The Importance of being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde !irst performed on "# !ebruary "$%& at St 'ames(s Theatre in )ondon, the play is a farcical comedy in *hich the protagoni protagonists sts maintain +ctitious personae personae in order order to escape escape burdensom burdensomecau ecausing sing *orry, di-culty di-culty or hard *or./ obligations obligations Wor.ing or.ing *ithin *ithin the social social conventio conventions ns of lateultim lateultimament amente/ e/ 0ictorian 0ictorian )ondon, the play(s play(s ma1or themes are the triviality *ith *hich it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of 0ictorian *ays Contemporary revie*s all praisedelogiar/ the play(s humour, though some *ere cautious about its e2plicit lac. of social messages, *hile others foresa*verbto thin. sth is going to happen in the future, predict/the modern consensus that it *as the culmination of Wilde(s artistic career so far Its high farcefarsa/ farcefarsa/ and *itty ingenioso,agudo/ dialogue have helped ma.e The Importance of 3eing Earnest Wilde(s most enduringly popular play In translation The Importance of 3eing Earnest(s popularity has meant it has been translated into many languages, though the homophonous pun1uego de palabras/ in the title 4Ernest4, a masculine proper name, and 4earnest4, the virtue of steadfastness)oyalty steadfastness)oyalty in the face of trouble and di-culty5+rm+rme6aad1/and di-culty5+rm+rme6aad1/and seriousness poses a special problem for translators The plotargumento/ involves t*o men *ho try to *oocourt,romance/ *oocourt,romance/ their respective lovers by convincing each that their name is Ernest The play includes many puns and plays on *ords, ma.ing it funny Even the title is a pun, because because 7Ernest8 is a man9s name and 7earnest8 7earnest8 is a *ord that means 7serious, 7serious, honest, and sincer sincere8 e8 It addre addresse sses s the themes themes of moral morality ity,, style, style, and hypocr hypocrisy isy,, among among others others,, but it is noted noted for maintaining a light and bubblychamp:n/ air throughouten su totalidad/ ;enuinely, it *as not considered as drama of ideas
o*ever, the play truly pivots around the *ord 4earnest4 3oth *omen *ant to marry someone named 4Ernest,4 as the name inspires 4absol 4absolute ute con+de con+dence nce45 45 in other other *ords, *ords, the name name implie implies s that that its beare bearerr truly truly is earne earnest, st, honest honest,, and responsible >o*ever, 'ac. and Algernon have lied about their names, so they are not really 4earnest4 3ut it also turns out that at least in 'ac.(s case/ he *as inadvertently telling the truth The rapid ?ip@?opdecision anticipada/ In "$%s England, Algy
>o* It All ;oes Fo*n Algernon Moncrieff welcomes his friend Ernest Worthing in for a visit. Through Through an incident with a cigarette case and an unlucky inscription, Ernest is forced to confess that his name is really Jack. The story goes like this: in the country, Jack must lead the oring life of responsile guardian for his pretty, young ward! ard!p pupil upilo" o" #ecil ecily y. $o he made ade up a seedy eedy!d !de e mala ala cala ala%a" %a" young ounge er rot rothe herr name named d Erne Ernest st,, who is the the ura uran n soci social alit ite. e. #ecily, we learn, is a it too interested in Ernest for her own good. Whenever Jack feels like it, he visits &ondon on the pretense that he's cleaning up Ernest's messes!desorden.lios". After all, as the older rother he must e responsile for getting his younger rother out of troule. (nstead, Jack takes on the name Ernest and goes partying partying around town. Algernon Algernon is amused!ent amused!entretene retener" r" y this discovery discovery and reveals that he has a similar none)istent none)istent friend. Algernon*s friend is a perpetual invalid named +unury, who allows Algernon to visit the country whenever he likes. We learn that Jack is in love with wendolen -airfa), who is Algernon's cousin and coincidentall y scheduled to visit that day. !+oth Algernon and wendolen think that Jack's name is Ernest." Jack cuts a deal with Algernon if Algernon can get wendolen's mother, &ady +racknell, out of the room, then Jack can propose to wendolen. (n return, Jack will dine with Algernon tonight so that Algernon will avoid dining with his Aunt Augusta !a.k.a. &ady +racknell". The plan works. We learn that wendolen wendolen is smitten smitten !enamorada"y !enamorada"y the name, Ernest. $he is /ust accepting accepting Ernest's proposal proposal when &ady +racknell +racknell re0 enters the room, discovers them, and furiously sends wendolen down to the carriage. &ady +racknell gives Ernest a chance to prove his worthiness!valor" y inte intervi rview ewing ing him. him. 1nce 1nce she she deci decide des s that that he is not not fit for for her her daug daught hter er,, she she make makes s it clea clearr that that wen wendo dole len n is not not enga engage ged d to Ernes Ernest. t. (n a way, it is ironic that &ady +racknell doesn*t approve of the engagement to Ernest. Ernest is rich, has a good reputation around town, and seems to e perfectly suitale for wendolen. E)cept for one thing: he's an orphan, aandoned at irth for unknown reasons, and found in a handag at 2ictoria train statio station. n. This This doesn't doesn't fly with with &ady &ady +rackn +racknell, ell, who tells tells him to find find his parents parents A$A3 A$A3 and then dismiss dismisses es him. him. -uriou -urious, s, Jack Jack and Algern Algernon on
concoct!preparar.urdir" a scheme for getting rid of!deshacerse de" Ernest. They decide that he'll die in 3aris of a severe chill!resfriado". (n the meantime!mientras tanto", wendolen has found an opportunity to slip ack into the room and confess her undying love for Ernest. 4aving heard her mother's furious remarks, she's fascinated aout his mysterious ackground and asks for his country address. As Ernest gives it, Algernon discreetly copies it down and later announces to his servant that he's going +unurying tomorrow. At Jack's country estate, young #ecily does ev erything she can to avoid studying her erman grammar. $he lies to get her governess, Miss 3rism, to take a reak. Miss 3rism allows this only ecause she's distracted y 5r. #hasule, the local reverend. Just as Miss 3rism leaves, the arrival of Ernest Worthing is announced. (t turns out to e Algernon. Algernon and #ecily flirt outrageously. #ecily reveals that she*s een fantasi6ing aout Earnest for 7uite some time, and has even imagined that she*s engaged to him. $he invites him in for dinner. At that moment, Miss 3rism and 5r. #hasule return from their walk, only to meet Jack dressed in lack mourning clothes. 4e's come home early to announce that his rother, Ernest, has died tragically in 3aris, of a severe chill. 8ight on cue, #ecily comes out to tell her 9ncle Jack that Ernest has come to visit. When Jack sees it's Algernon, he is furious and arranges for Ernest to leave via the dog0cart. When the cart comes, Algernon promptly sends it away. #ecily pays Algernon a visit and they engage in more flirtation, where we learn that #ecily is osessed with the name, Ernest. When Algernon leaves !to arrange a aptism", wendolen arrives. #ecily entertains her. When each lady learns that the other is supposedly engaged to Ernest Worthing, they immediately start fighting. &uckily, oth Jack and Algernon show up in time to clear up any dout. Their true identities are revealed, as well as the fact that there is no Ernest. The women, reali6ing they've een tricked!enga%ar", suddenly ecome as close as sisters and go up to the house arm0in0arm, turning their acks on the men. Meanwhile, the men take out their frustration on the remaining tea items, fighting over the muffins, while they figure out what to do. Eventually, they enter the house, and confess to the women. The Ernest usiness, they say, was done only so that they could see their eloved ladies as often as possile. The women forgive!perdona" them. +ut their /oy is interrupted y the arrival of &ady +racknell. $he has come to ring wendolen home. When she sees #ecily holding Algernon's hand, she gives her an icy glare!reaplandor", ut politely asks Jack how ig this girl's inheritance!herencia" is. When she finds out that the girl is e)tremely wealthy!rica", &ady +racknell's attitude toward #ecily changes and she gives consent for her and Algernon to marry. +ut Jack, as #ecily's guardian, refuses to give his consent unless!a ,menos 7ue" &ady +racknell allows him to marry wendolen. &ady +racknell wants nothing to do with it. 5r. #hasule shows up to tell Jack and Algernon that everything is ready for their aptisms and happens to mention Miss 3rism. &ady +racknell's ears prick up at the name. Miss 3rism is rought efore her and shamefacedly confesses the truth: she was once &ady +racknell's servant and was in charge of a certain child. 1ne day, she took the ay out in his stroller for a walk and rought along some leisure reading; a three0volume novel that she had written ; and kept in a handag. 5istracted, she switched the two ; putting the novel in the stroller and the ay into the hand ag. $he dropped the handag off at 2ictoria train station. At this discover y, Jack freaks out and runs upstairs to f ind something. When he comes ack down, he's holding the handag !rememer, Jack is an orphan who was found in a handag". Jack mistakenly thinks Miss 3rism is his mother, ut is corrected y &ady +racknell, who tells him that a Mrs. Moncrieff is his mother. That makes Jack Algernon's older rother. Then, they all wonder what Jack*s real name is. 8ememer, wendolen will only love him if his name is Ernest. &ady +racknell tells Jack he was named after his father, ut noody can rememer what the eneral's name was. Jack looks up Moncrieff in his ook of Army &ists. The results< 4is father's name was Ernest. $o he's een telling the truth all along. 4is name really is Ernest. And now he can marry wendolen. There's general re/oicing. wendolen hugs!ara6a" Ernest. #ecily hugs Algernon. Miss 3rism hugs 5r. #hasule. And Ernest closes the play y insisting that he's no w learned the importance of eing earnest.
The Importance of Being Earnest Summary •
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Algernon Moncrieff prepares for the arrival of his aunt, Lady Bracknell, and her daughter, Gwendolen, in his stylish London flat in 1895 !is "utler#the $ain $ale servant in a large ho$e%, Lane, "rings in &'rnest (orthing& #who is listed as &)ohn (orthing& in the cast list and &)ack& in the "ody of the play, although "oth Lane and Algernon "elieve his na$e is 'rnest%, who has *ust returned fro$ the country )ack reveals he has co$e to London to propose to Gwendolen Algernon ridicules the notion of $arriage, and says that "efore )ack can $arry Gwendolen, he has to clear up the issue of +ecily Algernon orders Lane to "ring in )acks cigarette case and shows the inscription- &.ro$ little +ecily, with her fondest love to her dear /ncle )ack& )ack says his na$e is 'rnest in town and )ack in the country Algernon says he has always suspected )ack was a &Bun"uryist,& and now he has proof )ack e0plains that ho$as +ardew, who adopted hi$, willed )ack to "e guardian to his granddaughter, +ecily +ecily now lives at )acks place in the country under the guidance of her governess, Miss 2ris$ 3ince )ack $ust $aintain a high level of $orality to set an e0a$ple, he needs an e0cuse to get into town !e has invented a neer4do4well younger "rother na$ed 'rnest who lives in Al"any, and whose pro"le$s freuently reuire )acks attendance Algernon confesses that he has invented an invalid in the country, Bun"ury, for when he needs to get out of town )ack insists that he is through with &'rnest,& "ut Algernon $aintains that he will need hi$ $ore than ever if he $arries Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive Algernon tells Lady Bracknell that he will "e una"le to attend her dinner tonight, as Bun"ury is ill hey go into the $usic roo$ )ack confesses his feelings to Gwendolen, and she ad$its that she likes hi$, too, especially since she has always wanted to love so$eone na$ed 'rnest )ack asks if she would still love hi$ if his na$e were not 'rnest 3he would not, she $aintains#$antiene% !e proposes to her, and she accepts Lady Bracknell co$es in, and Gwendolen infor$s her of their engage$ent Lady Bracknell says that only she or her father can engage Gwendolen, and orders her to wait in the carriage After she leaves, Lady Bracknell learns fro$ )ack that he was an orphan, found in a hand"ag on a train 3he is aghast#horrori6ada% and says she will not allow her daughter to $arry hi$ 3he leaves and Algernon enters )ack tells Algernon what happened, and pro$ises to &kill off& his "rother 'rnest later in the week Algernon e0presses interest in $eeting +ecily, "ut )ack does not want this to happen, as she is young and pretty Gwendolen returns 3he tells Algernon to turn his "ack 3he asks )ack his address in the country, and Algernon slyly #a escondidas% writes this down and checks a train ti$eta"le Gwendolen pro$ises to write )ack daily when he returns to the countryside, and )ack escorts her out Algernon infor$s Lane that he will "e going Bun"urying to$orrow 7n the garden at )acks country house, Miss 2ris$ and +ecily discuss )acks see$ingly#aparente% serious de$eanor Miss 2ris$ "elieves it is due to his an0iety over his reckless#te$erario% "rother r +hasu"le enters the garden !e and Miss 2ris$ leave for a walk together Merri$an, their "utler, announces the arrival of 'rnest (orthing Algernon enters, pretending to "e 'rnest !e and +ecily
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"riefly discuss his &wicked#$alvada%& reputation (hen he learns that )ack will "e "ack Monday afternoon, Algernon announces that he $ust leave Monday $orning !e flirts with +ecily and they e0it into the house Miss 2ris$ and +hasu"le return 3he urges hi$ to get $arried to a $ature lady )ack enters the garden, dressed in "lack !e tells Miss 2ris$ he has returned earlier than e0pected, and e0plains that he is dressed in "lack for his "rother, who died in 2aris last night )ack asks +hasu"le if he would christen hi$ this afternoon !e agrees, and +ecily e$erges fro$ the house 3he tells hi$ that his "rother is in the dining roo$ )ack says he doesnt have a "rother 3he runs into the house and "rings out Algernon )ack refuses to shake Algernons hand, "ut +ecily says that &'rnest& has "een telling hi$ a"out his friend Bun"ury, and that so$eone who takes care of an invalid $ust have so$e good in hi$ 'veryone "ut )ack and Algernon leaves )ack orders Merri$an to get the dogcart, as 'rnest has "een called "ack to town #he wants to get rid of#deshacerse de% Algernon% )ack tells Algernon he $ust leave, while Algernon e0presses an interest in +ecily )ack e0its +ecily enters the garden Merri$an tells Algernon that the dogcart is ready, "ut +ecily says it can wait Algernon co$pli$ents +ecily to her great delight 3he then tells Merri$an that the dogcart can co$e "ack ne0t week !e asks +ecily to $arry hi$, and she points out that they have "een engaged for three $onths &'ver since :she; heard of )acks wicked "rother 'rnest& she has loved hi$ +ecily shows hi$ the "o0 of letters he &wrote& to her #which she really wrote to herself% 3he also ad$its that she loves hi$ "ecause his na$e is 'rnest /pon pro$ptin, she dou"ts she would "e a"le to love hi$ were his na$e Algernon !e says he needs to see +hasu"le uickly a"out &christening7 $ean on $ost i$portant "usiness& Algernon e0its Merri$an announces that Gwendolen has asked to see Mr (orthing #)ack% +ecily infor$s hi$ that he has gone off to see +hasu"le so$e ti$e ago, "ut invites her in Gwendolen i$$ediately takes to +ecily, "ut wishes +ecily were not so young and alluring#atractiva,seductor%, as &'rnest,& despite his $oral nature, is still suscepti"le to te$ptation +ecily tells her that she is not 'rnests ward#pupila%, "ut his "rother )acks
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)ack and Algernon *oin Gwendolen and +ecily inside the country house he wo$en tell the $en their &+hristian na$es are still an insupera"le "arrier& he $en reveal that they are to "e re4christened this afternoon, and the couples hug Lady Bracknell arrives, and Gwendolen infor$s her of her engage$ent#co$pro$ise% Lady Bracknell tells )ack that he $ay not speak any $ore to her daughter )ack introduces +ecily to Lady Bracknell, and Algernon says that he is engaged to her =nly when Lady Bracknell discovers +ecily has a large personal fortune does she give her consent for their $arriage !owever, )ack clai$s that, as his ward, +ecily $ay not $arry without his consent until age >5 !e declines to give the necessary consent !e says that he suspects Algernon of "eing untruthful !e recounts this afternoons events, in which Algernon i$personated )acks "rother )ack tells Lady Bracknell that if she consents to his $arriage with Gwendolen, he will consent to +ecilys with Algernon Lady Bracknell refuses and tells Gwendolen to get ready for the train +hasu"le enters and announces that he is prepared for the christenings Lady Bracknell refuses to allow Algernon to "e "apti6ed, and )ack tells +hasu"le that the christenings will not "e necessary any $ore +hasu"le says he will leave, and $entions that Miss 2ris$ is waiting for hi$ Lady Bracknell asks to see Miss 2ris$ (hen she enters, she goes pale upon seeing Lady Bracknell, who accuses her of kidnapping#secuestro% a "a"y "oy fro$ her house ?8 years ago /nder )acks uestioning, Miss 2ris$ reveals that she accidentally left the "a"y in a hand"ag on the Brighton railway line )ack leaves e0citedly#e$ocionada$ente% )ack returns with this very hand"ag )ack tells her he was the "a"y Lady Bracknell infor$s )ack that he is the son of her sister, $aking hi$ Algernons older "rother )ack asks Lady Bracknell what his original na$e was 3he says he was na$ed after his father after locating his na$e under the Ar$y Lists, they learn his full na$e is 'rnest )ohn Moncrieff All three couples, +hasu"le and Miss 2ris$, Algernon and +ecily, and )ack and Gwendolen, e$"race#a"ra6arse% )ack tells Lady Bracknell that he has reali6ed, for the first ti$e in his life, &the vital 7$portance of Being 'arnest& About The Importance of Being Earnest
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=scar (ildes he 7$portance of Being 'arnest opened at the 3t )a$ess heatre in London on .e"ruary 1@, 1895, only a $onth after (ildes previous success, An 7deal !us"and he packed4in audience rollicked with laughter at the on4stage caricatures +onsidered (ildes "est play, $any hail#grani6o% it as the greatest stage co$edy of all ti$e 2art of he 7$portance of Being 'arnests success co$es fro$ (ildes see$ingly#aparente$ente% infinite supply of piuant epigra$s hough so$e of the concise, often parado0ical state$ents refer to conte$porary events #the state of 19th4century .rench dra$a, for instance%, $ost are universal, reflections on "eauty, art, $en, wo$en, and class they are endlessly#inter$ina"le% uota"le and continue to delight#placer% audiences with their "lend of sophistication and a"surdity =ne feature of epigra$s which ensure their dura"ility is that they can "e separated fro$ the plays narrative 'pigra$s have little effect on the story "ecause they encapsulate $any of (ildes "eliefs on how art should function- a"ove all, art should "e "eautiful and serve little use he epigra$ is the epito$e of this ideal "eautiful in its elegant construction, it is also dra$atically useless to the play Beyond reflecting on "eauty, the play is also a $asterful send4up of ictorian $anners, especially in regards#con respect a% to $arriage and $orality Marriage had long "een an i$portant issue in 'nglish literature, and (ilde e0posed its $anipulative use as a social tool of advance$ent#Adelanto% e0cept for Miss 2ris$, all the wo$en in the play have ulterior $otives when it co$es to ro$ance As for $orality, (ilde critiued the starchy faade#fachada% of politeness he o"served in society he details the &shallow $ask of $anner,& as +ecily calls it, that aristocratic ictorians wore =ne of the chief sources of hu$or in he 7$portance of Being 'arnest is the characters confused sense of values (ilde descri"ed the play as &e0uisitely trivial, a delicate "u""le of fancy#"ur"u*a de lu*o%, and it has its philosophy that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality& (ilde directed his actors to speak all their lines in deadly earnest, without signaling to the audience that they were in on the *oke (hile it is in essence a co$edy of $anners, the play also uses overtly farcical techniues to downplay its seriousness, and the audience is willing to forgive the characters irresponsi"ility and various indiscretions (ithin the plays fra$ework of false identities, (ilde also planted several possi"le allusions to the $ale characters ho$ose0uality By the ti$e he wrote he 7$portance of Being 'arnest, (ilde was leading a dual life as a $arried $an and an active ho$ose0ual he plays original audience is reputed to have howled#risotada% at the inside references to Londons ho$ose0ual
su"culture /nfortunately, the heady success of'arnest was short4lived the Maruess of Cueens"ury, father of (ildes young lover, Lord Alfred ouglas #&Bosie&%, showed up to the opening night hough he was "arred#prohi"ida % entrance, (ildes infa$ous trial "egan soon after, and his life and career "egan to unravel#desenredar,desentraDar% • •
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Character List John "Jack" Worthing
)ack is the plays protagonist and the plays $ost sy$pathetic character !e was found in a hand"ag on a railway line, and feels less at ho$e in aristocratic society than does Algernon !e lives in the country "ut has invented a wicked "rother na$ed &'rnest& whose scrapes#araDa6o,apaDa% reuire )acks attendance in the city Algernon oncrieff
Algernon, the foil#papel,frustar% to )ack, is a hedonist who has created a friend na$ed Bun"ury whose status as a per$anent invalid allows Algernon to leave the city whenever he pleases !e "elieves this activity, &Bun"urying,& is necessary, especially if one is going to get $arried4so$ething he vows#pro$ete hacer algo% never to do La!y Bracknell
Lady Bracknell is the antagonist of the play, "locking "oth potential $arriages 3he e$"odies typical ictorian classis$ she does not allow Gwendolen to $arry )ack when she finds out he is an orphan, and she dislikes +ecily as a $ate for her nephew Algernon until she learns that +ecily is wealthy #en!olen $airfa%
Gwendolen is Lady Bracknells daughter, and is the o"*ect of )acks ro$antic attention hough she returns his love, Gwendolen appears self4centered and flighty#inconstant% Like +ecily, she desires nothing "ut to $arry so$eone na$ed 'rnest Cecily Car!e#
+ecily is )acks ward and lives with hi$ in the country Eoung and pretty, she is favored "y Algernon, who pretends to "e )acks "rother 'rnest +ecily has heard a"out this "rother, and has written correspondences "etween the two of the$ for $onths "y the ti$e she $eets AlgernonF'rnest Like Gwendolen, she is only interested in $arrying a $an na$ed 'rnest iss &rism
Miss 2ris$ is the +ecilys governess 3he o"viously loves +hasu"le, though the fact that he is a priest prohi"its her fro$ telling hi$ so directly
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Lane
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Algernons "utler delivers a nu$"er of droll lines which show that he is far fro$ a passive servant
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Chasuble
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A rector, +hasu"le freuently visits )acks country house to see Miss 2ris$ hough he is celi"ate, he see$s well $atched for the educated Miss 2ris$ erriman
)acks "utler, Merri$an has a less significant role than Lane has, "ut in one scene he and another servant force the "ickering#reDir,discutir% Gwendolen and +ecily to $aintain supposedly polite conversation
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lossary of Terms a christening
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a cere$ony of "aptis$
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Anabaptist
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a radical +hristian sect that saw christening as a confir$ation of faith so dee$ed it inappropriate for infants and supported adult "aptis$, instead
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apople%y
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a fit of e0tre$e anger that causes death a stroke
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bunburying
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inventing a false person to allow one to leave ones own unpleasant situation
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cre!ulity
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tending to "elieve too uickly
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effrontery
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presu$ptuousness
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Egeria
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a
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orgon
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in Greek $ythology, the three sisters including Medusa who had snakes for hair here, an ugly or terrifying wo$an
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horticultural
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having to do with a garden
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lorgnette
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a pair of eyeglasses with a handle
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misanthrope
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one who hates people
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perambulator
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"a"y carriage
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portmanteau
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a large, hinged leather suitcase
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'ui%otic
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idealistic without "eing pratical seeking so$ething unattaina"le
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sal(er
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tray for serving food andFor drinks
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smart
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well4dressed
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the Club
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private location where $en gather together to drink, discuss politics, gossip, and s$oke
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a)or Themes anners an! Sincerity
he $a*or target of (ildes scathing social criticis$ is the hypocrisy that society creates .reuently in ictorian society, its participants co$ported the$selves in overly sincere, polite ways while they har"ored conversely $anipulative, cruel attitudes (ilde e0poses this divide in scenes such as when Gwendolen and +ecily "ehave the$selves in front of the servants or when Lady Bracknell war$s to +ecily upon discovering she is rich !owever, the play truly pivots around the word &earnest& Both wo$en want to $arry so$eone na$ed &'rnest,& as the na$e inspires &a"solute confidence& in other words, the na$e i$plies that its "earer truly is earnest, honest, and responsi"le !owever, )ack and Algernon have lied a"out their na$es, so they are not really &earnest& But it also turns out that #at least in )acks case% he was inadvertently telling the truth he rapid flip4flopping of truths and lies, of earnestness and duplicity, shows how truly $uddled the ictorian values of honesty and responsi"ility were *ual I!entities
As a su"set of the sincerity the$e #see a"ove%, (ilde e0plores in depth what it $eans to have a dual identity in ictorian society his duality is $ost apparent in Algernon and )acks &Bun"urying& #their creation of an alter ego to allow the$ to evade responsi"ility% (ilde hints that Bun"urying $ay cover for ho$ose0ual liaisons, or at the very least serve as an escape fro$ oppressive $arriages =ther characters also create alternate identities .or e0a$ple, +ecily writes correspondence "etween herself and 'rnest "efore she has ever $et hi$ /nlike real $en, who are free to co$e and go as they please, she is a"le to control this version of 'rnest .inally, the fact that )ack has "een unwittingly leading a life of dual identities shows that our alter egos are not as far fro$ our &real& identities as we would think Criti'ue of arriage as a Social Tool
(ildes $ost concrete critiue in the play is of the $anipulative desires revolving around $arriage Gwendolen and +ecily are interested in their $ates, it appears, only "ecause they have disreputa"le "ackgrounds #Gwendolen is pleased to learn that )ack was an orphan +ecily is e0cited "y Algernons &wicked& reputation% heir shared desire to $arry so$eone na$ed 'rnest de$onstrates that their ro$antic drea$s hinge upon titles, not character he $en are not $uch less shallow4Algernon proposes to the young, pretty +ecily within $inutes of $eeting her =nly )ack see$s to have earnest ro$antic desires, though why he would love the self4a"sor"ed Gwendolen is uestiona"le !owever, the sordidness of the lovers ulterior $otives is dwarfed "y the priorities of Lady Bracknell, who epito$i6es the ictorian tendency to view $arriage as a financial arrange$ent 3he does not consent to Gwendolens $arriage to )ack on the "asis of his "eing an orphan, and she snu"s +ecily until she discovers she has a large personal fortune I!leness of the Leisure Class an! the Aesthete
(ilde good4naturedly e0poses the e$pty, trivial lives of the aristocracy4good4naturedly, for (ilde also indulged in this type of lifestyle Algernon is a hedonist who likes nothing "etter than to eat, ga$"le, and gossip without conseuence (ilde has descri"ed the play as a"out characters who triviali6e serious $atters and sole$ni6e trivial $atters Algernon see$s $ore worried "y the a"sence of cucu$"er sandwiches #which he ate% than "y the serious class conflicts that he uickly s$oothes over with wit But (ilde has a $ore serious intent- he su"scri"es to the late419th4century philosophy of aestheticis$, espoused "y (alter 2ater, which argues for the necessity of arts pri$ary relationship with "eauty, not with reality Art should not $irror reality rather, (ilde has said, it should "e &useless& #in the sense of not serving a social purpose it is useful for our appreciation of "eauty% herefore, Algernons idleness is not $erely la6iness, "ut the product of so$eone who has cultivated an estee$ed sense of aesthetic uselessness $arce
he $ost fa$ous aspect of =scar (ildes literature is his epigra$s- co$pact, witty $a0i$s that often e0pose the a"surdities of society using parado0 .reuently, he takes an esta"lished clich and alters it to $ake its illogic so$ehow $ore logical #&in $arried life three is co$pany and two is none&% (hile these 6ingers serve as sophisticated critiues of society, (ilde also e$ploys several co$ic tools of &low& co$edy, specifically those of farce !e echoes dialogue and actions, uses co$ic reversals, and e0plodes a fast4paced, a"surd ending whose i$plausi"ility we overlook "ecause it is so ridiculous his tone of wit and farce is distinctively (ildean only so$eone so skilled in "oth genres could co$"ine the$ so successfully +istorical Backgroun! to The Importance of Being Earnest
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he 7$portance of Being 'arnest is first and fore$ost a farce, a co$edy of $anners whose $ain goal is to a$use the audience, rather than to $ake the$ think As a co$edy, it is rooted $uch less in a specific history or place than $any plays Hevertheless, the play does contain a few references to conte$porary historical events, which suggest a trou"led society underneath#de"a*o% the glossiness#satinado% of the characters that (ilde portrays =ne of the pri$ary critiues of (ildes play is that it is for$ without content, and does not deal seriously with any social issues #this, of course, is consistent with (ildes doctrine of Aestheticis$% 7n a conte$porary review, the socialist playwright George Bernard 3haw reacted to he 7$portance of Being 'arnests see$ing heartlessness#despiadado%44 he would prefer to think that people are capa"le of speaking so$ething other than nonsense !owever, so$e of the topics $entioned "riefly in the play indicate larger political issues that were the su"*ect of heated de"ate at the ti$e that it was produced =ne such su"*ect was the issue of !o$e
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&et's set the scene: &ane, Algernon's servant, is arranging tea on the tale in h is lu)urious morning0room. We hear the sound of piano music in the ne)t room. After it falls silent, Algernon enters. Algernon checks that &ane has ordered the cucumer sandwiches for &ady +racknell. When &ane hands them to him, Algernon takes some and flops down on the sofa. They talk aout drinking and married life.
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-inishing his duties, &ane leaves the room.
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To himself, Algernon remarks that &ane*s view aout marriage are la6y. Algernon comments he thinks it should e the /o of the lower classes !(.=>" to demonstrate good ehavior for everyone else.
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4is thoughts are interrupted y &ane, who announces the arrival of Mr. Ernest Worthing.
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The two friends discuss where Ernest has een and what activi ties he*s een up to.
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Ernest claims he was in the country.
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5outful aout that, Algy tests Ernest ; asking if he was in $hropshire. Ernest seems confused, then stutters yes, he was in $hropshire. 9ncomfortale, Ernest 7uickly changes the su/ect. Algernon reveals that Aunt Augusta and wendolen are coming for tea, ut that Aunt Augusta won't e happy that Ernest is here ecause he fli rts disgracefully with wendolen. Ernest protests that he's in love with wendolen and has come to town specificall y to propose to her.
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Algernon is startled. ( thought you'd come up for pleasures<...( call that usiness !(.?>".
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Algy kindly comments that he doesn't think Ernest will ever marry wendolen. When Ernest asks why not, Algy replies that gir ls never marry the men they flirt with. 3lus, Algy says he doesn*t give his consent ; wen is his first
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Algernon follows up: Ernest still hasn*t e)plained the #ecily situation to him. Ernest claims that he doesn*t know of any #ecily. Algernon is perple)ed, and decides to pull out his secret weapon he summons &ane to get the cigarette case Ernest left on his last visit.
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@ow Ernest has some e)plaining to do.
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There's an inscription inside the cigarette case that says: -rom little #ecily with her fondest love to her dear 9ncle Jack !(.B".
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Algernon plays with Ernest, asking him pointed 7uestions aout this mys terious #ecily while Ernest chases him around the room, graing for hi s cigarette case. Ernest tries to get out of his sticky situation y claiming #ecily his aunt and a short woman, which would e)plain the little part. !Actually Jack offers a witty reply that you should definitely check out in the play." (n the end, the truth is revealed. Ernest's name is not really Ernest. (t's Jack. Actually, he e)plains: it's Ernest in town and Jack in the country. Algernon thinks this reply makes total sense. 4e then e)claims that he knew ErnestCJack was a +unuryist. When Algernon finally gives ack the incriminating cigarette case, Jack tells the truth. !Des, his name is really Jack." 4ere*s the deal: when he was a little oy, Jack*s adopted guardian Mr. Thomas #ardew wrote in his will that ( was to e the guardian of his granddaughter, Miss #ecily #ardew. &ittle #ecily calls Jack 9ncle out of motives of respect that you could not possily appreciate !(.>". $he lives out in my country house with her governess, Miss 3rism. When Algernon tries to find out where this country house is, Jack curtly s ays that's none of his usiness, ut it's most definitely not i n $hropshire.
Jack e)plains why he has two different names.
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Jack is a very moral and oring legal guardian in the country. Jack invented Ernest, who is supposedly his troulesome little rother. Ernest's scandalous doings in the city give Jack an e)cuse to leave the country, !on the pretense of clearing up Ernest's mess", to go to town. 5elighted, Algernon e)claims that Jack is really a +unuryist and, when he sees Jack's pu66l ed e)pression, now it*s time for Algernon to e)plain.
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&ike Jack, Algernon has invented a useful residing0in0the0country pal named +unury who is an invaluale permanent invalid !(.BB". +ecause of +unury, Algernon always has an e)cuse to get out of social engagements. (n fact, Algernon e)plains, +unury was the reason that he's ale to dine with Jack tonight at Willis's. !This dinner date is to get out of dining with Aunt Augusta." Jack protests that he never invited Algy to dinner, ut Algernon pleads with him to come ecause he's too emarrassed and ored to dine with his
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Jack goes ack to the original topic and protests that he's not a +unuryist since he intends to kill off Ernest very conveniently if wendolen accepts his proposal.
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+esides, Jack continues, #ecily is a little too interested in Ernest. Which is polite parent talk for she has a crush on him.
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$uddenly, the ell rings, signaling that Aunt Augusta has arrived.
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Algernon 7uickly cuts a deal with Jack: if Algernon e can get Aunt Augusta !a.k.a. &ady +racknell" away from wendolen for ten minutes so that Jack can propose, Jack will dine with him tonight at Willis's as compensation. Jack agrees. &ane enters to announce the arrival of &ady +racknell and Miss -airfa) !a.k.a. wendolen".
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Algernon goes forward to greet his guests. &ady +racknell is icily cold and polite to Jack, ut wendolen starts flirting with him immediately.
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When &ady +racknell asks for the promised cucumer sandwiches, Algernon finds ; to his horror ; that he's eaten all of them without noticing.
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Algernon and &ane improvise, putting on a charade that there were no cucumers to e found at market that morning, not even for ready money
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&ady +racknell takes the missing sandwiches kindly since she's already had crumpets with a friend, &ady 4arury. +ut she doesn't take it so well when Algernon informs her he's not dining with her tonight, since poor +unury is sick again. &ady +racknell remarks that it's irresponsile for someone to e so unhealthy. $he orders Algernon to tell Mr. +unury to e well on $aturday ecause she needs Algernon to arrange the music at her last party of the season.
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$oon, Algernon and &ady +racknell proceed i nto the ne)t room to review the music arrangements Algernon has prepared.
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wendolen, disoeying her mother's orders, stays ehind to talk to Jack .
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Jack, with wendolen's encouragement, loses no time in confessing his ardent and undying love for her. $he reciprocates, calling him my own ErnestF !(.=GH"
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We learn that wendolen has always had a fantasy aout marrying a man named Ernest.
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This is a prolem for Jack. $o he asks if she really couldn't love him if his name wasn't Ernest< 4e suggests the charming name, Jack, for e)ample.
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When wendolen scoffs, Jack suggests that ( must get christened ; ( mean we must get married at once !(.=HG".
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wendolen protests that he has not proposed yet. Jack doesn't hesitate. And wendolen accepts.
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+ut here comes troule. &ady +racknell enters and, horrified, orders Jack to riseIfrom this semi0recument posture ecause it is most indecorous !(.=B". wendolen tries to stop her mother, protesting that Jack isn't finished yet.
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When &ady +racknell learns of their engagement, things get messy. $he reminds wendolen that when you do ecome engaged to someone, (, or your fatherIwill inform you of the fact !(.=>".
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&ady +racknell commands wendolen to wait for her in the carriage outside. 5own0spirited, wendolen oeys.
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&ady +racknell interrogates Jack.
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$he tells him he's not on her list of eligile young men, ut she might change her mind if he answers her 7uestions satisfactorily. $he makes notes in her ook as she asks 7uestions.
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5oes he smoke< Des. $he*s pleased since men should always have some sort of occupation.
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4ow old is he< Twenty0nine. &ady +racknell has no prolem with his age.
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5oes he know everything or nothing< @othing. $he's delighted to hear that his natural ignorance !(.=BG" is preserved.
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4ow much does he make< $even to eight thousand pounds a year in investments. +ut, Jack hastens to add, he does have oth nice country and town houses. This answer is satisfactory.
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What's his town address< =G +elgrave $7uare. &ady +racknell disproves of the address, ut that can change.
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What is his political party< &ieral 9nionis t. Well, that counts as eing a Tory !(.KK".
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Just when we think Jack's got it in the ag, &ady +racknell asks the tough 7uestions.
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Are his parents living< 4e's lost oth his parents. $he is appalled and asks who his father was. Jack doesn't know. 4e e)plains that he was an orphan, found in a hand ag at 2ictoria $tation y a gentleman named Thomas #ardew. &ady +racknell is not happy to hear this news. $he declares his good social standing is i n severe 7uestion. $he advises him to try to ac7uire some relations as soon as possile, and to make a definite effort to produce at any rate one parent, of either se), efore the season is 7uite over !(.=".
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With that, he is dismissed.
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-rom the other room, clueless Algy starts playing the Wedding March on the piano. Jack is furious.
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The interrogation conveniently gives oth of the men a chance to rant aout &ady +racknell, a rant which ends in Jack's uncomfortale reali6ation that wendolen might end up /ust like her mother. When Algernon slyly asks if Jack told wendolen the truth of his doule identities, Jack indignantly replies that the truth isn't 7uite the sort of thing one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl !(.?". (n an effort to make himself seem more acceptale to &ady +racknell, Jack con/ures up a plan to have his rother Ernest die of a severe chill in 3aris y the end of the week. When Algernon interrupts that the news of Ernest*s death will devastate #ecily, Jack replies that it'll e good for her. Algy remarks offhand that he'd l ike to meet #ecil y, ut Jack is adamant that he never will ecause #ecil y is e)cessively pretty and only /ust eighteen !(.GB". Jack thinks that if #ecily ever meets wendolen they would e great friends, ut Algy is more skeptical. As they're figuring out what to do for the rest of the evening, wendolen enters unaccompanied. $he asks Algernon to turn his ack so she can something privately to Ernest. $he admits that &ady +racknell will not let her marry Ernest, ut wen promises she'll always love him. $he admits that the story of his romantic origin has naturally stirred the deeper fires of Lher nature !(.>".
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$he asks for his country house address. As Jack recites it to her, Algernon stealthily copies it down on his shift0cuff. 4e tells her he's only in the country until Monday, and then accompanies her out to her carriage. Algernon is left alone with &ane, who rings him his daily mail. Algernon announces that he's going +unurying tomorrow and will not e ack until
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Algernon starts laughing in delight, only to e interrupted y the returning Jack. W hen Jack asks why Algy is laughing, Algernon /okes that he's worried aout +unury. As Jack leaves, Algernon glances at his shirt0cuff and smiles. The Importance of Being Earnest Act II Summary The setting is the garden in the Manor 4ouse ; Jack's country estate. (t's July. A tale full of ooks is set up eneath a yew tree in the rose garden. Miss 3rism is sitting a t the tale while #ecily is in the ack, watering the flowers.
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Miss 3rism calls to #ecily to stop doing such a mundane task as watering the flowers ecause she needs to do her erman grammar lesson.
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#ecily argues that she doesn't want to ecause she knows she looks plain after her erman lesson.
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Miss 3rism retorts that 9ncle Jack is only looking out for #ecily's education.
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#ecily complains that 9ncle Jack is so serious.
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Miss 3rism defends him as the pinnacle of duty and responsiility !((.H". $he adds that he's even helping out that unfortunately troulesome younger rother of his. This pi7ues #ecily's interest and she wishes aloud that 9ncle Jack would ring Ernest y sometime so that Miss 3rism could reform him.
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$he egins writing in her diary, where she keeps all the wonderful secrets of Lher life !((.=K". At this, Miss 3rism comments that she was once a writer herself.
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$he wrote a three0volume novel !the ane of #ecily's e)istence" ack in the day. Miss 3rism tells #ecily to work on her lesson.
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+ut the perfect e)cuse to ignore the lesson is /us t arriving ; 5r. #hasule. At the sight of him, Miss 3rism lushes and stands.
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They're so oviously crushing on each other that #ecil y finds it easy to persuade them to take a walk together.
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While they're out, Merriman the utler tells #ecily that a Mr. Ernest Worthing has /ust arrived.
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#ecily is over/oyed to finally e ale to meet the infamous Ernest, ut she's scared at the same time.
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Algernon enters, disguised as Ernest. 4e greets his cousin, #ici. They talk aout how wicked he is, with #ecily making comments aout how he should reform himself. #harmingly, AlgernonCErnest asks #ecily to try to reform him that very afternoon.
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As they're flirting and Ernest is finding every way possile to compliment #ecily, like asking for a pink rose for his utton0hole ecause you are like a pink rose, cousin #ecily !((.>H". Algernon learns that Jack plans to send Ernest to Australia.
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As #ecily's putting a flower into his uttonhole, Miss 3rism and 5r. #hasule return, discussing the moral advantages and disadvantages of marriage. They're so wrapped up in each other that they don't reali6e that #ecily is not where they left her. +efore they can send out a search party, Jack arrives home, dressed in a lack sui t of mourning.
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When they ask him aout it, Jack announces that he's returned early ecause his rother Ernest is dead. 4e died last night in 3aris of a severe
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When 5r. #hasule offers to perform a funeral ceremony for Ernest, Jack suddenly rememers something. 4e asks 5r. #hasule if he can e christened. After some 7uestions, 5r. #hasule relents and they arrange for Jack to come y at half0past five that evening.
#ecily comes from the house to meet her 9ncle Jack with the happy news that his rother Ernest arrived /ust recently and is now in the dining0
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Jack is completely confused. 5r. #hasule ; trying to smooth over the awkward situation ; says that these are good tidings indeed !that Ernest is alive and all". The mystery is solved when Jack sees Algernon sitting at the tale. Jack refuses to shake hands with Algernon. We learn from #ecily that Ernest has een telling her aout his poor friend, Mr. +unury. -inally, #ecily declares she will never speak to 9ncle Jack again if he doesn't shake hands with Ernest. Jack gives in reluctantly and Miss 3rism praises #ecily for her wonderful act of kindness today. They leave Jack and Ernest together. -uriously, Jack tells Algy to leave at once. +ut he's interrupted when Merriman comes in to reveal that Mr. Ernest's luggage has een put in the edroom ne)t to Jack's. Jack tells Merriman that unfortunately Ernest's dog0cart has arrived to take him away he's een called ack to town. While Jack rants at Algernon, Algernon talks aout how pretty #ecily is. Jack declares the dog0cart is here and leaves, /ust in time to miss Algy's comment that he has fallen in love with #ecily. #ecily appears with a watering can in her hand. $he and ErnestCAlgernon e)change glances. $he pleads with Merriman to let Ernest stay for another five minutes. Algernon informs her that Jack is sending him away and compliments her eauty. -lattered, #ecily egins copying his words down in her diary, ut refuses to let him look at it.
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When the dog0cart comes again, Ernest tells it to come again ne)t week.
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Without ceremony, he asks #ecily to marry him. $he responds amusedly that they've een engaged for months.
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$he confides her past fantasies to him, as they're written in her diary. Apparently, Ernest proposed on 2alentine's day ut they'd roken it off a month later. @ow they're ack together, which she can prove with the many love letters from him that she has saved !and written herself".
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Ernest kisses her for eing so forgiv ing.
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Then she confides that it's always een a girlish dream of mine to l ove someone whose name was Ernest !((.??".
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5istraught, he asks her if she could love him under any other nameIsayIAlgernon, for instance.
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#ecily finds it a rather aristocratic name, ut no, she wouldn't e ale to love him then.
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At that declaration, ErnestCAlgernon promptly egins asking her aout the rector and whether or not he performs christenings.
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Algernon leaves to find 5r. #hasule aout a very important matter. As he leaves, #ecily comments that she likes his hair so much.
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$oon, Merriman enters to tell #ecily that a Miss -airfa) has arrived to see Mr. Worthing.
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#ecily invites Miss -airfa) to sit with her until 9ncle Jack c omes out.
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They're oth such charming girls that when they meet, they declare they'll e est friends and call each other immediately y their fir st names.
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They talk for a little while efore wendolen works up the alls to ask #ecily if she can inspect her.
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wendolen, peering through her glasses, finds #ecily rather too attractive and loudly wishes that she were a it older and more decidedly more dowdy. $he asks aout #ici's relations and finds out that Mr. Worthing is #ecily's guardian.
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@ow that's prolematic, wendolen says, since Ernest never mentioned it to her.
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When #ecily hears the name Ernest, she 7uickly e)plains the situation.
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(t's not Ernest Worthing who is my guardian, she says sweetly, ut his older rother, Jack.
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That's a relief to wendolen, who suddenly ecomes polite again.
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#ecily proudly declares that she's going to e Ernest Worthing's wife.
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wendolen rises to her feet. E)cuse me< Dou're mistaken. Ernest proposed to me yesterday. #ecily retorts that he must've changed his mind ecause he /ust proposed to her ten minutes ago. The two women eye each other coldly efore wendolen announces ; alluding to #eci ly's rude manners ; that they oviously move in different social circles. 8ight efore they can start clawing at each other, Merriman comes y to arrange their tea things. The girls ite ack their acidic words in his
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As Merriman serves them, they glare at each other ut chitchat in cordial tones. 4owever, their small talk ristles with little insults, mostly aout the superiority of uran life !from wendolen" vs. the superiority of country life !from #ecily". When #ecily serves wendolen tea, she serves it in the opposite manner that wendolen re7uests ; giving her lots of sugar in her tea and cake instead of read N utter.
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Thank goodness, Jack arrives /ust in time to reak up their fight.
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When wendolen /umps on him and asks if he's to e married to #ecil y, Jack laughs it off and kisses wendolen.
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The truth comes out. #ecily replies that he's not Ernest Worthing that's 9ncle Jack. At the unglamorous name, wendolen recoils in disgust.
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8ight on cue, Algernon enters and #ecily goes through the same routine with him. When he confirms he's not to e married to wendolen, she allows him to kiss her.
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This time it's wendolen*s turn to clear up the confusion. $he reveals that he's not Ernest Worthing it's Algernon Moncrieff, her cousin.
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#ecily acks away when she hears Algernon.
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The two women emrace each other in distress, while the men hang their heads in shame.
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They finally ask Jack who Ernest is and he is forced to admit that Ernest doesn't e)ist.
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When oth girls reali6e with horror that neither of them are engaged to anyone, they agree to go in to the house where the men won't dare to follow them. With scornful looks, they leave.
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(nfuriated and frustrated, the two men turn on each other for the horrile results of their +unurying.
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+oth lame each other for deceiving the girls. They argue for a while and Algernon sits down agitatedly and egins to eat the muffins left y the ladies.
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Jack comments that it's heartless for him to eat so calml y when they're in such a state and egins fighting with him over the muffins. (n the midst of their s7ualing, each discovers that the other has a christening to attend that evening to e named Ernest. Their chri stenings are scheduled only fifteen minutes apartF +oth try to dissuade each other from doing so, without success. The act ends with oth guys still munching muffins and ickering with each other. The Importance of Being Earnest Act III Summary wendolen and #ecily are seeking sanctuary in the morning room at the Manor 4ouse. They peer out the window in curiosi ty at the two men. The girls notice that the men haven't followed them into the house and are eating muffins. They're worried that the guys don't seem to e noticing them at all. A moment later, when the two guys start walking towards the house, the women are affronted and agree to give them the silent treatment.
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+ut that soon falls apart. #ecily reaks her silence to ask Algernon why he pretended to e Jack's rother. 4e answers candidly ; to have an opportunity of meeting you !(((.=H". #ecily melts. Then it's wendolen's turn. $he asks Jack why he pretended to have a rother. +efore he can answer, she suggests that it was possily so that he could have an e)cuse to come up to town to see her as often as possile. 4e confirms it. $atisfied, the girls confide to forgive the men. +ut there's a sti ll a prolem. The girls confront the guys in loud unison: Dour #hristian names are still an insuperale arrier. That is allF !(((."
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(n other words, the girls can't possily marry them if their names aren't Ernest.
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(n response, the men answer in unison: 1ur #hristian namesF (s that all< +ut we are going to e christened this afternoon !(((.?K".
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$eeing that their eloveds are rave enough to endure such a harrowing ordeal as a chris tening for their sake, rush into their lovers' arms.
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Merriman enters, sees all the hugging going on, and coughs loudly. 4e announces the arrival of &ady +racknell. The startled couples separate.
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&ady +racknell loses no time in asking wendolen /ust what she's doing. At the news that she's engaged to Jack, &ady +racknell turns her wrath on him. $he orders that all communication etween them must stop immediately and ignores his protests. Then she turns to Algernon and asks if this is where +unury resides. #aught y surprise, Algernon answers no, then stutters that +unury is actually dead. 4e died y e)ploding. &ady +racknell is appalled y his method of death, considering it a revolutionary outrage !(((.HG" ut is glad that the matter is settled. 1n to usiness. &ady +racknell asks Jack who is that young person holding Algernon's hand so inappropriately. When she learns Algernon is engaged to #ecily, she comments that there must e something in the air here that is particularly e)citing. +ecause the numer of engagements here seems to me consideraly aove the proper average that statistics have laid down for our guidance !(((.=". $lyly, she asks if Miss #ardew has any relations to the railway stations in &ondon. Jack is fuming, ut coldly answers no and recites #ecily's proper parents, plus their address. 4e assures her that she can find the same information in the #ourt uides. And he lists off all the documentation he has of #ecily ; including irth certificates, aptism records, incidents of illness and vaccinations. &ady +racknell rushes them off, telling wendolen it's time to leave. As they e)it, she asks offhand if Miss #ardew has any amount of fortune. 1h, Jack answers, /ust a hundred and thirty thousand pounds. &ady +racknell free6es. $uddenly, #ecily looks much more attractive to her. With #ecily's eager cooperation, &ady +racknell inspects her profile and declares she has distinct social possiilities !(((.>H". -inally, she gives her consent. $he even allows #ecily to call her Aunt Augusta. +ut Jack has other ideas. As #ecily's legal guardian, he refuses to give consent for her to marry Algernon. When &ady +racknell, insulted, asks what could possily e wrong with Algernon, Jack reveals that Algernon has lied ; deceiving his whole family into thinking he was the none)istent younger rother, Ernest. 1n top of that, Jack continues, he not only drank an entire ottle of his est wine, ut also ate every single muffin at tea. Jack stands y his verdict he won't give Algernon consent to marry #ecily. &ady +racknell, however, has hope. After learning #ecily is eighteen, &ady +racknell says it won't e long efore she comes of age and she can make her own decisions. +ut Jack interrupts, saying her grandfather's will dictates she won't come of age until she's thirty0five. Although &ady +racknell doesn't think the wait is that ad, #ecily is impatient and declares she can*t wait that long.
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-inally, Jack deigns to negotiate: if &ady +racknell will give consent for him to marry wendolen, he'll consent to let Algernon marry #ecily.
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&ady +racknell flatly refuses and tells wendolen to get ready to go. They've already missed five tr ains ack to town.
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5r. #hasule enters at this crucial moment to announce that everything is ready for the christenings. &ady +racknell will not hear of such nonsense. Jack sadly agrees to call off the christenings, ecause there's no point no w. @oody is getting married.
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This news saddens 5r. #hasule, ut he's glad to have some free time this evening. 4e's heard that Miss 3rism has een waiting for him in the
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&ady +racknell starts at the name. Apparently they have a history. Jack tries to e)plain that Miss 3rism is #ecily's esteemed governess. +ut this has no impact on &ady +racknell. $he orders #hasule to send for Miss 3rism at once. At the sight of the stern &ady +racknell, Miss 3rism stops dead in her tracks, and turns around with the intention of running away. 3rismF &ady +racknell spits. Miss 3rism approaches humly. &ady +racknell recites 3rism's crime: Twenty0eight years ago, Miss 3rism left &ord +racknell's house with a peramulator !read: a ay stroller" containing a male child. +oth of them disappeared without a trace. Weeks later, the police found the peramulator in +ayswater with an especially sappy three0volume novel inside. +ut the ay was gone. 3rism, &ady +racknell screeches, where is that ay< $hamed, Miss 3rism confesses. $he doesn't know where the child is, ut she tells what happened the est she can. 1n that fateful day, she not only had the ay in the peramulator with her, ut the pri6ed three0volume novel she had written, contained in an old hang0ag. &ater that day, she got confused and accidentally pu t the ook into the peramulator and the ay into the handag. Jack, who's een listening intently, asks where she sent the handag. Miss 3rism confesses she deposited it at a cloakroom in 2ictoria $tation !presumaly to e sent to a potential pulisher", the +righton line. At this news, Jack runs up to his room, leaving the others affled. (t sounds like things are eing frantically thrown around. After some time, Jack returns with a lack leather handag. 4e asks Miss 3ri sm to inspect it and decide whether or not it's the one she owned. After a few moments, Miss 3rism declares that it is indeed hers. $he points to the lock, which is engraved with her initials, as proof. Jack smiles and reveals that he was the ay i nside the handag. Then he impulsively hugs Miss 3rism, screaming in /o y, MotherF !(((.=GB" +ut Miss 3rism recoils , saying that she is not married. 4ow could he dare insinuate such a thing< +ut Jack is in a generous mood and forgives her, only to hug her again.
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$tunned, Miss 3rism detaches herself and points to &ady +racknell. That woman, she sa ys, can tell you who you really are.
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&ady +racknell delivers the stunning news. Dou are the son of my poor sister, Mrs. Moncrieff, and conse7uently Algernon's elder rother !(((.=H?".
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Jack is eside himself with /oy, glad ecause this means that he had een telling the truth all these years he does indeed have a younger rother. 4e gras Algy and goes around the room, introducing each and every person to his unfortunate rother, Algernon. wendolen finally asks the 7uestion that's een on our minds. What is Jack's real name< 4e must rememer that his marriage depends on it. Jack turns to &ady +racknell for the answer. $he answers that he was indeed christened, and ; as efits the eldest son ; was named after his father. +ut, unfortunately, she cannot rememer the eneral's name.
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@either can Algy, ecause their father died when he was a ay.
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+ut Jack has an idea. 4is father' s name would appear in the Army &ists, wouldn't it.
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Jack turns to the ookcase and tears out volumes until he finds the Army &ist he wants. 4e flips through the OM's until he finds the Moncrieff entry. 4e reads out the #hristian name: Ernest John.
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4e shuts the ook and turns to wendolen with the suspenseful news that his name really i s Ernest. 4e hasn't een lying after all.
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&ady +racknell now rememers that the eneral's name was Ernest. $he knew she had a reason for disliking that name.
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This clears the way for a love0fest. wendolen rushes into Jack's arms. 5r. #hasule !-rederickF" emraces Miss 3rism !&aetitiaF". Algernon sweeps #ecily off her feet. There's general chaotic /oy. When &ady +racknell tries to put a damper on things y saying Jack is displaying signs of triviality !(((.=BK", Jack replies suavely that, on the contrary, ('ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital importance of eing earnest.
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Oscar Wilde Biography
The English author Oscar Wilde was part of the "art for art's sake" movement in English literature at the end of the nineteenth century. He is best known for his brilliant witty comedies including the play The Importance of Being Earnest and his classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Outstanding childhood Oscar !ingall O'!lahertie Wills Wilde was born in ublin #reland on October $% $&(. His father )ir William Wilde was a well*known surgeon+ his mother ,ane !rancisca Elgee Wilde wrote popular poetry and other work under the pseudonym -pen name )peran/a. 0ecause of his mother's literary successes young Oscar en1oyed a cultured and privileged childhood. 2fter attending 3ortora 4oyal )chool in Enniskillen #reland Wilde moved on to study the classics at Trinity 5ollege ublin from $&6$ to $&6(. There he began attracting public attention through the uni7ueness of his writing and his lifestyle. 0efore leaving Trinity 5ollege Wilde was awarded many honors including the 0erkely 8old 9edal for 8reek.
Begins writing career 2t the age of twenty*three Wilde entered 9agdalen 5ollege O:ford England. #n $&6& he was awarded the ;ewdigate 3ri/e for his poem "4avenna." He attracted a group of followers whose members were purposefully unproductive and artificial. "The first duty in life" Wilde w rote in Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young -$&<( "is to be as artificial as possible." 2fter leaving O:ford he e:panded his cult -a following. His iconoclasm -attacking of established religious institutions clashed with the holiness that came with the =ictorian era of the late nineteenth century but this contradiction was one that he aimed for. 2nother of his aims was the glorification of youth. Wilde published his well*received Poems in $&&$. The ne:t si: years were active ones.
Courtesy of the >ibrary of 5ongress . He spent an entire year lecturing in the ?nited )tates and then returned to lecture in England. He applied unsuccessfully for a position as a school inspector. #n $&&( he married and his wife bore him children in $&& and in $&&%. He began to publish e:tensively in the following year. His writing activity became as intense and as inconsistent as his life had been for the previous si: years. !rom $&&6 to $&&< Wilde edited the maga/ine Woman's World. His first popular success as a fiction writer was The appy Prince and !ther Tales -$&&&. The ouse of Pomegranates -$&<@ was another collection of his fairy tales.
Sexuality of Oscar Wilde #n $&&% Wilde became a practicing homose:ual or one who is se:ually attracted to a member of their own se:. He believed that his attacks on the =ictorian moral code was the inspiration for his writing. He considered himself a criminal who challenged society by creating scandal. 0efore his conviction -found guilty for homose:uality in $&< the scandal was essentially private. Wilde believed in the criminal mentality. ">ord 2rthur )avile's 5rime" from "ord #rthur $a%ile's &rime and !ther $tories -$&<$ treated murder and its successful cover*up comically. The original version of The Picture of Dorian Gray in "ippincott's aga(ine emphasi/ed the murder of the painter 0asil Hallward by orian as the turning point in orian's downfall. Wilde stressed that criminal tendency became criminal act. Dorian Gray was published in book form in $&<$. The novel was a celebration of youth. orian in a gesture typical of Wilde is parentless. He does not age and he is a criminal. >ike all of Wilde's work the novel was a popular success. His only book of formal criticism Intentions -$&<$ restated many of the views that Dorian Gray had emphasi/ed and it points toward his later plays and stories. Intentions emphasi/ed the importance of criticism in an age that Wilde believed was uncritical. !or him criticism was an independent branch of literature and its function was important.
His dramas 0etween $&<@ and $&< Wilde was an active dramatist -writer of plays writing what he identified as "trivial AunimportantB comedies for serious people." His plays were popular because their dialogue was baffling clever and often short and clear relying on puns and elaborate word games for their effect. "ady Windermere's )an was produced in $&<@ # Woman of *o Importance in $&
On 9arch @ $&< Wilde initiated a suit for criminal libel -a statement that damages someone's reputation against the 9ar7uess of Dueensberry who had ob1ected to Wilde's friendship with his son >ord 2lfred ouglas. When his suit failed in 2pril countercharges followed. 2fter a spectacular court action Wilde was convicted of homose:ual misconduct and sentenced to two years in prison at hard labor. 3rison transformed Wilde's e:perience as e:tremely as had his $&&% introduction to homose:uality. #n a sense he had prepared himself for prison and its transformation of his art. De Profundis is a moving letter to a friend and apologia -a formal defense that Wilde wrote in prison+ it was first published as a whole in $<. His theme was that he was not unlike other men and was a scapegoat or one who bears blame for others. The Ballad of ,eading Gaol -$&<& was written after his release. #n this poem a man murdered his mistress and was about to be e:ecuted but Wilde considered him only as criminal as the rest of humanity. He wroteF "!or each man kills the thing he loves G et each man does not die." 2fter Wilde was released from prison he lived in 3aris !rance. He attempted to write a play in his style before his imprisonment but this effort failed. He died in 3aris on ;ovember C $<.
Hacido el 1I de octu"re de ,-./ en Dublín, hi*o de Sir Willian Robert Wills Wilde, afa$ado oculista y otorrino de la poca, y de Janes Agnes Elgee, descendiente directa del independentista irlands Maturin A los die6 aDos ingresa en la escuela privada 2ortora de
6scar Wil!e 7,-./1,2448 , 7rish dra$atist, poet, and author wrote the darkly sardonic .austian the$ed '(e )icture of Dorian *ra #1891%
7n the centre of the roo$, cla$ped to an upright easel, stood the full4length portrait of a young $an of e0traordinary personal "eauty, and in front of it, so$e little distance away, was sitting the artist hi$self, Basil !allward, &7 hate the$ for it,&cried !allward &An artist should create "eautiful things, "ut should put nothing of his own life into the$ (e live in an age when $en treat art as if it were $eant to "e a for$ of auto"iography (e have lost the a"stract sense of "eauty 3o$e day 7 will show the world what it is and for that reason the world shall never see $y portrait of orian Gray&44+h 1 'ver the aesthete, (ilde hi$self was profoundly affected "y "eauty and lived and dressed fla$"oyantly co$pared to the typical ictorian styles and $ores of the ti$e !e was often pu"licly caricatured and the target of $uch $oral outrage in 'urope and A$erica !is writings such as Dorian *ra with ho$oerotic the$es also "rought $uch controversy for hi$
"ut he was part of the ever4growing $ove$ent of decadents who advocated pacifis$, social refor$, and li"ertarianis$ (hile $any vilified hi$, he was $aking his $ark with style and wit and en*oyed $uch success with $any of his plays (ilde was lauded "y and acuainted with $any influential figures of the day including fellow playwright George Bernard 3haw, A$erican poets (alt (hit$an and!enry (adsworth Longfellow, and 'nglish author and social critic )ohn %, Lad Windermere.s !an #189?%, A !lorentine 'raged #La Sainte Courtisane 189>%, A Woman of 0o #mportance #189>%,Salom1 #189@%, An #deal +usband #1895%, and '(e #mportance of 2eing Earnest #1895% =scar .ingal =.lahertie (ills (ilde was "orn on 1I =cto"er 185@, in u"lin, 7reland, the second of three children "orn to writer )ane .rancesca Agnes n1e 'lgee #18?14189I% and surgeon 3ir (illia$ 94 189@% and helped found the Aesthetic Move$ent, &art for art.s sa3e& (ilde e0celled in his studies, winning $any pri6es and awards including =0fords Hewdigate 2ri6e for his poe$ & and while not further lecturing lived in 2aris, .rance 7n 188@ (ilde $arried +onstance Mary Lloyd #185841898% with who$ he would have two sons +yril #188541915%, who was killed during (orld (ar 7, and yvyan #188I419QI%, who would "eco$e an author, penning his $e$oir Son of ,scar Wilde #195@% and pu"lishing ,scar Wilde4 A )ictorial 2iograp( in 19I he (ildes settled in +helsea, London where =scar continued to write and work for such $aga6ines as the )all Mall *a"ette and "eca$e editor of Woman.s World in 188Q 7n 1891 (ilde $et 'nglish poet Lord Alfred ouglas &Bosie& #18Q419@5%, son of )ohn ouglas, 9th Maruess of Cueens"erry #18@@419% 7t was the "eginning of a tu$ultuous relationship that would cause $any pro"le$s for =scar and eventually lead to his downfall Alfred had a te$pestuous relationship with his father which did not help $atters !e disapproved of his sons lifestyle and when he learned of his openly living with (ilde, he set out to defa$e (ilde .or the opening perfor$ance of '(e #mportance of 2eing Earnest in 1895 at 3t )a$ess heatre in London the Maruess planned to pu"licly e0pose and hu$iliate (ilde =scar took legal steps to protect hi$self against the "rute "ut he ulti$ately won a case where"y (ilde was charged with &gross indecency& for ho$ose0ual acts he outco$e of the sensational trial was a sentence of two years hard la"our which (ilde served $ost of at the >, (ilde turned to his pen and wrote $any essays, poe$s, and letters including one to Alfred, &e 2rofundis& #a heavily edited version was first pu"lished in 195 the co$plete version in 19I?% After his release fro$ prison in May of 189Q, (ilde wrote &Ballad of Hove$"er 19 !e now rests in 2Sre Lachaise ce$etery in 2aris
and send the wind over $y footprints so that none $ay track $e to $y hurt- she will cleanse $e in great waters, and with "itter her"s $ake $e whole44&e 2rofundis& novie$"re de 19