me…
This illustrates Lady Bracknell’s views on the idea of death, and her selfishness that seems to characterize that of this social class. Ernest goes on to provide another look on the unimportance or use of death later in the play, when he fakes the death of his own non-existent brother, Ernest, just to change his own name. One critic says that this is yet another example of this social class, “treating death like marriage, with an air of offhand brevity.” Ernest his little concern about the reality of pretending that his brother has died. It is evident the he has no moral problems in faking a death in order to further his own social goals. This is another form of satire in how it criticizes the upper class take on the idea of death and its similarity to their views on marriage.
The final and most obvious satire is linked to the name of the play all together: “The Importance of Being Earnest.” To be earnest is to be serious or to be grave and important. This idea is satirized by the upper classes necessity in doing such. When Wilde wrote this play, he wrote it with the comment being made that the actors that play these characters must do so with the utmost level of earnestness themselves and must be completely oblivious to the satirical humor that they convey to the audience. This further satirizes the different classes by making Wilde’s interpretation of each individual character all the more real and even more so oblivious to their own humor or their own mistakes that truly make this play a comedy. Therefore, the characters acting themselves provided a final satirical humor that made Wilde’s play a success.
Therefore, the dialogue and interaction of the characters throughout Oscar Wilde’s play, “The Importance of Being Earnest, ” truly provides a satirical comedic look into the lives of the individual social classes and further provides a good amusing storyline. Although this satire is well accepted as comedy today, however, after those who lived in the time of this play realized that they were being poked fun at, their reaction was not one of rolling in their seats laughing. After Wilde’s play had been well read into and the true deeper meaning of his criticism or satirization of the upper class was recognized, it managed to blow up in his face and was said to possibly have been what led him into deeper waters. The people of that time were definitely not ready to realize that they really were that funny.
328
Другие работы по теме:
Mrs Dalloway
– Analysis Of The Film Essay, Research Paper Upon viewing ?Mrs. Dalloway? I was not impressed. The movie seemed to jump from the present to the past. The character Septimus didn?t appear to have any purpose in the storyline. Clarrisa also seemed to be tightly bound by the Victorian lifestyle of the day to make her interesting to me.
Victorian Jewelry Essay Research Paper The quaintness
Victorian Jewelry Essay, Research Paper ?The quaintness and eccentricity of some of the jewels, particularly from among the less expensive lines, was partly a reflection of the mood of the times but was also the result of trading conditions? (Hinks6). Jewelry makers produced new ideas every season, whether they were practical or idiot because the competition between domestic rivals was so intense.
Huck Finn Essay Research Paper Two people
Huck Finn Essay, Research Paper Two people taking a trip down a river, is rarely thought of as anything more than just an adventure. Mark Twain, however, uses his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to explore and makes fun of many problems facing American society. Huck, the main character, is considered a boy who is under pressure to conform to the aspects of society.
Satire Essay Research Paper With all of
Satire Essay, Research Paper With all of the problems in today s society, it is great to know that we have one great thing going for us. That would be the talented men and women of our government. The powerful president, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, and other politicians work together to keep this country it s very best.
Johnathan Swift Essay Research Paper A Modest
Johnathan Swift Essay, Research Paper A Modest Proposal In Swift s A Modest Proposal he discusses how he wanted to prevent the poor children to no longer remain a burden to their parents or to the country, but instead to make them more beneficial to the public. Swift also wanted to expose the economic restrictions that the British had imposed upon them.
Use Of Satire In Huck Finn Essay
, Research Paper The journey taken by two people down a river, is rarely thought of as anything more than just an adventure. However, Mark Twain uses his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to explore and poke fun of many problems facing American society. Huck, the main character, is considered an uneducated boy who is constantly under pressure to conform to the “civilized” aspects of society.
Emily Bronte Essay Research Paper Bronte name
Emily Bronte Essay, Research Paper Bronte, name of three English novelists, also sisters, whose works, transcending Victorian conventions, have become beloved classics. The sisters Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855), Emily (Jane) Bronte (1818-1848), and Anne Bronte (1820-1849), and their brother (Patrick) Branwell Bronte (1817-1848), were born in Thornton, Yorkshire.
Jane Eyre Essay Research Paper Caretakers had
Jane Eyre Essay, Research Paper Caretakers had an important role in the renaissance and the Victorian period. Mainly women were accepted to be a caretaker while their class was usually a low one. Their duty changed from period to period, their class was not bound to be low, but still, it was lower than the person who hired them.
Jane Eyre As A Typical And Atypical
Victorian Woman Essay, Research Paper The image of Jane Eyre was certainly a startling one to the Victorian public. On the surface Jane Eyre seems like a quintessential heroine of Gothic and Sentimental literature: a plane and poor girl who, having virtuously defied the temptation of being seduced, is rewarded for her outstanding morality and chastity by the crowning elements of propriety and desirability –a husband and a fortune.
Dose Poetry Matter Essay Research Paper Does
Dose Poetry Matter Essay, Research Paper Does Poetry Matter? To me poetry does not matter. I do not like poetry because a poem is just a passage that contains a hidden meaning and I can never figure out what a poem is about. If poetry was not around then authors would just come out and say what they wanted to say . Their thoughts would not get confused and people would not miss the meaning that the author is trying to get across.
Homeward Bound Essay Research Paper Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound Essay, Research Paper Homeward Bound Homeward Bound is a satiric play, which attacks the socially accepted standards of today s society. This play is known as a comedy of manners; defined as light social satire. Homeward Bound also consists of amusing characters that the audience can relate to.
The Satire And Criticism Of Voltaire And
Swift Essay, Research Paper 1999-09-10 Complicated censorship during the Enlightenment forced many philosophes to use satire as a tool to express their criticism towards European society. Through great works of literature, the philosophes were able to effectively use ridicule and satire to criticize many aspects of European society.
Victorian Literature Essay Research Paper Victorian literatureThe
Victorian Literature Essay, Research Paper Victorian literature The first decades (1830s to 1860s) of Queen Victoria’s reign produced a vigorous and varied body of literature that attempted to come to terms with the current transformations of English society, but writers in the latter decades (1870s to 1900) withdrew into AESTHETICISM, a preoccupation with sensation as an end in itself.
Three Excerts From Jonathan Swift
’s A Modest Proposal Essay, Research Paper Through Jonathan Swift’s mastery of satire, his pen continually stings the wealthy class of Ireland and England. The idea of the wealthier oppressing the poor is shown by the following passage from “A Modest Proposal.” “I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.” In this passage, Swift satirically implies that the children should be quite useful since the landlords have already “devoured”, or used up the parents.
Victorian Dogamatism As A Gift From The
Romantic Age And Prior Essay, Research Paper Victorian Dogmatism as a Gift from the Romantic Age and Prior Walter E. Houghton prefaces The Victorian Frame of Mind by noting, “the
Bronte Essay Research Paper emotions
Bronte Essay, Research Paper emotions — both joyful and sad. By creating an emotional see-saw from the encounters between Jane and Rochester, the novelist indicates that these intense emotions define true love. Bront ’s emphasis on the importance of passion in a good relationship adheres to some of the doctrines of the Evangelical religion, which dominated the Victorian age.
Jane Eyre Role Of Women Essay Research
Paper A traditional woman of Victorian Society was seen as a caring mother and a loving wife. She was born to give and to love. Often, the upper-class women were taught languages and the arts; this made them very well rounded and appealing to the gentlemen. In Jane Eyre, the women characters that are encountered have both traditional and non-traditional characteristics of the Victorian Society.
The Great Gatsby As A Satire Essay
, Research Paper The Great Gatsby as a Satire Satire is an implement used by authors to point out a flaw of society or group of people in general. There are different levels of satire that the author can use. For example, the author may employ a type a formal satire known as Juvenalian satire. Here, the writer points out a subject with anger and contempt for it in a bitter fashion.
Amy LowellS Patterns Essay Research Paper On
Amy Lowell?S ?Patterns? Essay, Research Paper On the outside, the speaker in Amy Lowell’s “Patterns” acts the way Victorian society expects of her. However, on the inside, she expresses her emotions and what she
Satire In Dorothy Parker Essay Research Paper
Dorothy Parker was born in 1893 and died in 1967. She is known for using a mixture of humor, satire, and sarcasm in her poems. Satire is a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule of scorn. Three poems in which she uses humor, satire, and sarcasm are “R?sum?”, “Comment”, and “One Perfect Rose”.
Pride 2
Pride & Prejudice Essay, Research Paper Summary: Pride and Prejudice, a gentle but witty satire of courtship and marriage, tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters of a country gentleman and his matchmaking wife. At a ball given by the rich young Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy. Darcy is rude and arrogant, and he and Elizabeth are immediately at odds with each other.
Madame Bovary Essay Research Paper Madame BovaryThe
Madame Bovary Essay, Research Paper Madame Bovary The Victorian era was a time of both beauty and elegance. Many wonderful novels were written during the period including Jane Erye by Charlotte Bronte and her sister Emily s famous work, Wuthering Heights. But in contrast there are novels that express Anti-Victorian sentiments as well.
Guilliver
’s Travels Essay, Research Paper Satire in Lilliput In Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Swift uses satire to tell a tale of Lemuel Gulliver going on voyages in strange lands and meeting a variety of different characters. Jonathan Swift’s was one of the greatest satirists of his and our time. In the first book of Gulliver’s Travels millions of young schoolchildren have grown to love this famous story and never recognize the satire hidden in the story.
Jane Eyre Passion Vs Reason Essay Research
Paper Many of Jane s values are based on reason but ultimately many of her actions and decisions are driven by the heart. Discuss The character of Jane in Charlotte Bronte s novel Jane Eyre, was entirely revolutionary for the Victorian era. Whilst her values were shaped by her environs, her actions and decisions were often driven by an intense passion often contrary to societies norms.
The Victorian Age Essay Research Paper The
The Victorian Age Essay, Research Paper The United States during the second half of the 1800s was in a stage called “The Victorian Age.” The basic style of this time was actually borrowed from the English or to be more exact Queen Victoria hence the name Victorian Age.
Romantism In Essay Research Paper Even though
Romantism In Essay, Research Paper Even though it was written in the Victorian era, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening has several romantic qualities, especially with the main character, as she struggles between society’s obligations and her own desires. Chopin writes about a woman who continues to reject the society around her, a notion too radical for Chopin’s peers.
Women In The Victorian Era Essay Research
Paper In the Victorian Era (1832-1901), women faced many challenges. Women were not treated as they are today. They were treated unfairly and not heard. There was a need for women to express their own needs as human beings, and finally overcome their hardship. But the question remained, what was their position in life? Two pieces of literature that deal with this topic are A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen and A Woman s Thoughts about Women by Dinah Maria Mulock.
What Is Irony Essay Research Paper Irony
What Is Irony? Essay, Research Paper Irony is a method of assertion used by authors in literature and poetry. Although many writers have employed this literary technique for centuries, the meaning of the word can be difficult to understand. This essay will help to describe the correct meaning of this diverse word and illustrate how it is used.
Hardy
’s Use Of Jude And Sue In Jude The Obscure Essay, Research Paper Hardy?s Use of Jude and Sue in Jude the Obscure In Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy presents the characters Jude Fawley and Sue Bridehead, who violate the conventions of the repressive Victorian society while attempting to follow their natural instincts.
THE CANTERBURY TALES Essay Research Paper The
THE CANTERBURY TALES Essay, Research Paper The Canterbury Tales Chaucer uses satire in the Canterbury Tales to expose his attitude towards the Catholic Church of the Middle Ages. The first way in which he does this is by satirizing a common nun of the Middle Ages. Chaucer, in The Canterbury Tales, tells of a nun who is supposed to be married to the church.
Dover Beach Vs Dover Bitch Essay Research
Paper Hecht’s parody “Dover Bitch” is a mockery of Victorian values shown in “Dover Beach”, as well as those of his own period. Hecht candidly exaggerates the speech, ideas and symbols in “Dover Beach.”.
Art Appreciation Essay Research Paper DARK ROCKS
Art Appreciation Essay, Research Paper DARK ROCKS Georgia O Keeffe ( oil in canvas) Victorian Bouquet Severin Roesen ( Oil in canvas) In this piece of art, Georgia O Keeffe transforms ordinary natural objects (rocks) into abstract things. By setting the dark rocks against the white background she magnifies the rocks.