The Importance of Being
Earnest
Emily Malterre
Celena Marsters
Mackenzie Willis
Literary Devices
● Satire
● Epigram
● Symbolism of Food
Satire:
use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to exploit vices in
other characters or society
Examples:
● Irony of “earnestness,” which Wilde saw as a mark of the Victorian society he
hated, which was also (best) represented in Lady Bracknell
○ Characters were generally punished when being truly earnest, because it
represented false morality
● Humor is used in Algernon’s constant consumption of food, which he denies
fervently, and which represents over-consumption
● Cecily and Gwen’s parallel reception of their marriage proposals represents
their shallowness and the need in society for morality, rather than names and
labels
Analysis:
● Satire brings comic relief to the play as well as criticism of Victorian society
and its values, which Wilde disliked
● The play progresses through use of satire as characters realise the folly of
their actions and their society as Wilde sees them
Epigram:
a brief, memorable statement which expresses an idea in a
witty or amusing way (aphorism, witticism, etc.)
“Really, if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them?” (Algernon, Act I, pg 2).
"The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to some one else, if she is plain"
(Algernon, Act I, pg 16).
“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means” (Miss Prism, Act II, pg 22).
"I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked" (Jack, Act II, pg 39).
“If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life” (Gwendolen, Act III, pg 52).
“I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest” (Jack, Act III, pg 54).
●
These quips show the characters insight and changing points of view
●
Show the deception and thought processes of the characters
○
●
hypocrisy, the nature of truth
Begin to show historical context
Symbolism:
a figure of speech that is used when an author wants to
create a certain mood or emotion in a work of literature
Food
●
Always associated with conflict
○ Cucumber sandwiches (Act 1, line 68)
■ Algy not allowing Jack to eat a cucumber sandwich.
○ Tea and Cake (Act 2, lines 1644-1660)
Cecily intentionally sabotaging Gwendolen’s tea and giving her cake instead of a
muffin.
Muffins (Act 2, lines 1853-1866)
■
○
■
●
●
Algy and Jack fight over who gets the last muffins, after Gwendolen and Cecily find
out about their real names.
Wilde’s use of food is a way for the play’s characters to fight, but passive
aggressively.
Also show who has the upperhand in the situations.
Lenses
● Archetypal Criticism
● Historical Criticism
● Marxist
Archetypal Criticism - Identity
Themes: Identity & Hypocrisy
1. Identity: Jack and Algy cannot conform to Victorian society without use of
multiple personalities, which allow them to navigate socially and
geographically
a.
In this case, Earnest acts as the Orphan archetype and uses Earnest to find belonging and
compensate for having been abandoned by his parents
b.
Algernon is the Joker archetype and seeks only to fulfill himself and avoid boredom and
frivolity, and he uses Bunbury to avoid this
c.
Gwendolyn is the Innocent, and makes up an alternate universe in her diary where she
can be the damsel in distress
Message:
One must accept their own identity before they will be accepted by others.
Archetypal Criticism - Hypocrisy
2.
Hypocrisy: the use of multiple personalities causes hypocrisy in
characters
a.
Jack is neither earnest nor Earnest, and both him and Algernon initially use their alternate
identities to behave in ways that would otherwise be inappropriate (Algy expresses
contempt with Lady Bracknell for invalids like Bunbury; Earnest refuses to pay at
restaurants and behaves lavishly and wrecklessly)
b.
In contrast, when Algy pretends to be Earnest in the country, him and Cecily make up an
alternate reality and history of their relationship but are not trying to distort any truth
and thus are not being hypocritical
c.
When Rev. Chausible finally expresses interest in Ms. Prism, he goes against his archetype
as the Sage or Mentor, who serves others rather than his self interest - though for him
this hypocrisy against his traditional role proves beneficial for him and Prism
Message: Hypocrisy is used to push personal agendas, but may also bring
characters more in touch with their true selves.
Historical Criticism
It can be easy to discount Wilde’s play as a “farce”, or simply comedic work,
but within the comedy there is a statement made about society.
The play presents itself as artificial.
Victorian Era values
Outward appearance of dignity and restraint
Strict set of moral standards - often hypocritical
Victorian melodrama - invention of the dandy (Wilde himself)
Historical Criticism
Hypocrisy
Many of the lines shine light on the hypocrisy, politics only important for
socializing
“Jack
...I am a Liberal Unionist.
Lady Bracknell
Oh, they count as Tories. They dine with us” (Act I, pg 13).
Morality
Lack of honesty and instead a focus on social status and what is “proper”
Marxist
Lower Class vs. The Higher Class
●
Wilde mocks the arrogance and pretentiousness of the higher class.
○
○
○
●
Oblivious of anything but their own problems
As long as appearance is good, substance doesn’t matter
The name “Ernest” with both Cecily and Gwendolen
Lower class is humble and thinks relatively smarter than the higher class.
○
True to self, and doesn’t hide feelings
■ Miss Prism and Rev. Chasuble’s relationship
■ Lane questioning Algy’s priorities
Wilde is criticizing the ways of the aristocracy in the Victorian Era.
Film Adaptation
The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) - the final scene
Movie Scene
“[They whistle some dreadful
popular air from a British opera.]
Act III, page 43
Discussion
Lit Devices:
● Satire, Pun, Symbolism of Food
Lenses:
● Archetypal Criticism, Historical Criticism, Marxism
Video:
● The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)