The Importance of Being Earnest

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Compare and contrast the pairs of the characters:

  • Jack and Algernon
  • Cecily and Gwendolen
  • Lady Bracknell and Miss Prism

The Importance of Being Earnest was written and published in 1895 by Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde. Oscar Wilde wrote the book to express his opinion of the Victorian society. He thought the Victorians were too status conscious and too proper in their ways. Therefore, he wrote a play of characters opposing and over exaggerating Victorian ways. The Importance of Being Earnest was his most epigrammatic, and wittiest work and became his masterpiece.

Algernon and Jack

Algernon Moncrief is one of the plays major characters. Oscar Wilde has given him the most exaggerated character in the play and he portrayed as a typical Victorian but rather holds views contrary to the normally accepted Victorian values.

Algernon’s personality is outrageous yet he acts well in public, as he knows that this is what people are judged on. He lives in a comic world where nothing is taken seriously, he is light-hearted, witty and he disregards conventional morality; as we see in the opening scene where Algy and Lane joke about Lanes unsuccessful marriage and the dishonest drinking, on Lanes part, of champagne. Lane says:

‘I have often observed that in married households

 the champagne is rarely at first rate brand’

towards the end of act three this gap becomes less; for example at the end of act two he then Algy’s language and conversation is highly formalised; it is the speech of a privileged young gentleman. However, sometimes he does not believe in and follow what he says; for example Algy tells Jack not to eat the cucumber sandwiches and then promptly begins to devour them himself. However towards the end of the play he begins to accept reality and becomes more conventional.

Jack Worthing is one of the plays moralistic individuals, being very in touch with his romantic side. However, his character is also over exaggerated. Jack has worked for his wealth and status and is therefore sensible, if a little audacious. He trys to follow convention but is not necessarily able to follow the rules set down by society; e.g. he has no fashion sense whilst fashion is important to most.

Jack, an innocent person, who never wins verbal battles, is unable to conceal his deceits and therefore is found out a number of times; for example when Algy finds his silver cigar casewith the name ‘Jack’ iengraved in it instead of ‘ernest’ (in the first scene).

Both Jack and Algernon belong to the upper classes and move in the same high social circles. Algernon, being the nephew of Lord and Lady Bracknell, is a landed aristocrat, whilst Jack is an industrialist, who has worked hard to become a wealthy Middleton, yet does not know his ancestors: he was found as a baby, in a large handbag in a railway station. Despite all of this, Jack is much richer than Algernon, possessing a house in the country and a house in the town.

Jack is not selfish with his money and he is not a spendthrift. Algernon, however, lives off inheritance from his parents, and is constantly in debt due to the fact that he spends more than his allowance and earns nothing as he states to Jack in Act 1:

“I happen to be more than usually hard up”

Jack and Algernon, both being well educated, are learned men. However, only Jack uses his education scrupulously, and he has a job and lots of money. Algernon meanwhile feels no need to have a occupation, he lives solely off of his birthright.

To be fashionable is Algernon’s most important concern and therefore he is forever buying new clothes. He is the play’s dandy figure and as Lady Bracknell says,

Join now!

“He has nothing, but looks everything”

Jack has no fashion sense yet he cares how he comes across in order to make a good impression on people. This is shown when Algernon states:

“I never saw anybody take so long to dress, and with such little result.’

Algernon and Jack have very different views on marriage at the beginning of the play however by the end their views are identical.

Algernon’s immature attitude towards marriage is unconventional. His views challenge people - he is showing the absurdity of marrying for position and money rather than love:

“If I ever ...

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