"The Importance of Being Earnest" is full of Wilde aphorisms!
In keeping with this kick I've gotten on regarding expected behavior roles for the sexes and classes, I decided to read Wilde's play. From the beginning, it's obvious that Wilde is satiring the sexes and classes, and includes some important themes from his aesthete philosophy; for example, in the opening, Algernon states that anyone "can play (piano) accurately-but I play with wonderful expression!" Aesthetes believed art should exist for art's sake alone, not as social commentary. Playing with expression mimics the idealism of aestheticism, as music--the art--should be passionate. Later in the first act, Algernon states that romance is wonderful, but marriage is horrible. Romance is the art of the people, but marriage fails to live up to the ideal.
The play is Wilde's satire on Victorian society's definition of roles for men and women, and the classes. One thing that occurred to me was why Algernon and Jack would create alter egos for themselves, and came to the conclusion that because of the way they were expected to act, they created new people to allow themselves to act more in accordance with their characters. As gentlemen, Jack and Algernon had to create new personalities to escape the stifling expectations of their class status. As Ernest and a friend to Bunbury, both could escape the class structure they were in and engage in near profligate behavior without upsetting their peers with their ungentlemanly actions.
Wilde makes several comments on the shallow nature of Victorian society, and the importance of appearances, which stifled individuals and created an obsession with moving up the social ladder. Gwendolyn says "in matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing (p878)." She says previously that "we live in an age of ideals, (p855). Lady Bracknell, who in the play is the epitome of the Victorian lady--stressing good breeding and manners over everything else--makes several similar observations as well, stating that "we live in an age of surfaces (p881), and stating that Algernon "has nothing, but he looks everything (p882)." These comments reflect the nature of the times. People had to live up to certain ideals, and as long as people behaved "properly" then they could be accepted into society. What they did was unimportant as long as they behaved properly in public. Disregarding this rule was part of Wilde's later downfall.
Wilde also makes fun of the upper class's pursuits. The more leisure time someone had, the better they were presumed to be. When Lady Bracknell is questioning Jack she asks him if he smokes. He answers yes, and she praises his having a decent occupation. Of course the irony is that smoking is not an occupation, but by having so much leisure time, he is deemed "acceptable" (at least so far) as a potential husband. Later on, Algernon makes the comment that it is hard work doing nothing, and he doesn't mind itwhen there is no point to it. Again, we see how Wilde satirizes the upper classes by using irony to show us that the "problem" of the leisure class is working hard to be idle.
Wilde also satirizes the place of women in society, who were deemed as frail, gentle, flighty. When Cecily is taking her lessons, her tutor, Miss Prism, leaves for a walk with the Canon. She tells Cecily to continue reading Political Economy, but tells her to leave off the chapter on the Fall of the Rupee. Cecily can read the book to gain some gerneral knowledge on the subject adn therefore be able to have some genteel conversation, but focusing on specific problems isn't ladylike. Wilde is showing us the ridiculousness of what women were expected to know, as it only served to create meaningless chatter.
The play itself was very well written, and full of ironic statements that challenged the reader (or the viewer) to think about the silliness of the upper classes behavior. I had never read this play before, so it was a very good read to me.
In keeping with this kick I've gotten on regarding expected behavior roles for the sexes and classes, I decided to read Wilde's play. From the beginning, it's obvious that Wilde is satiring the sexes and classes, and includes some important themes from his aesthete philosophy; for example, in the opening, Algernon states that anyone "can play (piano) accurately-but I play with wonderful expression!" Aesthetes believed art should exist for art's sake alone, not as social commentary. Playing with expression mimics the idealism of aestheticism, as music--the art--should be passionate. Later in the first act, Algernon states that romance is wonderful, but marriage is horrible. Romance is the art of the people, but marriage fails to live up to the ideal.
The play is Wilde's satire on Victorian society's definition of roles for men and women, and the classes. One thing that occurred to me was why Algernon and Jack would create alter egos for themselves, and came to the conclusion that because of the way they were expected to act, they created new people to allow themselves to act more in accordance with their characters. As gentlemen, Jack and Algernon had to create new personalities to escape the stifling expectations of their class status. As Ernest and a friend to Bunbury, both could escape the class structure they were in and engage in near profligate behavior without upsetting their peers with their ungentlemanly actions.
Wilde makes several comments on the shallow nature of Victorian society, and the importance of appearances, which stifled individuals and created an obsession with moving up the social ladder. Gwendolyn says "in matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing (p878)." She says previously that "we live in an age of ideals, (p855). Lady Bracknell, who in the play is the epitome of the Victorian lady--stressing good breeding and manners over everything else--makes several similar observations as well, stating that "we live in an age of surfaces (p881), and stating that Algernon "has nothing, but he looks everything (p882)." These comments reflect the nature of the times. People had to live up to certain ideals, and as long as people behaved "properly" then they could be accepted into society. What they did was unimportant as long as they behaved properly in public. Disregarding this rule was part of Wilde's later downfall.
Wilde also makes fun of the upper class's pursuits. The more leisure time someone had, the better they were presumed to be. When Lady Bracknell is questioning Jack she asks him if he smokes. He answers yes, and she praises his having a decent occupation. Of course the irony is that smoking is not an occupation, but by having so much leisure time, he is deemed "acceptable" (at least so far) as a potential husband. Later on, Algernon makes the comment that it is hard work doing nothing, and he doesn't mind itwhen there is no point to it. Again, we see how Wilde satirizes the upper classes by using irony to show us that the "problem" of the leisure class is working hard to be idle.
Wilde also satirizes the place of women in society, who were deemed as frail, gentle, flighty. When Cecily is taking her lessons, her tutor, Miss Prism, leaves for a walk with the Canon. She tells Cecily to continue reading Political Economy, but tells her to leave off the chapter on the Fall of the Rupee. Cecily can read the book to gain some gerneral knowledge on the subject adn therefore be able to have some genteel conversation, but focusing on specific problems isn't ladylike. Wilde is showing us the ridiculousness of what women were expected to know, as it only served to create meaningless chatter.
The play itself was very well written, and full of ironic statements that challenged the reader (or the viewer) to think about the silliness of the upper classes behavior. I had never read this play before, so it was a very good read to me.
posted by stevepeano at 7:01 PM
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