Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s plays "The Importance of Being Earnest”

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Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s plays “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Introduction

The Importance of Being Earnest has managed to capture a lot of public attention due to its property of passion and hypocrisy of the social way of living that has been manifested in the play. Wilde in the play uses a variety of social tragedies, which are presently popular, and others that are predominant with a minor influence of politics such as mockery. The moderate parody that has been used is almost certainly, what confined Wilde from receiving the attacks that were designed for his colleagues. “Thomas Hardy and Henrik Ibsen who were his friends contributed to the development to analogous consequence on the morals and approach of Victorian humanity” (Wilde, Oscar, and Richard 54). Wilde in the drama is able to ridicule the ethics that numerous still thoughts were the grounds for the immense accomplishment of Victorian work. The aristocracy that has been reviewed by Wilde involves the issue of morality, high mindedness, moral decency and altruism. These moral issues enhance the development of themes that were associated to the social life that people were living at that moment. However, Gradually Wilde brings fourth the issue of hypocrisy that dominated the ruling elites who wore masks to hide their evils. In summary, the key protagonists will go to whichever lengths to keep away from their obligations and place egotism at the pinnacle of their own schema. In the plot, the literal system of dramatic irony satire is presented by Wilde to show the social hypocrisy in the Victorian enterprise.

Themes

In the first scene, Wilde brings a tone that elaborates the comical mischief that conveys a humorous property of the play that has been influenced by the actions of the characters. His hilarity has several layers of significance: social disapproval of the superior and moderate Victorian category of morals, orientation to the homosexual society and its background. The use of locals and familiar sights to his nobility audience, witty sayings and puns, not only offer funniness but also emphasize on his social appraisal. First, Wilde must bring in his typescript and the background. Algernon and Jack are among the very many people who have portrayed hypocrisy through living their lives under masks. This encompassed their marriage lives and their involvement in homosexuality. Both characters also belong to the higher and the moderate class of audiences that are characterized by their ability to live in double lives.

The premeditated application of the name Ernest is analyzed in the characters to portray their ability to live secret lives in favor of their positions in the society. Earnestness, or dedication to good worth and obligation, was a Victorian model. It was a manifestation of authenticity, hard work and seriousness. The responsibility to one’s folks and personality in the society was a symbol of earnestness. With keen out look of the plot, Wilde derives deception as another meaning that has was used to portray the secret lives that people exercised in the society. Some of the detractors put forward that earnest was the ability to live a double life. Other reviewers propose that earnest is associated with homosexuality. Therefore, the name Ernest was used in the play to show the criticism about social life and in the devices that have been used to make plot.

The big subject in The Importance of Being Earnest comes to compare marriage in terms of pleasure and restraining effect in the social responsibility. In common, the past generation believes that marriage is a tool that is used for maintaining social dignity and positions in the society. This brought forth whereby as a requirement to get married, one had to submit to a cross-examination. In this interview, one had to state his rank, name and serial number. The preferred number that had great significance in this case was the bank number for it was a symbol of income and wealth. In addition, an individual had to have an acceptable title that was subject to approval by the parents.

One of the biggest ironies in all the scenes of the play is enhanced by the ability of the characters to adhere to the rules of marriage despite their deceptiveness that surrounded their lives. These rules involved marrying people of the same race and color according to the expectations of the society. The issue of marriage brings a heated conflict of views in the first part of the play. In this case, “Wilde reveals that marriage is associated with hypocrisy hence being used to enhance status of individuals” (Van 32). In addition, marriage has been used as a tradition that promoted dishonest and lack of sexual desirability among spouses. In other context, Marriage is perceived to bring about a conclusion to the romantic anticipation of flirting. This is because, women are said to object marriage that has been proposed by the men they have already go involved in evil with. In addition, Wilde seems to bring fourth the idea that marriage is a commerce that deals with wealth, property, and status.

The Importance of Being Earnest divulges the disparity flanked by the conduct of the lower class and that of the upper class. Members of the so-called higher class demonstrate an enormous deal of self-importance and deception. Their behavior is much triggered by their possessions in terms of wealth and senior social state of affairs. They are so anxious with preserving the rank quo that they swiftly compress any cryptogram of insurgence in their world. In this play, Wilde ridicules the superiority and insincerity of the nobility. The lower classes in Earnest have fewer conceited character and thus being more self-effacing, but evenly excellent at creating jokes. The social class has divided it self in the upper and the lower category hence bringing another area of conflict in the play.

The people of the lower class are said to be submissive to the upper class decisions. This occurs whereby “Lane is obligated to wait on the upper classes, and also with the act of observing their ethics” (Chafe 87). In addition, the people of lower class might not reveal or comment on their status, but their facial terminology betrays their caring role in life, which entails patience and actions and not remarking. The upper-class spectators were essentially appeased by recognition that accorded them according to their locations and edifying names with which they were well known in their society. In addition, the higher class of audiences acknowledged these common locations and was aware of the character that Jack and Algernon corresponded.

The issue of personal love has been associated with social status where Wilde begins to criticize the perception of courtship and romance. Jack and Gwendolen have already verified that suggestions must be made appropriately, particularly if anyone is in close proximity. There is presentation of mockery Cecily and Algernon on unadventurous romance and courtship. The daily contents of Cecily diary presented the alleged deceptive character in courtship and romance. Whilst Miss Prism informs Cecily that remembrance is all one requires bearing in mind one’s life, Cecily responds, “Yes, but it frequently archives the issues that have on no account happened, and could not have possibly happened.” Fake recollection is what facilitates romance in Miss Prism’s novel.

The issue of gender in the Victorian world enlightens the concept that men have superior authority than women. This is because men are perceived to make the relative political resolutions for their folks. On the other side, women are charged with housework that involves taking care of children and the house property. In addition, men are recognized according to their intellectual ability of performing tasks and delegation of verdict, while women are eye-catching to men for their gorgeousness character. Nevertheless, Wilde brings an interesting questions concerning gender responsibility in the play by ranking women higher in positions of command, which implies that men can be reckless and awful in making decisions.

Literary Devices

Jack and Algernon are two imaginary characters that have been introduced in the play to symbolize deceptiveness and the false promises that surrounded the people in the society. However, irrespective of the other characters, everything in the play of earnest is ought not to have existed, therefore there is dominance of imagery in the entire play. This occurs where the writer wants the audience to create an imaginary person who posses the human character in the present society. This brings the issue of hierocracy that was practiced by Jack through living double life that was accompanied by deceitful character. The ridiculous sound brought in the play by illusion presents the imaginary nature of the play. Both Jack and Algernon live a life full of lies in order top keep their dignity and moral standards in the society at higher level. This is because, both the dignitaries are afraid of revealing their evils which would result to lose of power. Alliteration in the play has been used to enhance the humorous effect of the play. This is with reference to the irregular pattern of the rhyming scheme that gives emphasis on the humorous conversations of the characters.

Conclusion

Wilde has been able to bring a tone that elaborated the comical mischief that led to the humorous property of the play. This comical effect has been enhanced by the actions of the characters. The use of locales and familiar sights to his nobility audience, witty sayings and puns, not only offer funniness but also emphasize on his social appraisal. The name Ernest has been used in the play to show the criticism about social life concerning the hypocrisy that was influenced by the deception in the play. Marriage has been used as a tradition that promoted dishonest and lack of sexual desirability among spouses. The Importance of Being Earnest divulges the disparity flanked by the conduct of the lower class and that of the upper class. The issue of social class has made one class to be submissive to the other thus creating a gap in the area of interaction. Moreover, issues of gender in the Victorian world enlightened the concept that men have superior authority than women. Therefore, the literal system of dramatic irony satire is presented by Wilde to show the social hypocrisy in the Victorian enterprise.

Works Cited

Chafe, Wallace. The Importance of Not Being Earnest: The Feeling behind Laughter and Humor. Amsterdam: J. Benjamins Pub. Co, 2007. Internet resource.

Van, Kirk. Wilde’s the Importance of Being Earnest. New York: Wiley Pub, 2004. Print.

Wilde, Oscar and RichardCave. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays. London: Penguin Books, 2000. Print.