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Satire in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest
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“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a play by Oscar Wilde, set in thelate 1800’s. His actors are playing upper class citizens who are veryself-absorbed. The play is set amongst upper class, wealthy people.They appear not to work and are concerned with their own pleasure.Nothing is taken seriously except trivial things.
Firstly, Algernon Moncreiff talks about absurdly trivially nonsensewith a complete irrelevance, as when talking about the importance ofscience, he asks, “Have you got the cucumber sandwiches”.
When an intelligent conversation is taking place, the conversation hascompletely altered, as he chooses to talk about sandwiches, whilstremarking that he is, “speaking of the Science of Life”.
Secondly, Algernon and Jack Worthing are worrying about the town andthe country. Algernon asks Jack why he is in the country, when, asJack would think, town is the ‘in’ and elite place to be.
Jack, says truthfully responding, “When one is in town one amusesoneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people.”
This idea is stupid as they just speak in a complicated manner. Thesurprising thing is that they both understand each other!
In addition, both Jack and Algernon have made false characters. Jackhas “invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest” andAlgernon has “invented an invaluable permanent invalid calledBunberry”.
According to Jack, his name is not suitable for both the town and thecountry. Algenon and Jack, therefore, live as they please, throughtelling white lies.
Wilde is able to develop his humour because the plot is completelyridiculous. Jack’s position in the play is completely spontaneous.
He was “Found!” in “A Hand-bag?” in “The cloak-room at VictoriaStation?” by “The late Mr Thomas Cardew”. Jack (or should I sayErnest) “must get married at once” to Gwendolen.
Unfortunately, Lady Bracknell, the mother of Gwendolen, aunt ofAlgernon, disagrees with the marriage after Jack fails her test ofbecoming on her “list of eligible young men” for her daughter to
