Due Monday, November 25th - "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde - Act III
Overview and Directions:
If you have not done so, please compose and post the previous blog response for Acts I and II.
Finish reading the play.
Watch the London production of Act III from 2015, below. It will give you a taste of the live performance and pacing.
For this post, please choose 1-2 of your favorite quotations from the play and discuss, in detail, why you love the lines and/or exchanges. Be sure to make connections to the themes addressed in the previous blog: Aestheticism, religion, education, marriage, relationships, social standing, or any combination of the aforementioned.
Have fun with this post. We will begin a writing experience on Wilde before the Thanksgiving recess. When you return, we will explore the work of Jhumpa Lahiri, Franz Kafka, Nikolai Gogol, and writings from the Bhagavad Gita. I look forward to your responses.
“If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.”
This is one of my favorite quotes from the play due to how it's clever wording gives insight to how Oscar Wilde thought - all while still delivering a comedic punchline. In my opinion the quote correlated being “overdressed” to “over- educated” and thus Oscar believes there is a correlation with how one is dressed and the level of education one recieves. This connects back to the theme of social standings due to how many people at the time dressed in regards to their wealth. Meaning, if you were wealthy you should have to dress a certain way, and if you were poor you would simply dress with what money you could afford to spend on clothing. This distinction between the clothing of the rich and poor is then connected to education. Oscar believes that ironically that people who are rich tend to act extremely smart, thus when he over dresses to still keep the equation balanced he also acts immensely over educated”.
“I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact.”
I found this quote intriguing because it displays just how differently Oscar Wilde actually thinks. Me personally, and I believe most other people would consider a marriage proposal to be something extremely memorable and special. However, Oscar Wilde(through Algernon) states how it's actually extremely mundane and not very romantic. I connect this to his strong themes regarding Aestheticism in the play. This is due to how by adding importance to the proposal and the formality one (according to Oscar) take away from the pure love/uncertainty of romance. This is like in Aestheticism when one focuses on the abstract and essence of a piece rather than the logistics of it.
Gwendolen: Mr. Worthing what explanation can you offer to me for pretending to have a brother?
[Pause, Jack is at a loss for words]
Gwendolen: was it in order that you might have an opportunity of coming up to town to see me as often as possible.
Jack: [eagerly] can you doubt it, miss Fairfax
What makes this quote perhaps all the more funny (other than the execution which I try to make clear with stage directions) is how relatable the content remains even after a whole century has passed. The concept of boys being boys seems to be an archetype that lives throughout history that is portrayed in some shape or form in society. In the case of the quote, it sounds like something my brother or dad would say. Not to say that all men are like such, but with the majority of the boys in my life it seems as though they fulfill such a narrative as presented. Furthermore, Oscar Wilde once more presents his views of relationships in the late 19th century, using Jack’s eagerness to lie in order to gain Gwendolen’s affection as an example of the relationships of upper London society: deceitful and created on an untruthful guise. _____________
Lady Bracknell: a hundred thirty thousand pounds! And I'm the Funds! ... Miss Cardew seems to be a most attractive young lady now that I look at her.
Another example that remains both relatable today and examines upper class society. Lady Bracknell, after changing her opinion on Cecily after learning of the large fortune she has saved, shows the audience an example of the shallow values that guided the bougeriouse. Although Jack named all of Cecily’s history, which is both immaculate and filled with many events for her short life of 17 years. Because of the latter fact, Lady Bracknell decides that Cecily is no good for Algy, being to adventure worn from the multitude of diseases she has experienced. Although an absurd reason to base whether one should marry another, what becomes more apparent as an example of the shallow values Lady Bracknell praises, and subsequently the wealthy class of society, is that money is the ultimate deciding factor. At least Algy fell in love with Cecily for who she is as a person, and not because he knew of some great wealth she had.
Gwendolen. How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes! Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us. Jack. We are. [Clasps hands with Algernon.] Cecily. They have moments of physical courage of which we women know absolutely nothing.
This “self sacrifice” is in reference to Jack and Algernon becoming baptized into the Catholic church, which was also previously referred to as a “terrible thing” and also “quite dangerous.” This mockery of Catholicism is funny in itself, especially given that this was an incredibly tense subject in Wilde’s time. Of course, this is not enough for one exchange, and Wilde takes it a step further. The joke about men being superior to women makes the whole exchange more along the lines of a satire on comedy than a comedy itself. But! It does not stop there, as Wilde goes on to say women know nothing of physical courage either. Wilde’s joke did not stop simply at the first comment with regard to religion, but rather was continued past a point of simply laughing, to a point of stopping to realize exactly what was said, and the complete absurdity of it- even women who were not in favor of the women’s rights movement would not have spoken like this.
Jack. [Rushing over to Miss Prism.] Is this the hand-bag, Miss Prism? Examine it carefully before you speak. The happiness of more than one life depends on your answer. Miss Prism. [Calmly.] It seems to be mine. … The bag is undoubtedly mine. I am delighted to have it so unexpectedly restored to me. It has been a great inconvenience being without it all these years.
This is funny not because it pokes fun at one of the major themes of the work, but rather because of the drama of it. Miss Prism replies to Jack’s inquiry about the handbag in a lengthy speech (shortened significantly above) that ultimately results in her thanking Jack for returning the handbag, and completely missing the significance of the whole ordeal. This delayed reaction is funny for the reader/audience because they do know the significance of the handbag, so for Miss Prism to focus only on how thankful she is to have it back and her inconvenience without it, even despite Jack’s expressing that more hangs in the balance than whether her bag could be returned, is quite funny.
In the whole of this play my favorite lines have to come Lady Bracknell, her over the top attitude and vivaciousness is so ridiculous. I’m always found unsure what she is going to say next, or thinking oh my god did she just say that? I never know how she will react to a situation. Her flamboyant self is arguably what makes me like her the most, she might seem superficial and translucent with her values but her hilarious speeches is what gives her depth. The line below is a particular favorite of mine:
“Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.”
This quotes feels so true to character the quick snobbish remark is just as similar to a tone to if she was telling Algernon to sit up straight. I find it quite funny that it pokes fun at social standings, saying that only people who complain about society are the ones who didn’t become accepted. This I find appropriate as Wilde was at one point rejected from society after being outed as a homosexual and being arrested. He pokes fun at not only himself but lower class individuals with the cocky perspective of the rich.
Lady Bracknell. That is not the destiny I propose for Gwendolen. Algernon, of course, can choose for himself. [Pulls out her watch.] Come, dear, [Gwendolen rises] we have already missed five, if not six, trains. To miss any more might expose us to comment on the platform. This line is so absurd because not only would anyone on the platform not know about the trains she might’ve missed but the fact she would concern herself with such worries is very strange. It really shows how much people in upper class Britain would have put on a show to present themselves as put together. However such concerns about rumors over missing trains is over the top and really is poking fun at how much people were obsessed with social standing.
Algernon. My dear Aunt Augusta, I mean he was found out! The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live, that is what I mean—so Bunbury died. Lady Bracknell. He seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his physicians. I am glad, however, that he made up his mind at the last to some definite course of action, and acted under proper medical advice. And now that we have finally got rid of this Mr. Bunbury, may I ask, Mr. Worthing, who is that young person whose hand my nephew Algernon is now holding in what seems to me a peculiarly unnecessary manner? This exchange is so funny because of how seriously yet casually Lady Bracknell regards Bunburys’ death. Like in the first act she finds the fact that Bunbury made up his mind about whether to live or die satisfying rather than sad which pokes fun at some of the unfeeling ways of the upper class. In addition, the matter of fact way she accepts that Bunbury “seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his physicians” is quite a strange point of view to regard a death.
The first of my favorite lines from the play is the line from Jack, when he says: “Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?”, and she responds with: “I can. For I feel that you are sure to change”. This exchange is quite comical, as it flips the social norms upside down. Typically, it would be the opposite, where being a liar is a terrible thing to find out. The idea that Gwendolen has to forgive Jack for telling the truth is ridiculous. This relates to Wilde’s commentary on marriage. He is making fun of the frivolous nature of relationships, without any care for the truth at all. My other favorite line is when Lady Bracknell says “I think some preliminary inquiry on my part would not be out of place. Mr. Worthing, is Miss Cardew at all connected with any of the larger railway stations in London? I merely desire information. Until yesterday I had no idea that there were any families or persons whose origin was a Terminus.”. This line is comical due to not only it's ridiculous nature, but also due to the call back to her earlier anger at Jack’s origins. The magnitude of Lady Bracknell’s care for origin is shown here, being both funny as well as illuminating. Wilde is portraying the importance of social status in victorian times, and simultaneously critiquing the seriousness of it with the sheer absurdity of the line “I had no idea there were any families or persons whose origin was a terminus.” Wilde is also commenting on marriages, where the important question that must be asked is where the person originated from. It is similar to the earlier commentary on Jack trying to marry Gwendolen.
Gwendolen: Let us preserve a dignified silence. Cecily: Certainly. It’s the only thing to do now. Gwendolen: Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply. These lines are very relatable to me, a person pretty uncomfortable with silence. I don't exactly see why that is a bad thing though. Sure, every convo won’t be some profound or hilarious commentary but some are sure to be! I think the thing is just to make sure you are asking questions, not just talking about yourself. I think it's also a very common scenario when someone attempts to remain stoic but they just can't. It's very comical in this case and it speaks to many situations when it's just about impossible to hold your ground. But hey, maybe that’s ok because the 1% of times when you can actually remain serious you are taken actually seriously. Lady Bracknell: Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that. She’s brutally honest, that’s for sure! Lady Bracknell is humor for realists. This is an example of Wilde's commentary on social standing, he both critiques it and uses it as a method to achieve humor. She reminds me of Titus from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt, a very funny show. They are both extravagant social climbers who are acutely aware of their societal aspirations and at times mocking of it. This play was far more candid than I anticipated and changed the way I thought about writing at this time.
"Jack: Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother? [Seizes hold of Algernon.] Dr. Chasuble, my unfortunate brother. Miss Prism, my unfortunate brother. Gwendolen, my unfortunate brother. Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a brother in all your life." I love the coincidence that Wilde chose for his play. Everything is connected and intertwined, and of course the man who Jack becomes close to, and pretend to be brothers for a time, is his actual brother. It really speaks to Lady Bracknell's absurd necessities for a husband for her daughter, since she could not have him who was from a handbag aligned with her family. But it turns out he was family all along, and she was really criticizing her own branches. And that Algy, who pretended to be Jack's brother who causes constant trouble for him, to actual be his brother is astounding, but fitting. I never expected it. "Jack: On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest." Legit Wilde has the last line be a pun. I knew the title was a pun since they first began the whole Ernest business, but the last line being the very fitting title threw me over. It's important to Jack to be Ernest, after all, since it was needed for Gwendolen to marry him. But it was just as important for him to be earnest as Cecily's guardian. But this really emphasizes the stupid whimsy Wilde believed women had, for her issue with him was just his name, and she wouldn't marry him for it until it was revealed that his name was actually Ernest. Overall, a fantastic read and a really funny play in general. Wish I could see it live performed because I'm sure this would be funnier with real actors on a stage.
“This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.” “A most distasteful one.” *Men whistle* “But we will not be the first to speak.” “Certainly not.” “Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.” I particularly loved these lines because they actually seemed very realistic. Today, it is common for girls to be “petty” about situations with boys. Many girls will decide to not text someone first, as a way to silently test what the other person is thinking or feeling, while it has little significance who really begins the conversation. It is also very common for these girls to, while attempting to wait for a text, break and end up texting the boy first anyways. In the play, this is reflective of the entire idea of marriage in that it seems to be both taken very seriously while also not seriously at all. Jack has to have a whole discussion with Lady Bracknell about his desire for marriage, while her main response is that it’s okay for him to know absolutely nothing about his wife. In fact, she encourages that he knows nothing of his wife.
Jack: How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You seem to be perfectly heartless. Algernon: Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them. Jack: I say it’s perfectly heartless your eating muffins at all, under the circumstances. Algernon: When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me. Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as any one who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink. At the present moment I am eating muffins because I am unhappy. Besides, I am particularly fond of muffins. This argument between Algernon and Jack is one of my favorites because I find it is a very serious argument for such a trivial issue. Throughout the story there are many trivial arguments like this one, such as when Algernon becomes upset when he finds out there are no cucumber sandwiches. I think that Oscar Wilde included these in order to make fun of the people of a high social class who find great importance in trivial things. Algernon and Jack, who are in the middle of what would in a normal play be a very serious issue, are arguing about Algernon eating muffins. Instead of worrying about if Cecily and Gwendolen will forgive them, they argue over something ridiculous and unrelated. I am also reminded of the title of the play’s name, The Importance of Being Earnest, since both Algernon and Jack are both acting very far from earnest. They are acting trivial and petty, which shows the irony that Wilde is trying to convey through this play.
In Act III, I could not pick out a favorite set of lines, as I found many humor in many parts. But if I could pinpoint one scene, it would have to be the scene with Algernon, Mr. Worthing, Gwendolen, and Cecily are all in the same room. “The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live.” Though, I knew an encounter like this was bound to happen, the words of the characters and the spin off of the lies is what gave me pleasure when reading this section. It is also through this section that I believe that Oscar Wilde is socially criticising those in the upper class in England. It was known that those of the higher classes would lie and cheat many people and try to cover these misdemeanors up in clever ways. But what Oscar Wilde wants to emphasize is that no matter how elaborate these cover-ups are, the truth will always get out. When the truth gets out, it will likely cause more harm in the end.
I also just wanted to add on to my comment. After reading "The Importance of Being Earnest" and thinking about the structure of the words, I have reached a greater lever of appreciation for Oscar Wilde. Just the way everything comes together full circle(puns brought up in the beginning are referenced at the end) is in itself a complicated task. But to achieve this, while embedding in more puns, and in the process of developing all the other character and the plot as a whole in less than 40 pages is truly remarkable.
Lady Bracknell: There are distinct social possibilities in Miss Cardew’s profile. Algernon: Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don’t care twopence about social possibilities. Lady Bracknell: Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.
This quote stood out to me because it reflects the culture of the time period when the play was written. I have always found it interesting how much people back then cared about societal rules and how important a person’s reputation was. I think that this theme is carried throughout the play, especially with Lady Bracknell’s character. She would never allow her nephew to marry a girl from the country with no money and no family. But once it is revealed that Cecily was left a fortune from her grandfather, Lady Bracknell is very interested and agrees to let Algernon marry Cecily. It is amusing to see how quickly her mood and outlook changed with just a little bit of information.
Once again, ol’ Brack has got my back: “They [long engagements] give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.” I think this line by Lady Bracknell shows how Wilde was able to express his thoughts on society, particularly that of marriage. He comments on how many marriages are gone into very quickly, not allowing for it to settle in and be something meaningful. Even though the phrase is utterly backwards, it still brings light onto the criticism of society that Wilde presents due to Lady Bracknell’s character. Because she is of great wealth and privilege, she makes the world seem easier than it is, causing her wise words to be ironic from the perspective of the audience. The satirical nature of the play also allows for incorrectness or uncommon thought to be seen as joking, indicating that the words of the characters often say the opposite of what Wilde wants to express. What also makes this line extremely amusing is that the women, in hindsight, would not want to marry the men if they got to understand their character because of the things they lie about, like their names and relations. While the earnest type would make an effort to discover their significant other, the non-earnest would do something such as rush into a marriage that is held together by a lie. While the story ended with everybody happy and the truth mostly laid out, Jack still lied about his name (at least known in the movie), showing how a slight bend in the truth brought a great amount of joy to Cecily. Even though he did not tell her his true name, he still gave her his earnest self, allowing for the audience to come to an understanding of what Wilde believes is “earnest:” truthful with ones character, even if the slightest detail is false.
One of my favorite quotations was “If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.” I just thought it was really funny, I like the dry humor of it. I find it interesting how Wilde never uses “over-dressed” as a compliment, but more as a way to describe someone's character. It makes me think about all of the people who overdress for things and it is so TRUE! The people who are constantly overdressed for things are people who seem to think they are somehow above everyone else. Something about them or the way they grew up makes things feel superior? Maybe that’s their over-education or maybe just privilege. The quotation is such a profound statement, but still light and comical. This shows that, at the time, people who were over-educated were rich and had fancy clothes and had a somewhat narcissistic complex. I think its crazy that a reader can understand all of that deep meaning packed into a sarcastic line. That really exemplifies Wilde’s talent.
"Algernon: Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don’t care twopence about social possibilities."
This is my favorite quote because it shows Algernon changing his views on marriage and the idea of flirting with a loved one. In the beginning, he wasn't a character that strikes me as falling in love or getting married. Then as son as he met Cecily he was a completely new person. He was the same witty and funny character he has always been, but he wasn't so cynical and misogynistic. He goes from making fun of Jack for flirting with Gwendolen all the time, and also the same with Mary Farquha, but with her its worse because she flirts with her husband, to him speaking outwardly on how delightful Cecily is. This change in character and in view makes me love Algernon's character even more.
"In a moment of mental abstraction, for which I never can forgive myself, I deposited the manuscript in the basinette, and placed the baby in the hand-bag."
This quote is also rather funny to me. The fact that Jack basically lives two lives, one in the country and one in the city, and that he refuses to intertwine them, he has gone forever not knowing of his family. But, as soon as he mixes his two lives, he finds out all the unsolved mysteries. If he wasn't so focuses on "Bunburying" and chose to mix the two lives together, he probably would have found out the truth sooner. Its funny how his own selfishness and secrecy, was hurting him the most, especially since Jack didn't strike me as the kind of person to do that at first.
“If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.” I actually love this quote so much and think that it's undoubtedly one of the funniest lines in the play. Basically Algernon just talks about how he poorly the lower class dress compared to the upper class and that is why he looks down to them as well as the rest of society.The higher class obviously thinks that they are much more educated than the lower class by associating it to clothing and looks which I find intriguing. Obviously Algy isn’t “immensely over educated” but because he is in a higher status than a lot of other people he definitely thinks he does. The first thing that actually came to mind was Gossip Girl only because every character in that show that lives on the Upper East side dress very expensively you could say and because of all this money they have and show off they act like they are so much more superior than the lower class and not only that but just like Algy they think they are a lot smarter when in reality their ego is just getting to them too much.
While reading the rest of the Importance of Being Earnest, I think my favorite lines come from Lady Bracknell. Not only in this act, but in acts I and II, her seriousness about everything allows for more humor throughout the play and as well as her attitude helps for other characters to express themselves. My two favorite lines throughout Act III, which happen to be from her are:
“To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable”
and
“This noise is extremely unpleasant. It sounds as if he was having an argument. I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing.”
The first quote is one of my favorites because if I were to read this quote to a reader who has never read The Importance of Being Earnest, this would be the perfect quote to describe who Lady Bracknell really is. This quote shows that she prefers short engagements because this way, the pair getting married will not have a lot of time with one another to fully understand who the other is - which does not make any sense to anyone, except for Lady Bracknell. I found this quote very funny as for the second quote. I found this to be one of my favorites, especially from her because she is saying the noise that Jack is making trying to find the duffle bag in which he was in as a baby is disruptive. This is not why I love this quote, it is because at the end she claims “I dislike arguments of any kind” which is extremely ironic because throughout this play, the reader sees time and time again how she refuses Jack constantly away from Gwendolyn and picks at the smallest things. She could be the most arguable person in this play which makes it so much better! I really loved this play and the characters and hope to read something similar to it again soon!
“In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.” “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
The play repeatedly brings attention to the concept of truth, but not on its importance, but rather the lack of it. Aestheticism in literature, largely popularized by Oscar Wilde, was a movement that focused more on being beautiful rather than having a deeper meaning - "art for art's sake"- It is thus predictable that the characters portrayed by him seem to value not honesty, but “style”. It also becomes clear how Wilde views women, displaying them as ludicrous and superficial, while the men of the story seem to be more in touch with reality. Nonetheless, all characters in the play display contemptment towards truth and sincerity. Although “The truth is rarely pure and never simple” seems like a rather deeper quote that would spark critical thinking, it is quickly followed by “Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!”
“I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much”
Perhaps the only quote in the play I can actually relate to, this exchange is supposed to make fun of Cecily, but I find it to be more of a take of predictable literature. Happy endings are often a product of writers overcompensating. It is no surprise that ‘authors (often) have sad lives’. I find it disingenuous to create happy endings, for they simply account for daydream fantasies, not deeper depictions of human nature.
One of my favorite quotes from the play is from Lady Bracknell who states, “Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.” It’s just such a shocking line and shows how important societal ranking was to people. It also highlights the way of thinking from people in the upper class. The upper class looked down upon anyone of a lower rank and would only marry into people of their class. The character of a person wasn’t valued, money and family was. I find this so odd in a lot of ways and believe a lot has changed, it just gets you thinking. Yes, some people still put more value in those they believe are better, but I don’t think many do as much. I think people would rather marry someone for love not money. I just think today it's not as drastic. I also liked the quote, “To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.” This also has the same similar meaning as the first quote. Marriage wasn’t about the actual person it was about their social status. Wilde uses this humor to make fun of the way society was during this time.
Like Acts 1 and 2, Act 3 presents the reader with comedy, irony, and commentary on larger social themes. Most of the quotes I was struck or particularly amused by came from Lady Bracknell. I find her blatant criticism extremely entertaining. One of her quotes from Act three that I liked was “Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and surfaces… there are distinct social possibilities in your profile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its want of profile.” This line reminded me of when adults talk down to kids reflecting on their time as a youth saying things like, “well when I was a kid…” But this quote also reflects Lady Bracknell’s obsessive need to fit social norms and maintain a high class reputation. She comments on the “distinct social possibilities” of Cecily when looking at her profile. She approves of Cecily for Algernon based solely on her family’s money and social standing. There is another line in Act Three that I was also particularly struck by for a different reason than Lady Bracknell’s lines. Gwendolen says, “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” At first glance I saw this line as a commentary on the materialistic qualities of the class system. No one is concerned with what it means to be a genuine person, the main concern is to be of the highest importance in the highest class by maintaining a seemingly perfect reputation. The line also relates to Algernon and Jack being insincere with their partners by passing as having the name Ernest. This contradicts the meaning of the word “ernest” itself which means to show sincere and intense conviction. I liked how this seemingly simple quote lead me to think critically of other components of the play which digs so much deeper than just for comedic purposes.
“If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.”
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite quotes from the play due to how it's clever wording gives insight to how Oscar Wilde thought - all while still delivering a comedic punchline. In my opinion the quote correlated being “overdressed” to “over- educated” and thus Oscar believes there is a correlation with how one is dressed and the level of education one recieves. This connects back to the theme of social standings due to how many people at the time dressed in regards to their wealth. Meaning, if you were wealthy you should have to dress a certain way, and if you were poor you would simply dress with what money you could afford to spend on clothing. This distinction between the clothing of the rich and poor is then connected to education. Oscar believes that ironically that people who are rich tend to act extremely smart, thus when he over dresses to still keep the equation balanced he also acts immensely over educated”.
“I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact.”
I found this quote intriguing because it displays just how differently Oscar Wilde actually thinks. Me personally, and I believe most other people would consider a marriage proposal to be something extremely memorable and special. However, Oscar Wilde(through Algernon) states how it's actually extremely mundane and not very romantic. I connect this to his strong themes regarding Aestheticism in the play. This is due to how by adding importance to the proposal and the formality one (according to Oscar) take away from the pure love/uncertainty of romance. This is like in Aestheticism when one focuses on the abstract and essence of a piece rather than the logistics of it.
Gwendolen: Mr. Worthing what explanation can you offer to me for pretending to have a brother?
ReplyDelete[Pause, Jack is at a loss for words]
Gwendolen: was it in order that you might have an opportunity of coming up to town to see me as often as possible.
Jack: [eagerly] can you doubt it, miss Fairfax
What makes this quote perhaps all the more funny (other than the execution which I try to make clear with stage directions) is how relatable the content remains even after a whole century has passed. The concept of boys being boys seems to be an archetype that lives throughout history that is portrayed in some shape or form in society. In the case of the quote, it sounds like something my brother or dad would say. Not to say that all men are like such, but with the majority of the boys in my life it seems as though they fulfill such a narrative as presented.
Furthermore, Oscar Wilde once more presents his views of relationships in the late 19th century, using Jack’s eagerness to lie in order to gain Gwendolen’s affection as an example of the relationships of upper London society: deceitful and created on an untruthful guise.
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Lady Bracknell: a hundred thirty thousand pounds! And I'm the Funds! ... Miss Cardew seems to be a most attractive young lady now that I look at her.
Another example that remains both relatable today and examines upper class society. Lady Bracknell, after changing her opinion on Cecily after learning of the large fortune she has saved, shows the audience an example of the shallow values that guided the bougeriouse. Although Jack named all of Cecily’s history, which is both immaculate and filled with many events for her short life of 17 years. Because of the latter fact, Lady Bracknell decides that Cecily is no good for Algy, being to adventure worn from the multitude of diseases she has experienced. Although an absurd reason to base whether one should marry another, what becomes more apparent as an example of the shallow values Lady Bracknell praises, and subsequently the wealthy class of society, is that money is the ultimate deciding factor. At least Algy fell in love with Cecily for who she is as a person, and not because he knew of some great wealth she had.
Gwendolen. How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes! Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us.
ReplyDeleteJack. We are. [Clasps hands with Algernon.]
Cecily. They have moments of physical courage of which we women know absolutely nothing.
This “self sacrifice” is in reference to Jack and Algernon becoming baptized into the Catholic church, which was also previously referred to as a “terrible thing” and also “quite dangerous.” This mockery of Catholicism is funny in itself, especially given that this was an incredibly tense subject in Wilde’s time. Of course, this is not enough for one exchange, and Wilde takes it a step further. The joke about men being superior to women makes the whole exchange more along the lines of a satire on comedy than a comedy itself. But! It does not stop there, as Wilde goes on to say women know nothing of physical courage either. Wilde’s joke did not stop simply at the first comment with regard to religion, but rather was continued past a point of simply laughing, to a point of stopping to realize exactly what was said, and the complete absurdity of it- even women who were not in favor of the women’s rights movement would not have spoken like this.
Jack. [Rushing over to Miss Prism.] Is this the hand-bag, Miss Prism? Examine it carefully before you speak. The happiness of more than one life depends on your answer.
Miss Prism. [Calmly.] It seems to be mine. … The bag is undoubtedly mine. I am delighted to have it so unexpectedly restored to me. It has been a great inconvenience being without it all these years.
This is funny not because it pokes fun at one of the major themes of the work, but rather because of the drama of it. Miss Prism replies to Jack’s inquiry about the handbag in a lengthy speech (shortened significantly above) that ultimately results in her thanking Jack for returning the handbag, and completely missing the significance of the whole ordeal. This delayed reaction is funny for the reader/audience because they do know the significance of the handbag, so for Miss Prism to focus only on how thankful she is to have it back and her inconvenience without it, even despite Jack’s expressing that more hangs in the balance than whether her bag could be returned, is quite funny.
In the whole of this play my favorite lines have to come Lady Bracknell, her over the top attitude and vivaciousness is so ridiculous. I’m always found unsure what she is going to say next, or thinking oh my god did she just say that? I never know how she will react to a situation. Her flamboyant self is arguably what makes me like her the most, she might seem superficial and translucent with her values but her hilarious speeches is what gives her depth. The line below is a particular favorite of mine:
ReplyDelete“Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.”
This quotes feels so true to character the quick snobbish remark is just as similar to a tone to if she was telling Algernon to sit up straight. I find it quite funny that it pokes fun at social standings, saying that only people who complain about society are the ones who didn’t become accepted. This I find appropriate as Wilde was at one point rejected from society after being outed as a homosexual and being arrested. He pokes fun at not only himself but lower class individuals with the cocky perspective of the rich.
Lady Bracknell. That is not the destiny I propose for Gwendolen. Algernon, of course, can choose for himself. [Pulls out her watch.] Come, dear, [Gwendolen rises] we have already missed five, if not six, trains. To miss any more might expose us to comment on the platform.
ReplyDeleteThis line is so absurd because not only would anyone on the platform not know about the trains she might’ve missed but the fact she would concern herself with such worries is very strange. It really shows how much people in upper class Britain would have put on a show to present themselves as put together. However such concerns about rumors over missing trains is over the top and really is poking fun at how much people were obsessed with social standing.
Algernon. My dear Aunt Augusta, I mean he was found out! The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live, that is what I mean—so Bunbury died.
Lady Bracknell. He seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his physicians. I am glad, however, that he made up his mind at the last to some definite course of action, and acted under proper medical advice. And now that we have finally got rid of this Mr. Bunbury, may I ask, Mr. Worthing, who is that young person whose hand my nephew Algernon is now holding in what seems to me a peculiarly unnecessary manner?
This exchange is so funny because of how seriously yet casually Lady Bracknell regards Bunburys’ death. Like in the first act she finds the fact that Bunbury made up his mind about whether to live or die satisfying rather than sad which pokes fun at some of the unfeeling ways of the upper class. In addition, the matter of fact way she accepts that Bunbury “seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his physicians” is quite a strange point of view to regard a death.
The first of my favorite lines from the play is the line from Jack, when he says:
ReplyDelete“Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?”, and she responds with:
“I can. For I feel that you are sure to change”. This exchange is quite comical, as it flips the social norms upside down. Typically, it would be the opposite, where being a liar is a terrible thing to find out. The idea that Gwendolen has to forgive Jack for telling the truth is ridiculous. This relates to Wilde’s commentary on marriage. He is making fun of the frivolous nature of relationships, without any care for the truth at all. My other favorite line is when Lady Bracknell says “I think some preliminary inquiry on my part would not be out of place. Mr. Worthing, is Miss Cardew at all connected with any of the larger railway stations in London? I merely desire information. Until yesterday I had no idea that there were any families or persons whose origin was a Terminus.”. This line is comical due to not only it's ridiculous nature, but also due to the call back to her earlier anger at Jack’s origins. The magnitude of Lady Bracknell’s care for origin is shown here, being both funny as well as illuminating. Wilde is portraying the importance of social status in victorian times, and simultaneously critiquing the seriousness of it with the sheer absurdity of the line “I had no idea there were any families or persons whose origin was a terminus.” Wilde is also commenting on marriages, where the important question that must be asked is where the person originated from. It is similar to the earlier commentary on Jack trying to marry Gwendolen.
Gwendolen: Let us preserve a dignified silence.
ReplyDeleteCecily: Certainly. It’s the only thing to do now.
Gwendolen: Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.
These lines are very relatable to me, a person pretty uncomfortable with silence. I don't exactly see why that is a bad thing though. Sure, every convo won’t be some profound or hilarious commentary but some are sure to be! I think the thing is just to make sure you are asking questions, not just talking about yourself. I think it's also a very common scenario when someone attempts to remain stoic but they just can't. It's very comical in this case and it speaks to many situations when it's just about impossible to hold your ground. But hey, maybe that’s ok because the 1% of times when you can actually remain serious you are taken actually seriously.
Lady Bracknell: Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.
She’s brutally honest, that’s for sure! Lady Bracknell is humor for realists. This is an example of Wilde's commentary on social standing, he both critiques it and uses it as a method to achieve humor. She reminds me of Titus from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt, a very funny show. They are both extravagant social climbers who are acutely aware of their societal aspirations and at times mocking of it. This play was far more candid than I anticipated and changed the way I thought about writing at this time.
"Jack: Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother? [Seizes hold of Algernon.] Dr. Chasuble, my unfortunate brother. Miss Prism, my unfortunate brother. Gwendolen, my unfortunate brother. Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a brother in all your life."
ReplyDeleteI love the coincidence that Wilde chose for his play. Everything is connected and intertwined, and of course the man who Jack becomes close to, and pretend to be brothers for a time, is his actual brother. It really speaks to Lady Bracknell's absurd necessities for a husband for her daughter, since she could not have him who was from a handbag aligned with her family. But it turns out he was family all along, and she was really criticizing her own branches. And that Algy, who pretended to be Jack's brother who causes constant trouble for him, to actual be his brother is astounding, but fitting. I never expected it.
"Jack: On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I’ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest."
Legit Wilde has the last line be a pun. I knew the title was a pun since they first began the whole Ernest business, but the last line being the very fitting title threw me over. It's important to Jack to be Ernest, after all, since it was needed for Gwendolen to marry him. But it was just as important for him to be earnest as Cecily's guardian. But this really emphasizes the stupid whimsy Wilde believed women had, for her issue with him was just his name, and she wouldn't marry him for it until it was revealed that his name was actually Ernest. Overall, a fantastic read and a really funny play in general. Wish I could see it live performed because I'm sure this would be funnier with real actors on a stage.
“This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.”
ReplyDelete“A most distasteful one.”
*Men whistle*
“But we will not be the first to speak.”
“Certainly not.”
“Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.”
I particularly loved these lines because they actually seemed very realistic. Today, it is common for girls to be “petty” about situations with boys. Many girls will decide to not text someone first, as a way to silently test what the other person is thinking or feeling, while it has little significance who really begins the conversation. It is also very common for these girls to, while attempting to wait for a text, break and end up texting the boy first anyways. In the play, this is reflective of the entire idea of marriage in that it seems to be both taken very seriously while also not seriously at all. Jack has to have a whole discussion with Lady Bracknell about his desire for marriage, while her main response is that it’s okay for him to know absolutely nothing about his wife. In fact, she encourages that he knows nothing of his wife.
Jack: How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You seem to be perfectly heartless.
ReplyDeleteAlgernon: Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.
Jack: I say it’s perfectly heartless your eating muffins at all, under the circumstances.
Algernon: When I am in trouble, eating is the only thing that consoles me. Indeed, when I am in really great trouble, as any one who knows me intimately will tell you, I refuse everything except food and drink. At the present moment I am eating muffins because I am unhappy. Besides, I am particularly fond of muffins.
This argument between Algernon and Jack is one of my favorites because I find it is a very serious argument for such a trivial issue. Throughout the story there are many trivial arguments like this one, such as when Algernon becomes upset when he finds out there are no cucumber sandwiches. I think that Oscar Wilde included these in order to make fun of the people of a high social class who find great importance in trivial things. Algernon and Jack, who are in the middle of what would in a normal play be a very serious issue, are arguing about Algernon eating muffins. Instead of worrying about if Cecily and Gwendolen will forgive them, they argue over something ridiculous and unrelated. I am also reminded of the title of the play’s name, The Importance of Being Earnest, since both Algernon and Jack are both acting very far from earnest. They are acting trivial and petty, which shows the irony that Wilde is trying to convey through this play.
In Act III, I could not pick out a favorite set of lines, as I found many humor in many parts. But if I could pinpoint one scene, it would have to be the scene with Algernon, Mr. Worthing, Gwendolen, and Cecily are all in the same room. “The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live.” Though, I knew an encounter like this was bound to happen, the words of the characters and the spin off of the lies is what gave me pleasure when reading this section.
ReplyDeleteIt is also through this section that I believe that Oscar Wilde is socially criticising those in the upper class in England. It was known that those of the higher classes would lie and cheat many people and try to cover these misdemeanors up in clever ways. But what Oscar Wilde wants to emphasize is that no matter how elaborate these cover-ups are, the truth will always get out. When the truth gets out, it will likely cause more harm in the end.
I also just wanted to add on to my comment. After reading "The Importance of Being Earnest" and thinking about the structure of the words, I have reached a greater lever of appreciation for Oscar Wilde. Just the way everything comes together full circle(puns brought up in the beginning are referenced at the end) is in itself a complicated task. But to achieve this, while embedding in more puns, and in the process of developing all the other character and the plot as a whole in less than 40 pages is truly remarkable.
DeleteLady Bracknell: There are distinct social possibilities in Miss Cardew’s profile.
ReplyDeleteAlgernon: Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don’t care twopence about social possibilities.
Lady Bracknell: Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.
This quote stood out to me because it reflects the culture of the time period when the play was written. I have always found it interesting how much people back then cared about societal rules and how important a person’s reputation was. I think that this theme is carried throughout the play, especially with Lady Bracknell’s character. She would never allow her nephew to marry a girl from the country with no money and no family. But once it is revealed that Cecily was left a fortune from her grandfather, Lady Bracknell is very interested and agrees to let Algernon marry Cecily. It is amusing to see how quickly her mood and outlook changed with just a little bit of information.
Once again, ol’ Brack has got my back: “They [long engagements] give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.” I think this line by Lady Bracknell shows how Wilde was able to express his thoughts on society, particularly that of marriage. He comments on how many marriages are gone into very quickly, not allowing for it to settle in and be something meaningful. Even though the phrase is utterly backwards, it still brings light onto the criticism of society that Wilde presents due to Lady Bracknell’s character. Because she is of great wealth and privilege, she makes the world seem easier than it is, causing her wise words to be ironic from the perspective of the audience. The satirical nature of the play also allows for incorrectness or uncommon thought to be seen as joking, indicating that the words of the characters often say the opposite of what Wilde wants to express. What also makes this line extremely amusing is that the women, in hindsight, would not want to marry the men if they got to understand their character because of the things they lie about, like their names and relations. While the earnest type would make an effort to discover their significant other, the non-earnest would do something such as rush into a marriage that is held together by a lie. While the story ended with everybody happy and the truth mostly laid out, Jack still lied about his name (at least known in the movie), showing how a slight bend in the truth brought a great amount of joy to Cecily. Even though he did not tell her his true name, he still gave her his earnest self, allowing for the audience to come to an understanding of what Wilde believes is “earnest:” truthful with ones character, even if the slightest detail is false.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotations was “If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.” I just thought it was really funny, I like the dry humor of it. I find it interesting how Wilde never uses “over-dressed” as a compliment, but more as a way to describe someone's character. It makes me think about all of the people who overdress for things and it is so TRUE! The people who are constantly overdressed for things are people who seem to think they are somehow above everyone else. Something about them or the way they grew up makes things feel superior? Maybe that’s their over-education or maybe just privilege. The quotation is such a profound statement, but still light and comical. This shows that, at the time, people who were over-educated were rich and had fancy clothes and had a somewhat narcissistic complex. I think its crazy that a reader can understand all of that deep meaning packed into a sarcastic line. That really exemplifies Wilde’s talent.
ReplyDelete"Algernon: Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don’t care twopence about social possibilities."
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite quote because it shows Algernon changing his views on marriage and the idea of flirting with a loved one. In the beginning, he wasn't a character that strikes me as falling in love or getting married. Then as son as he met Cecily he was a completely new person. He was the same witty and funny character he has always been, but he wasn't so cynical and misogynistic. He goes from making fun of Jack for flirting with Gwendolen all the time, and also the same with Mary Farquha, but with her its worse because she flirts with her husband, to him speaking outwardly on how delightful Cecily is. This change in character and in view makes me love Algernon's character even more.
"In a moment of mental abstraction, for which I never can forgive myself, I deposited the manuscript in the basinette, and placed the baby in the hand-bag."
This quote is also rather funny to me. The fact that Jack basically lives two lives, one in the country and one in the city, and that he refuses to intertwine them, he has gone forever not knowing of his family. But, as soon as he mixes his two lives, he finds out all the unsolved mysteries. If he wasn't so focuses on "Bunburying" and chose to mix the two lives together, he probably would have found out the truth sooner. Its funny how his own selfishness and secrecy, was hurting him the most, especially since Jack didn't strike me as the kind of person to do that at first.
ReplyDelete“If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.” I actually love this quote so much and think that it's undoubtedly one of the funniest lines in the play. Basically Algernon just talks about how he poorly the lower class dress compared to the upper class and that is why he looks down to them as well as the rest of society.The higher class obviously thinks that they are much more educated than the lower class by associating it to clothing and looks which I find intriguing. Obviously Algy isn’t “immensely over educated” but because he is in a higher status than a lot of other people he definitely thinks he does. The first thing that actually came to mind was Gossip Girl only because every character in that show that lives on the Upper East side dress very expensively you could say and because of all this money they have and show off they act like they are so much more superior than the lower class and not only that but just like Algy they think they are a lot smarter when in reality their ego is just getting to them too much.
While reading the rest of the Importance of Being Earnest, I think my favorite lines come from Lady Bracknell. Not only in this act, but in acts I and II, her seriousness about everything allows for more humor throughout the play and as well as her attitude helps for other characters to express themselves. My two favorite lines throughout Act III, which happen to be from her are:
ReplyDelete“To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable”
and
“This noise is extremely unpleasant. It sounds as if he was having an argument. I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing.”
The first quote is one of my favorites because if I were to read this quote to a reader who has never read The Importance of Being Earnest, this would be the perfect quote to describe who Lady Bracknell really is. This quote shows that she prefers short engagements because this way, the pair getting married will not have a lot of time with one another to fully understand who the other is - which does not make any sense to anyone, except for Lady Bracknell. I found this quote very funny as for the second quote. I found this to be one of my favorites, especially from her because she is saying the noise that Jack is making trying to find the duffle bag in which he was in as a baby is disruptive. This is not why I love this quote, it is because at the end she claims “I dislike arguments of any kind” which is extremely ironic because throughout this play, the reader sees time and time again how she refuses Jack constantly away from Gwendolyn and picks at the smallest things. She could be the most arguable person in this play which makes it so much better! I really loved this play and the characters and hope to read something similar to it again soon!
“In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.”
ReplyDelete“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
The play repeatedly brings attention to the concept of truth, but not on its importance, but rather the lack of it. Aestheticism in literature, largely popularized by Oscar Wilde, was a movement that focused more on being beautiful rather than having a deeper meaning - "art for art's sake"- It is thus predictable that the characters portrayed by him seem to value not honesty, but “style”. It also becomes clear how Wilde views women, displaying them as ludicrous and superficial, while the men of the story seem to be more in touch with reality. Nonetheless, all characters in the play display contemptment towards truth and sincerity. Although “The truth is rarely pure and never simple” seems like a rather deeper quote that would spark critical thinking, it is quickly followed by “Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!”
“I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much”
Perhaps the only quote in the play I can actually relate to, this exchange is supposed to make fun of Cecily, but I find it to be more of a take of predictable literature. Happy endings are often a product of writers overcompensating. It is no surprise that ‘authors (often) have sad lives’. I find it disingenuous to create happy endings, for they simply account for daydream fantasies, not deeper depictions of human nature.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes from the play is from Lady Bracknell who states, “Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.” It’s just such a shocking line and shows how important societal ranking was to people. It also highlights the way of thinking from people in the upper class. The upper class looked down upon anyone of a lower rank and would only marry into people of their class. The character of a person wasn’t valued, money and family was. I find this so odd in a lot of ways and believe a lot has changed, it just gets you thinking. Yes, some people still put more value in those they believe are better, but I don’t think many do as much. I think people would rather marry someone for love not money. I just think today it's not as drastic. I also liked the quote, “To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.” This also has the same similar meaning as the first quote. Marriage wasn’t about the actual person it was about their social status. Wilde uses this humor to make fun of the way society was during this time.
Like Acts 1 and 2, Act 3 presents the reader with comedy, irony, and commentary on larger social themes. Most of the quotes I was struck or particularly amused by came from Lady Bracknell. I find her blatant criticism extremely entertaining. One of her quotes from Act three that I liked was “Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and surfaces… there are distinct social possibilities in your profile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its want of profile.” This line reminded me of when adults talk down to kids reflecting on their time as a youth saying things like, “well when I was a kid…” But this quote also reflects Lady Bracknell’s obsessive need to fit social norms and maintain a high class reputation. She comments on the “distinct social possibilities” of Cecily when looking at her profile. She approves of Cecily for Algernon based solely on her family’s money and social standing.
ReplyDeleteThere is another line in Act Three that I was also particularly struck by for a different reason than Lady Bracknell’s lines. Gwendolen says, “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” At first glance I saw this line as a commentary on the materialistic qualities of the class system. No one is concerned with what it means to be a genuine person, the main concern is to be of the highest importance in the highest class by maintaining a seemingly perfect reputation. The line also relates to Algernon and Jack being insincere with their partners by passing as having the name Ernest. This contradicts the meaning of the word “ernest” itself which means to show sincere and intense conviction. I liked how this seemingly simple quote lead me to think critically of other components of the play which digs so much deeper than just for comedic purposes.