BunburyasProtection
T
Mr.BrentBeerman
APEnglishLiteratureandComposition,Period3
27March2016
Mr.BrentBeerman
APEnglishLiteratureandComposition,Period3
27March2016
BunburyasProtection
“Thisisnotimeforwearingtheshallowmaskofmanners”(54).Thissimple,yet
powerfullymeaningfulstatementbyyoungCecilysetthetoneofdeceptionandjudgmentthat
ignitedOscarWilde’srenownedplayThe Importance of Being Earnest.Theplayissetin
VictorianeraEngland,atimeinwhichidealsofmoralityandrighteousnesswereglorified.
Wildebecameavictimofthecriticalsocialstigmasoftheperiodashewasforcedtorepresshis
homosexualityinordertoplacatesociety.Hechanneledhisinnerstrugglesintotheplayby
utilizingdisguisesanddeceptiontoexpressthelengthshewaspressuredtogototomaintainhis
reputation.Wildeingeniouslyusedthedynamiccharacterstomocktheupperclassandtheir
oblivionashelivedinharmonythroughhisdoublelife.ThecharactersofJackandAlgernon
adoptalteregosasameansofsatisfyingtheirsinfuldesireswithoutbeingostracizedbysociety’s
hypocrisy.The Importance of Being Earnestisfilledwithinstancesof‘bunbury-ing’inwhich
charactersemployfacadesandpursuetheirrepugnantagendasuntilthepointwhentheir
authenticidentitiesareunintentionallyunraveled.Bunburyessentiallyactsasthescapegoatthat
isexploitedtoallowtheexpressionofbehaviorthatwouldotherwisebecondemnedbysociety’s
absurdnorms.Wilde’sintentioninincorporatingBunburyistodefendhislove,theonlygenuine
constructinhislife,againstsocietaldisapproval.Bunbury’spurposeasprotectionforJack’s
deceitfulmanipulationofloveironicallybecomesaself-fulfillingprophecybecauseJack's
attempttocheattriviallovemakeshisdisguiseasErnestmorevulnerabletothedestructive
powerofdeceitbyforcingconfrontationwithVictorianuppercrustexpectations.
Firstandforemost,Jack’sveneerasErnestbecomesthecatalystbehindhispassionate
relationshipwithGwendolenashemanipulativelyuseshisfaçadetoattractherattentionwiththe
assurancethatErnestprotectshimfromherdisapproval.Ernest’sintenttodistractthemeddling
individualsinJack’slifeasheseeksliberationfromthecountry’sexpectationstakesaturn
towardscorruptionwhenheexploitshiscounterpartforthepurposeoflove.Thefigurethatwas
initiallybornoutofaninnocentneedtoseekrefugefromJack’sdomesticobligationsbecomesa
pawninhisgameoflove.Jack’sselfishinterestsareexpressedwhenhecasuallyexplains“When
oneisintownoneamusesoneself.Whenoneisinthecountryoneamusesotherpeople”(Wilde
3).HisacknowledgementthathismaskasErnestissimplyforhisbenefitinbothworlds
confirmstheprotectiverolethatErnestplays.The‘bunbury-ing’thathetakespartinallowshim
toescapethedisapprovalofCecilyandMissPrismwhileappeasingGwendolenwithhisfalse
love.Thisconfusedwebofdeceptiondrewitsinspirationfromthelove-inflictedchaosinOscar
Wilde’slife.Wilde’spassionaterelationshipwithAlfredDouglaswasundoubtedlyasin
accordingtoVictoriansociety’svirtuousvalues.InalustfullettertoDouglas,Wildeexplains
“Theykillme,theywreckthelovelinessoflife.Icannotseeyou,soGreekandgracious,
distortedwithpassion”(Wilde2).TheevidentpainthatOscarWildefeelsasaresultofsociety’s
destructionofhisrelationshipservesasjustificationforJack’sdedicationtoErnest.Ernest
functionsasasafeguardforJackwhoisfreetopursuelovewithoutthedamningthreatsfrom
society.However,thesamecriticismthatJackisimmunefromistherootofWilde’sdownfall
andthereasonforJack’sroleplayingasErnest.TheevolutionofErnestfromamuseagainst
Jack’sresponsibilitiestoacompanionthatsatisfiesGwendolen’sinfatuationcomesasareaction
fromtheinnerturmoilWildeendured.JackutilizesErnestasameansofappeasingthe
individualsinthecountryasheseeksloveintown,ameasurethatheispushedtowardsdueto
Wilde’spersonalexperiencewithsocietalaggravation.
EvenmoreunfortunateisthenatureofthebondthatErnestcultivateswithGwendolenas
itisonecharacterizedbyartificiallovewithhisalter-egobecomingtheonlyallureoftheir
relationship.Ernestisnothingmorethanaphonypretensethatismirroredbythebogusnessof
theirlove.ThefigurecreatedbyJackforthesolepurposeofmanipulationisironicallyusedasa
toolinGwendolen’sdeceptionofhim.GwendolenslylytellsErnestthathisname“suitsyou
perfectly.Itisadivinename.Ithasamusicofitsown.Itproducesvibrations”(Wilde15).
GwendolenisundoubtedlyinfatuatednotwithErnesthimself,butthefeelingsassociatedwith
hisname.Sheessentiallyfoolshimintobelievingshegenuinelyloveshimwhilehedrownsin
ignoranceofhowhisownidentityisbeingusedagainsthim.Jack’soriginalmotiveinutilizing
Ernestasanexcusetofleefromhisresponsibilitiesasaguardianisopposedbecauseitplunges
himintothedepthsoffalselove.TheprotectiverolethatBunbury,intheformof‘Ernest,’
playedisabandonedasErnestisthecauseofJack’ssocialdemise.WhenErnestisaffirmedtobe
Jack’snametowardstheconclusionoftheplay,Gwendolenexclaims“Ernest!MyownErnest!I
feltfromthefirstthatyoucouldhavenoothername!”(Wilde82).Thisproclamationservesas
confirmationthatGwendolen’sloveforJackwasnothingmorethanafalsefrontasshewas
blindedbyJack’smaskasErnest.Evenfromthebeginning,whenJackbelievedhewasbeing
protectedbyhisalter-egoErnest,hewasactuallysuccumbingtothesuperficialityof
Gwendolen’slove.Thus,Jack’sdownfallstemsfromhisfrontasErnestbecausethecoverthat
wasmeanttoshieldhimfromsocialexpectationsexposedhimtothedestructivenatureof
shallowlove.
Ironically,thelovethatfurtherconsumedErnest’slifeasaresultofhisalternateidentity
becamethecauseoftheneedtorevealhistrueself.TherevelationofhispersonaasJackwasset
inmotionbythechaosinflicteduponhimasErnest’spurposeasaprotectivebarriertransformed
intoacorrosiveshield.ErnestwasestablishedfromJack’sdesiretoclownaroundwithmischief
andwithdrawfromsocietalexpectationsinthecountry.Thefigurewhoseintentwasto
emancipateJackmutatedintoafigurethatrestrictedhimbybindinghimtoGwendolen’strivial
love.WhenheisobligatedtocometotermswithhisidentityasJack,heshares“Itisthefirst
timeinmylifethatIhaveeverbeenreducedtosuchapainfulposition,andIamreallyquite
inexperiencedindoinganythingofthekind”(Wilde60).ThefactthatErnestdescribesthenovel
experienceofhonestyas‘painful’indicatesthathisintentionswerenevercenteredaroundthe
truth.AfterthemishapwithGwendolen,AlgernonandCecily,Jackisforcedtosurrendertothe
intricaciesoflovebybeingperfectlycandidaboutwhomhereallyis.OscarWilde’slifewas
characterizedbyastrikinglysimilardilemmaashecreatedadoublelifewithhiswifeinorderto
foolsociety,protectinghimselfthesamewayErnestshieldedJackfromsociety.OnceAlfred
Douglas’father,theMarqueesofQueensbury,threatenedtoexposeWilde’strueidentity,Wilde
wasleftwithnochoicebuttorelinquishtheduallifehehadcreatedandbehonestabouthis
homosexuality,despitethedamningeffectsthetruthhadonhisreputation.Inaheart-wrenching
lettertohisloveDouglas,Wildewrote“Iamdazedwithhorror.Lifehasatlastbecometomeas
realasadream.WhatmorehideousthingsmaycrawlouttocryagainstmeIdon'tknow....
Sometimesthereissunlightinmycell,andeverydaysomeonewhosenameisLove
comestoseeme,andweepssomuchthroughprison-barsthatitisIwhohavetocomforthim''
(Marcus10).ThetorturethatWildeenduredduringhistimeinprisonwasabyproductofthe
influencelovehadonhislifebymakinghimdefenselessagainstthejudgmentofsociety.The
parallelbetweenJack’sandWilde’sliveslieinthefactthatbothmenmanipulatedtheiralter-
egosforthepurposeoflovebutbecamedoomedoncetheloveforcedthemtoacknowledgetheir
trueidentities.
ThereasoningforJack’ssecretiveidentitymirrorsthejustificationforrevealingwhohe
trulyis.ThecoreofhiscreationofErnestliesintherelationshiphehaswithGwendolenandhis
pursuitoflove.Jack’susageofhisfaçadetoattractGwendolenbackfires,ashemustabandon
theveneerforthesakeoflove.Gwendolen’sinfatuationwithhimisevidentwhensheproclaims
“Howsecretiveofhim!Hegrowsmoreinterestinghourly.”(Wilde52).Gwendolen’s
amusementwithhissecrecyservesasproofofherownsuperficialityasshecompletely
disregardsthefactthathebetrayedherbylyingabouthistrueself.Herabilitytotakethenews
ofJack’sactualidentitysolight-heartedlyprovesherlackofregardtowardsJackasapersonas
theallureoftheirrelationshipwasmerelyhisnameasErnest.Hence,thelovethattheirkinship
isembodiedbyissimplyaproductofGwendolen’sfascinationwithErnestthetitle.His
motivationinmaintaininghisalter-egoErneststraysfromhisoriginaldesireforentertainmentto
sustainingGwendolen’slovetowardshim.WhenJackcomescleanabouthistrueself,hebegsto
Gwendolen“itisaterriblethingforamantofindoutsuddenlythatallhislifehehasbeen
speakingnothingbutthetruth.Canyouforgiveme?”(Wilde82).Hisdesperatepleafor
forgivenessisaresultofhisfutileattempttomaintainhislove-filledrelationshipwith
Gwendolen.Ernest’sinitialmannerofattractingGwendolenwassuccessfuluntilthepointwhen
hisfalseidentitycouldn’tprotecthimfromherfalselove.Heinvoluntarilyhadtobehonest
abouthisoriginsandditchhismaskasErnestinordertobewithGwendolen,whichisexactly
theapproachheusedtograspherloveinthefirstplace.
ThefinalculminationofJack’sdeceptionisevidentwhenthedisguiseofErnestthat
wasintentionallybornoutofhisurgentneedtoprotecthimselffromsocietalexpectations
becamethecatalystbehindhisconfrontationwiththesenorms.Inordertowhole-heartedly
investhimselfinhisrelationshipwithGwendolen,JackabandonedErnest.Duringhisfutile
pursuitofsocialfreedomintown,Jackencounteredtheoneforcethatcausedhisdeceptive
maskstocrumble–love.LadyBracknell,theepitomeandutmostrepresentativeofsocietal
rules,tellsJackearlyonthat“Tobeborn,oratanyratebred,inahand-bag,whetherithad
handlesornot,seemstometodisplayacontemptfortheordinarydecenciesoffamilylifethat
remindsoneoftheworstexcessesoftheFrenchRevolution”(Wilde21).Theclearemphasison
thestandardsofsocietyestablishestheprecedentforJack’sneedtosuccumbtothesocietalrules
ofdecencybyrelinquishinghisalternateidentityasErnest.HeironicallybredErnestfroma
desiretorunawayfromhisobligationsinthecountry,whichareessentiallyasocietal
expectationgivenhispositionasaguardian.Nonetheless,Ernestbecomesthereasonhemust
succumbtosociety’sridiculousidealsasheisconfrontedwiththepredicamentsposedbylove.
OscarWildefacedasimilarquandaryduringhislifetimewhenheusedhisdomesticlifewithhis
wifeandkidsasacover-upforhishomosexualitybutwasforcedtoadmittohissexualdeviancy
duetosocietalpressures.Thedamningeffectsofsociety’smeddlingareevidentasWilde’s
letterswerefilledwith“horror,guiltandadolescentinjury”(Marcus10)duringhistimein
prison,aconsequenceofsocietalinterference.Wildedrewonhisunfortunatesituationtoproject
thedetrimentaleffectsthatsocietyhadonhisrelationshipontoErnest.Asaresult,thedisguise
thatwasmeanttoshieldErnestwasthereasonhebecamevulnerabletosociety’sexpectations.
TheevolutionofErnestfromadisguisetoatoolusedtocatapultJackintosocial
condemnationmadehimsusceptibletotheprinciplesofsociety,resultinginaself-fulfilling
prophecy.Jack’s‘bunbury-ing’wasentirelyamatterofavoidingtheguidelinesestablishedby
hissurroundings,despiteAlgernon’sexcitementwhen“naturallywanttotalktoyouabout
Bunburying.Iwanttotellyoutherules”(Wilde10).Jackwasblindtothefactthatevenas
Ernest,hewasstillbeingforcedtoabidebytherulesthatAlgernoneagerlyexplainedtohim.
Nonetheless,towardstheendoftheplay,Jack’spowerbecomestenuousasthecontrolheonce
heldthroughhisdualidentitiesislostamidstthedemandforsocietalproceduresforthe
marriages.JacksaystoLadyBracknell“Onthecontrary,AuntAugusta,I'venowrealisedforthe
firsttimeinmylifethevitalImportanceofBeingEarnest”(Wilde83).Tobeearnestistohavea
purpose,avaluethatclearlyofutmostimportancetoLadyBracknellasevidentbyher
interrogativequestioningofErnestandherapprovalofhis‘smoking.’Jack’sproclamationthat
hehasdiscoveredtheimportanceofbeingearnestservesasunfortunateproofthatheindeed
becamevulnerabletothevaluesofsocietythathewasattemptingtoavoidinthefirstplace.
Ernestessentiallybecameaself-fulfillingprophecyinthathiseffortstoopposeexpectations
resultedinhisconfrontationwiththem.Thus,Ernestdeviatedfromitsoriginalpurposeas
protectiononceitvictimizedJacktothesocietalruleshewasdesperatelyescapingfrom.
Jack’sdeceptionoflovewastobeprotectedthroughhisidentityasErnestbutresulted
onlyinhisdownfallbymakinghimvulnerabletothesocietalexpectationsassociatedwithlove.
Wilde’slifewascharacterizedbyastrikinglysimilaroccurrenceashisdoubleidentitycameto
anunfortunateconclusionwhensocietymeddledwithhislove.Hisboldnessinmakingasocial
commentonVictoriansociety’sfaçadeofvirtueismimickedthroughthe‘bunbury-ing’that
plaguesthecharactersoftheplay.Wilde’singeniousincorporationofBunburystemsfromhis
perspectiveonthedetrimentaleffectsofsocietalexpectationsandthemannerinwhich
conformityeventuallydominates,despiteanyeffortstostrayfromthenorm.
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