Oscar Wilde: “The Importance of Being Earnest”

1. Oscar Wilde:“The Importance of Being Earnest” Fabio Pesaresi

2. Dramatis Personae Jack Worthing  Ernest  lover Gwendolen Fairfax  cousin Algernon Moncrieff  Banbury

3. Country City Jack (Ernest) (Banbury) Algernon Cecily Gwendolen Miss Prism Lady Bracknell

4. The proposal Jack proposes to Gwendolen She accepts, because she can only love someone whose name is Ernest !!!

5. The interview Lady Bracknell asks Jack about his house, his habits his parents

6. Jack’s origin Mr Thomas Cardew found Jack in a handbag in the cloakroom at Victoria Station

7. In the countryside • Miss Prism and Cecily studying • Miss Prism goes to see Dr Chasuble • Algernon (Ernest) arrives

8. Jack in mourning • Announces that his brother has died • Surprised by the presence of Algernon • Tells him to go away • Goes to Dr Chasuble to be christened with the name of Ernest

9. The proposal Algernon-Ernest proposes to Cecily who says: “We have been engaged for three months”

10. Cecily: “I love you because you are so wicked and because I always wanted to marry someone whose name is Ernest !!!”

11. Gwendolen • meets Cecily • they become friends • They discover they are both engaged to Ernest Worthing • They quarrel • They quarrel with the two men

12. Reconciliation • The men try to make peacewith the two young women • They announce they are going to be rechristened that afternoon

13. Lady Bracknell • Forbids marriage between Jack and Gwendolen • Asks about Cecily and gives consent to marriage with Algernon (she is rich!) • Jack forbids the marriage

14. Recognition • Miss Prism was the governess at the house of Lady Bracknell’s sister • She lost the baby: Jack

15. New situation • Jack is Algernon’s elder brother • his real name is…….. Ernest

16. The reversaloflogic Lady Bracknell: Do yousmoke? Jack: Well, yes, I mustadmit I smoke. Lady Bracknell: I amgladtohearit. A man shouldhaveanoccupationof some kind.

17. Nature and society Lady Bracknell: A girl with a simple, unspoiled nature, likeGwendolen, couldhardlybeexpectedtoreside in the country.

18. Conventions Lady Bracknell: Toloseoneparent … mayberegardedas a misfortune; tolosebothlookslikecarelessness.

19. A social Revolution Lady Bracknell: Tobeborn … in a hand-bag … seemsto me to display a contemptfor the ordinarydecenciesof family life thatreminds me of the worstexcessesof the FrenchRevolution.

20. Nature Cecily: You dear romantic boy. I hope your hair curls naturally, does it? Algernon: Yes, darling, with a little help from others. Cecily: I am so glad.

21. Nonsense Algernon: This world is good enough for me, cousin Cecily. Cecily: Yes, but are you good enough for it? Algernon: I'm afraid I'm not that. That is why I want you to reform me. You might make that your mission, if you don't mind, cousin Cecily. Cecily: I'm afraid I've no time, this afternoon. Algernon: Well, would you mind my reforming myself this afternoon? Cecily: It is rather quixotic of you. But I think you should try. Algernon: I will: I feel better already. Cecily: You are looking a little worse. Algernon: That is because I am hungry. Cecily: How thoughtless of me. I should have remembered that when one is going to lead an entirely new life, one requires regular and wholesome meals. Won't you come in?

22. Hypocrisy Cecily: I have never met any really wicked person before. I feel rather frightened. I am so afraid he will look just like everyone else. He does! Algernon: You are my little cousin Cecily, I'm sure. Cecily: You are under some strange mistake: I am not little. In fact, I believe I am more than unusually tall for my age. But I am your cousin Cecily. You, I see from your card, are Uncle Jack's brother, my cousin Ernest, my wicked cousin Ernest. Algernon: Oh! I am not really wicked at all, cousin Cecily. You mustn't think that I am wicked. Cecily: If you are not, then you have certainly been deceiving us all in a very inexcusable manner. I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy. Algernon: Oh! Of course I have been rather reckless. Cecily: I am glad to hear it.

23. Commentary • Comedy of manners: complicated plot, full of intrigue • Nonsensical play • Satire • Shallow characters (no depth)

24. Wilde creates an entire world, frivolous and light • Witty language • Elegant manners

25. Misapplied logic Lady Bracknell: “Let’s go. We have already missed five, if not six, trains. To miss many more might expose us to comment on the platform”

26. Misapplied logic Jack: “I have lost both my parents.” Lady Bracknell: “Both? That seems like carelessness!”

27. Misapplied logic Algernon: “I must take the first train on Mondaymorning. I have a business appointment I amanxiousto miss.” Cecily: “Couldn’t you miss itanywherebut in London?” Algernon: “No: the appointmentis in London”

28. Paradox Lady Bracknell: “You have a town house, I hope? A girl with a simple, unspoiled nature like Gwendolen could hardly be expected to live in the country.”

29. Paradox Gwendolen on her father who is not very famous in society: “I think that is quite as it should be. The home seems to me to be the proper sphere for the man.”

30. Sparkling language Algernon, about a recently widowed lady: “I hear her hair has turned quite gold from grief”

31. Sparking language Jack, about Lady Bracknell: “a monster, without being a myth, which is unfair!”