The Importance Of Being Earnest Rhetorical Analysis

Consequences of Appearance Versus Reality All stories contain the same basic vital elements, such as plot, characters, and structure, but they would not have purpose if they did not have a theme. These messages allow individuals to reach beyond the basic entertainment of literature to seek a universal message that they can apply to their lives. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet and Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, revealing themes are expressed through their contrasting genres. Even though both of these works utilize the universal theme of appearance versus reality to display that individuals choose to not question what is before them, comedy does not demonstrate that this is a mistake, while tragedy exposes its negative consequences.

Throughout the story, when Algy and Cecily first meet, she does not take into account as to why Uncle Jack had never invited over his “brother” Ernest. Well, Algy, trying only to see Cecily, pretends to be “brother Ernest” and tries to trick poor Cecily into thinking that “brother John’s coldness to him is peculiarly painful” (Wilde 48). This, however, lures Cecily into pitying Algy. Now this is where she finds herself a “kept-man”, which is Algy. When the two of them tell Lady Bracknell of their engagement, she disapproves, but then when she finds out about Cecily’s small fortune of “a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in funds” (Wilde 78), she becomes much more

Jeren Yong Mr. Todd Language and Literature, Writing to Compare Satire 10 January 2018 “The Importance of Being Earnest” VS. “Big Kiss” This play’s setting is in the Victorian society. Wilde is writing this play as a satire to emphasize the ridiculousness of the Victoria society. The author wants to say how stupid the people are; they only care about the social status of people.

This passage describes the engagement of two persons, Howard and Carol, who have known each other for only a short period of time. At first glance and how it has been told to the peers of Carol they were happily in love and the proposal was want every romantic could ever dream of. In reality neither Carol nor Howard are in love but are pressures into marriage because society forces them to

In the Victorian Era, there were repressive and suffocating norms. Many people were cultivating a double life to be able to escape from their restrictive obligations in a respectful way. In The Importance of being Earnest, Oscar Wilde creates scenes where the characters, Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing, live secret lives to make a false impression about who they really are. Both characters are unsatisfied with their social lives by participating in boring dinners and living a typical Victorian family life, which leads them to create a double life that helps them escape from their social class. In Act 1, Algernon tells Jack, “You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town

Oscar Wilde want to make a caricature on high society by egaterating on Love, Manners and Death. Oscar Wilde makes a caricature of a high society by portraying love by having no emotion . He makes a caricature because Jack loves Gwendolen but she would only marry him if his name is Ernest. Cecily also loves Algernon because his name is Ernest.

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray exhibits several aspects of the Victorian era, such as the gentility and decorum associated with the “Gentleman”. There are also references to various Victorian era works of art and literature. One Victorian era conflict was the Opium epidemic. On pages 86-90, Dorian goes to an Opium den, which is a specific instance of the Victorian influence.

Wilde’s representation of the British upper class, its values and opinions, is presented most notably through Lady Augusta Bracknell. She is a dignified aristocratic residing fashionable London society circles. On the surface, she is very typical Victorian woman. As a mother to Gwendolen Fairfax, she has a great authority over her controlling her life. She has even a list of ”eligible young man” whom she is ready to interview in order to select a suitable partner for her daughter.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a representation of Oscar Wilde’s views and opinions on the upper class of the 1800’s. It is filled with epigrams and comedic aspects that convey his message in a facetious fashion. An example of this language is in a passage between page 34 and 35. This passage is where Jack and Algernon are discussing what leisure activity they shall partake in late that evening. The characters use the phrases; “I loathe listening” and “I can’t bear looking at things” in reply to suggestions of activity.

During the Victorian era, according to J. Ziegenfuss, “ The husband-to-be had to prove that he could support his new wife in the lifestyle she was accustomed to.” (Ziegenfuss ) Wilde shows Lady Bracknell as being skeptical of Jack being able to provide for her daughter when she learns that he was found in a handbag with no family to account for at that

As a writer one is greatly influenced by their personal experiences with social, historical, and cultural context within their specific time period. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray was shaped by the aspects of the world around him. The themes of the text are are influenced by morality in the Victorian Era. Throughout the Victorian Era a deeper movement was also prominent in London called Aestheticism. Aestheticism is the worship of beauty and self-fulfillment.

”(38) The food fight mix with a series of class bias and romantic jealousies between Gwendolen and Cecily in the Victorian Society through their attitude changed. Later, after Gwendolen realize that they have both been fooled, she embraces Cecily and calls her “sister”. From the rapid change of Gwendolen’s words in the conversation, Wilde uses verbal irony to highlight hypocrisy, arrogant and pretentious among the upper class. Gwendolen’s contradictive words also show her vulgar nature and manners against the moral code.

What was Oscar Wilde most known for? Although he was raised in the upper-class of Victorian England, he often ridiculed the upper-class for their straitlaced customs through his plays using his brilliant wit and flamboyant style. The upper-class wasn’t the only thing criticised by Wilde, but also topics such as love and marriage. One of the most prominent points Wilde mocked the ideals of love was on the stage of his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest. In the three acts of this book, Wilde attempts to change the reader’s views and perceptions of the several different topics he criticises.

Through the use of the characters Algernon and Lady Bracknell, Wilde effectively tackles multiple Victorian ideals. Algernon serves as an attack on marriage, shown by his conversations with Lane and Jack, where he claims it is "demoralizing" and destroys true romance. Algernon also created an invalid character named Bunbury who allowed him to leave the city to care for him, which actually resulted in Algernon going to party without being bound by Victorian society. Lady Bracknell stands as a symbol of the strong sense of Victorian ideals present in the upper class of society. She proved to be a major obstruction to Gwendolen and Jack 's marriage due to her disapproval of Jack 's birth despite his love for Gwendolen and commitment to being married.

She is an upper class Victorian woman and her ideals correspond to her stature in society. One of the most evident examples of Lady Bracknell’s outspoken ideals is seen in her interrogation of Jack Worthing. Once Lady Bracknell finds out that Jack and Gwendolen are interested in each other, she examines Jack with a series of questions. Lady Bracknell likes the answers to the first few questions she poses but calls Jack a “cloak-room” and “a parcel” after finding out he was found in a handbag as a baby (Wilde 25). The comments Lady Bracknell makes about Jack’s upbringing shows the reader that she looks down upon him.