A Modern Review of The Importance of Being Earnest

Nanjing Normal University/LU Chen

【Abstract】The Importance of Being Earnest—subtitled，“A Trivial Comedy for Serious People”is based on a misunderstanding over the name “Ernest，” which is an attack on earnestness.This paper first analyses the characters in the play，which are embodied in their conversations，manners and personalities.What is special about the characters in the play is that they maintain fictitious personas in order to escape burdensome social obligations.Secondly，and more importantly，this paper analyzes the relations between the play and modern society.

【Keywords】The Importance of Being Earnest； Characters； Modern Society

Introduction

First performed on 14 February 1895 at St.James's Theatre in London，The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personas in order to escape burdensome social obligations.It has been revived many times since its premiere.With amazingly witty dialogues and conversations，this play shows readers vivid characters.Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London，the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage，and the resulting satire of Victorian ways.

This paper presents an analysis on the conversation extract from The Importance of Being Earnest to help readers understand the personalities of characters and the charm of Oscar Wildes play，and to reveal their views on marriage and the society.

1.The analysis of the relations between the play and modern society

1.1 Outlook on love and marriage

The drama has three acts.Marriage and love is the inherent theme of the play.This paper will discover some values from the conversations between Algernon and Lady Bracknell.As a typical dandy in Victorian age，Algernon seemed to be a man who only loved having fun，but he did emphasize the essence of marriage.He thought a relationship could be romantic，but its essence was the uncertainty.He draw some conclusions of marriage，one of which was that marriage life was virtually boring.Though Lady Bracknell was very harsh and snobbish，she revealed the truths of love and marriage.For example，her criteria of choosing son-in-law is very much similar to that of parents in our modern society.

It is worth of connecting their （characters in the play） outlooks on love and marriage with ours.So we people in modern society can better understand and improve our marriage and life.

1.1.1 Of Algernon

The first act occurred in the house of Algernon.A few words were said，but much of the personalities could be seen.Algernon，a typical dandy in Victorian age，seemed to be very casual，but often spoke with witty words and sentences.

Algernon said in this drama，“I really dont 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，Ill certainly try to forget the fact.”

To get married is not an ending，its a fresh start for a couple.Once we get married，we should get prepared for challenges and difficulties and adapt to new ways of living and new people and situations.The adaptation is way different from buying a vehicle that doesnt change，a driver needs to change for a vehicle.So a perfect marriage needs the long time effort of the two altogether.In addition，marriage teaches us how to learn to look after parents of each other instead of being taken care of by them.And marriage teaches us to leave some room for privacy instead of taking each other as personal property.

1.1.2 Of Lady Bracknell

In the first act，theres a dazzling woman，Lady Bracknell，she spoke everything——husbands，girlfriends，juniors，generals，maidservants，romantic novels，French culture and even strangers…and hurt almost everyone every time he spoke.Shes an aggressive woman，she had a keen eye for marriage and often made a sharp point.When she mentioned Lady Harbury，she said，“I hadnt been there since her poor husbands death.I never saw a woman so altered； she looks quite twenty years younger.” Readers may doubt that how could a widow be so much younger，but it was reasonable that a woman finally got relieved.

In that time，marriage was a burden.A man is the tool to get social status and income for a woman，while a woman is just what a man wants.Two people getting married did not necessarily need true love.But now，in our modern society，marriage is not only a sweet burden，but also means responsibilities and obligations.And a marriage without true love is certainly unstable and invalid，just like a building with week foundation that cant stand long when strong wind and heavy rain come.

2.Conclusion

The ideas of double sides and double identity of the main characters revealed in the play are good manifestations of peoples hypocrisy.The conversations between protagonists in the play also reflects the outlook on marriage and love of people in Victorian age.

This paper has analyzed the characters——Jack， Algernon，Cecily，Gwedolen and Lady Bracknell，their personalities and their views on marriage and love have been discovered.Though Wilde deployed characters that were by now familiar： the Dandy lord，the overbearing matriarch，the woman with a past，the puritan young lady，his treatment is subtler than in his earlier comedies.Lady Bracknell，for instance，embodies respectable，bourgeois society in the play.More importantly，this paper tries to find some connections between this play and our modern society，and the relations between the two.

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