1. The Importance of
Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde

2. The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest is “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.” The brilliance and wit of the play lie in the dialogue, however, and not the plot.
Earnest: important, serious, sincere (be thinking about how the title is a giant pun throughout the play)

3. Setting
The Importance of Being Earnest takes place in London and the countryside in 1895, the last few years of the period that would be termed Victorian England.
Q: WHO IS WILDE MAKING FUN OF!?
A: The English aristocracy flourished during this time.
It is this group on which Wilde’s
satire focuses, along with their
view that marriage has nothing to
do with love, but is rather a means
for achieving social status.

4. The Aesthetic Movement
Wilde was a leader of the Aesthetic Movement, which professed a belief in "art for art’s sake." Art shouldn’t merely look to life or nature for inspiration, for art that too closely imitates life is a failure, according to Wilde.
Plays with characters who spoke and acted just like they would in real life were utterly boring to followers of Wilde’s philosophy.
This meant that art shouldn’t be influenced by politics, science, or morality, but should be an expression of whatever it wished to be.
**This meant that art shouldn’t be influenced by politics, science, or morality, but should be an expression of whatever it wished to be.

5. Aesthetes and Non-Aesthete Characters
Characters in the play can be divided into two categories, aesthetes and non-aesthetes.
You will be tested on distinguishing which characters fall into which categories on the final test.

6. Aesthete – One having or affecting sensitivity to the beautiful
Wilde’s aesthetes are brilliantly witty, avoid work at all costs, and prize appearance above all else.
These are characters who can pull a perfectly phrased line right out of the air at a moment’s notice and can do the same with a more material thing: a diary, for example.

7. opposites of Aesthetes
Non-aesthetes are the
opposites of Aesthetes
They have no sense of the delicate beauty of life and it takes a lot of hard work for them to get what they want. There is none of the easy wit or graceful appearance that is characteristic of an Aesthete.
Even their dress reflects their toils: the colors are earthy and mundane in contrast to the jewel-toned Aesthetes.

8. “I can resist anything, but temptation.”
Terms to Know
Satire—using humor to expose something or someone to ridicule.
Farce—a broad comedy, dependent on overblown speech, unbelievable situations, exaggerated characters, and, frequently, sexual innuendoes.
Epigram—a short statement or poem with a witty turn of thought or a wittily condensed expression.
“I can resist anything, but temptation.”

9. Terms to Know Comedy of Manners: Witty dialogue
Contrived (unnatural) situations
Critiques of society, esp. marriage
Portrayals of class difference
Contrasts between urban and rural life
Pun — an expression that achieves emphasis or humor by utilizing:-- two distinctly different meanings for the same word or two similar sounding words.
Ex: I’ve been to the dentist many times so I know the drill.

10. Terms to Know
Dramatic Irony – When the audience know something a character does not.
Situational Irony – When the opposite happens of what is expected.

11. Themes to Identify Manners and Sincerity Idleness of the Leisure Class
Dual Identities
Criticism/Superficiality of Marriage
Ignorance of people of High-Society
Foolishness and Folly
Trivial concerns of the Upper Class

12. What themes are implied in the following lines?
Act I - Themes
What themes are implied in the following lines?
JACK. I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose to her.
ALGERNON. I thought you had come up for pleasure? I call that business.
Themes
Manners and Sincerity
Idleness
Love
Critique of Marriage
Dual Identities
Critique of Marriage

13. What is humorous & ironic about both of the statements in red?
Act I
What is humorous & ironic about both of the statements in red?
ALGERNON: I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.
LANE. No, sir; it is not a very interesting subject. I never think of it myself.
ALGERNON. Very natural, I am sure. That will do, Lane, thank you.
LANE. Thank you, sir. [LANE goes out.]
ALGERNON. Lanes views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.
One would think that any person would find the subject of their family interesting. The upper class should be the one setting the example (morally) for the lower class.

14. A: One would think that any person would find the subject of their family interesting. Also, the upper class should be the one setting the example (morally) for the lower class.