The Importance of Being Earnest. Context Written in 1895 This was during the Victorian Era which ran from the mid 1830’s-1901, during which time Queen.

The Importance of The Importance of Being EarnestBeing Earnest

ContextContext

Written in 1895 Written in 1895 This was during the Victorian Era which This was during the Victorian Era which

ran from the mid 1830’s-1901, during ran from the mid 1830’s-1901, during which time Queen Victoria had the throne.which time Queen Victoria had the throne.

Marked by the height of the Industrial Marked by the height of the Industrial Revolution.Revolution.

During this time photography emerges as During this time photography emerges as well as modern Architecture.well as modern Architecture.

Social Realism and Impressionism are the Social Realism and Impressionism are the current artistic movements. current artistic movements.

Eviction Scene Henry Thaddeus (1889)

Portrait of an Artist’s Mother, James Whistler (1871)

Important Things Important Things

Aestheticism- A movement that embraces Aestheticism- A movement that embraces art for the sake of beauty and beauty alone.art for the sake of beauty and beauty alone.

Oscar Wilde dressed flamboyantly, and had Oscar Wilde dressed flamboyantly, and had a contempt for traditional values.a contempt for traditional values.

Wilde perfected the Victorian Melodrama or Wilde perfected the Victorian Melodrama or Sentimental Comedy. Sentimental Comedy.

Earnest is a Comedy of Manners. Earnest is a Comedy of Manners. A Dandy is a character who pays excessive A Dandy is a character who pays excessive

attention to the dress and is morally attention to the dress and is morally superior. This character is largely superior. This character is largely autobiographical for Wilde.autobiographical for Wilde.

Home in LondonHome in London

Oscar Wilde’s home in London Oscar Wilde’s home in London from1884-1895.from1884-1895.

CharactersCharacters John (Jack/Ernest) Worthing, J.P.John (Jack/Ernest) Worthing, J.P. -  The play’s  -  The play’s

protagonist. Jack Worthing is a seemingly responsible and protagonist. Jack Worthing is a seemingly responsible and respectable young man who leads a double life. In respectable young man who leads a double life. In Hertfordshire, where he has a country estate, Jack is known Hertfordshire, where he has a country estate, Jack is known as Jack. In London he is known as Ernest. As a baby, Jack as Jack. In London he is known as Ernest. As a baby, Jack was discovered in a handbag in the cloakroom of Victoria was discovered in a handbag in the cloakroom of Victoria Station by an old man who adopted him and subsequently Station by an old man who adopted him and subsequently made Jack guardian to his granddaughter, Cecily Cardew. made Jack guardian to his granddaughter, Cecily Cardew. Jack is in love with his friend Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen Jack is in love with his friend Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen Fairfax. The initials after his name indicate that he is a Fairfax. The initials after his name indicate that he is a Justice of the Peace. Justice of the Peace.

Algernon MoncrieffAlgernon Moncrieff -  The play’s secondary hero.  -  The play’s secondary hero. Algernon is a charming, idle, decorative bachelor, nephew Algernon is a charming, idle, decorative bachelor, nephew of Lady Bracknell, cousin of Gwendolen Fairfax, and best of Lady Bracknell, cousin of Gwendolen Fairfax, and best friend of Jack Worthing, whom he has known for years as friend of Jack Worthing, whom he has known for years as Ernest. Ernest.

CharactersCharacters

Gwendolen FairfaxGwendolen Fairfax -  Algernon’s cousin  -  Algernon’s cousin and Lady Bracknell’s daughter. Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell’s daughter. Gwendolen is in love with Jack, whom she knows as is in love with Jack, whom she knows as Ernest. Ernest.

Cecily CardewCecily Cardew -  Jack’s ward, the  -  Jack’s ward, the granddaughter of the old gentlemen who granddaughter of the old gentlemen who found and adopted Jack when Jack was a found and adopted Jack when Jack was a baby. Cecily is probably the most baby. Cecily is probably the most realistically drawn character in the play. realistically drawn character in the play. Like Like GwendolenGwendolen, she is obsessed with the , she is obsessed with the name Ernest, but she is even more name Ernest, but she is even more intrigued by the idea of wickedness. intrigued by the idea of wickedness.

““One should always play fairly whenOne should always play fairly when one has the winning cards. one has the winning cards.

” Oscar Wilde” Oscar Wilde

CharacterCharacter Lady BracknellLady Bracknell -  Algernon’s snobbish, mercenary, and  -  Algernon’s snobbish, mercenary, and

domineering aunt and Gwendolen’s mother. Lady Bracknell domineering aunt and Gwendolen’s mother. Lady Bracknell married well, and her primary goal in life is to see her married well, and her primary goal in life is to see her daughter do the same. When she gives a dinner party, she daughter do the same. When she gives a dinner party, she prefers her husband to eat downstairs with the servants. prefers her husband to eat downstairs with the servants. She is cunning, narrow-minded, authoritarian, and possibly She is cunning, narrow-minded, authoritarian, and possibly the most quotable character in the play. the most quotable character in the play.

Miss PrismMiss Prism -  Cecily’s governess. Miss Prism is an endless  -  Cecily’s governess. Miss Prism is an endless source of pedantic bromides and clichés. She highly source of pedantic bromides and clichés. She highly approves of Jack’s presumed respectability and harshly approves of Jack’s presumed respectability and harshly criticizes his “unfortunate” brother. Puritan though she is, criticizes his “unfortunate” brother. Puritan though she is, Miss Prism’s severe pronouncements have a way of going Miss Prism’s severe pronouncements have a way of going so far over the top that they inspire laughter. so far over the top that they inspire laughter.

Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D. -  The rector on Jack’s estate.  -  The rector on Jack’s estate. Both Jack and Algernon approach Dr. Chasuble to request Both Jack and Algernon approach Dr. Chasuble to request that they be christened “Ernest.” that they be christened “Ernest.”

Key FactsKey Facts full titlefull title · The Importance of Being Earnest: A  · The Importance of Being Earnest: A

Trivial Comedy for Serious PeopleTrivial Comedy for Serious People authorauthor · Oscar Wilde · Oscar Wilde type of work · Playtype of work · Play genregenre · Social comedy; comedy of manners;  · Social comedy; comedy of manners;

satire; intellectual farcesatire; intellectual farce languagelanguage · English · English time and place written · Summer time and place written · Summer 18941894 in in

Worthing, EnglandWorthing, England date of first productiondate of first production · February  · February 1414, , 18951895. In . In

part because of Wilde’s disgrace, the play was part because of Wilde’s disgrace, the play was not published until not published until 18991899..

tonetone · Light, scintillating, effervescent,  · Light, scintillating, effervescent, deceptively flippantdeceptively flippant

setting setting (time) · 1890s(time) · 1890s settingsetting (place) · London (Act I) and (place) · London (Act I) and

Hertfordshire, a rural county not far from Hertfordshire, a rural county not far from London (Acts II and III)London (Acts II and III)

Key FactsKey Facts

protagonistprotagonist  · John Worthing, known as · John Worthing, known as “Ernest” by his friends in town (i.e., “Ernest” by his friends in town (i.e., London) and as “Jack” by his friends and London) and as “Jack” by his friends and relations in the countryrelations in the country

major conflict major conflict · Jack faces many · Jack faces many obstacles to his romantic union with obstacles to his romantic union with Gwendolen. One obstacle is presented Gwendolen. One obstacle is presented by Lady Bracknell, who objects to what by Lady Bracknell, who objects to what she refers to as Jack’s “origins” (i.e. his she refers to as Jack’s “origins” (i.e. his inability to define his family inability to define his family background). Another obstacle is background). Another obstacle is Gwendolen’s obsession with the name Gwendolen’s obsession with the name “Ernest,” since she does not know Jack’s “Ernest,” since she does not know Jack’s real name.real name.

Key FactsKey Facts themes · The nature themes · The nature

of marriage; the of marriage; the constraints of constraints of morality; hypocrisy morality; hypocrisy vs. inventiveness; vs. inventiveness; the importance of the importance of not being “earnest”not being “earnest”

motifs · Puns; motifs · Puns; inversion; death; inversion; death; the dandythe dandy

symbols · The symbols · The double life; food; double life; food; fiction and writingfiction and writing