Context & Writer's Techniques

Context in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

Oscar Wilde: Life and Background

Early Life

• Born in 1854 in Dublin, Ireland.

• Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and Magdalen College, Oxford.

• Known for his wit, flamboyant style, and sharp social commentary. Controversial Life

• Known for his unconventional lifestyle and advocacy for aestheticism.

• Convicted of "gross indecency" in 1895 due to his homosexual relationships and sentenced to two years of hard labour.

• Died in 1900 in Paris, in relative obscurity. Career

• Became a prominent figure in London's literary and social circles.

• Known for his plays, novels, essays, and poetry.

• His works often critique Victorian society and its values.

  

Oscar Wilde

Relevance to "The Importance of Being Earnest":

• Wilde's sharp wit and satirical perspective on Victorian society are evident in the play.
• His personal experiences with societal norms and legal troubles inform the play's critique of social conventions and hypocrisy.

History of "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Writing and Performance

• Written in 1894. Performance History

• First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St. James's Theatre in London.

• Continues to be one of Wilde's most performed and beloved plays.

• Revived numerous times on stage and adapted into various film and television versions. Reception

• Received enthusiastically by audiences for its humour and clever dialogue.

• Critics praised its wit, though some considered it frivolous compared to Wilde's earlier works.

Literary Contexts

Genre of the Play

• Comedy: Classified as a comedy of manners, satirizing the social customs of Victorian society.

• Employs farce and witty dialogue to highlight the absurdities of social conventions.

• Satire: Uses satire to critique the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper class.

• The characters' obsession with trivial matters underscores the play's satirical edge. Cultural and Social Context

• Social Class and Marriage: Examines the institution of marriage and its connection to social status and economic security.

• The characters' attitudes toward marriage reflect contemporary social aspirations and anxieties.

• Identity and Duality: Explores themes of identity, with characters adopting false personas to navigate social expectations.

• The play's focus on double lives and hidden truths critiques the rigid social norms of the time. Historical and Political Context

• Victorian Era: Reflects the strict social codes and moral values of late 19th-century England.

• The play's setting and characters embody the conventions and contradictions of Victorian society. Philosophical Context

• Aestheticism: Wilde's belief in "art for art's sake" is evident in the play's emphasis on style, wit, and surface appearance.

• Challenges the moralistic and utilitarian values of Victorian society.

• Individualism: Highlights the conflict between individual desires and societal expectations.

• Characters assert their individuality through wit and deception, challenging societal norms.

Religious Context

• Moral Hypocrisy: The play subtly critiques the moral rigidity of Victorian society, including its religious pretensions.
• Characters often exhibit a gap between their public morality and private behaviours.

Useful Contextual Concepts

• Comedy of Manners: Understand the characteristics of a comedy of manners, including its focus on social satire and witty dialogue.
• Victorian Society: Recognize the social conventions and moral values of the Victorian era that are critiqued in the play.
• Aestheticism: Be aware of Wilde's philosophy of aestheticism, which values beauty and style over moral or social themes.
• Identity and Duality: Familiarize with the themes of identity, duality, and the use of deception to critique societal norms.
• Social Class and Marriage: Look for the play's examination of social class and the institution of marriage within the context of Victorian society.

Writer's Techniques in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

Comedy of Manners

Satire of Social Conventions

• Wilde satirizes the social conventions and norms of the Victorian era, particularly those related to marriage, identity, and social status. The characters' attitudes and behaviours reflect the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper class.

• Example: The play's central premise of characters adopting false identities to escape social obligations and pursue personal desires underscores the triviality with which Victorian society treated serious institutions like marriage. Witty Dialogue and Epigrams

• The play is known for its witty dialogue and use of epigrams—short, witty statements that often contain a paradox.

• Example: Characters frequently use epigrams to critique societal norms, such as Algernon's statement, "The truth is rarely pure and never simple."

Farce and Absurdity

Exaggerated Situations

• Wilde employs farcical elements and exaggerated situations to create humour and highlight the absurdity of societal norms.

• Example: The use of mistaken identities and the revelation that Jack was unknowingly engaged with his aunt (before it is clarified) are examples of farcical situations that drive the plot and create comedic tension. Absurdity and Irony

• The play is filled with absurd situations and ironic twists that challenge the audience's expectations and highlight the ridiculousness of the characters' actions.

• Example: The notion that both Jack and Algernon have been leading double lives and the eventual discovery of Jack's true identity as Ernest emphasize the irony and absurdity of their deception.

Social Commentary

Critique of Marriage

• Wilde critiques the institution of marriage, portraying it as a social contract rather than a romantic union.

• Example: Lady Bracknell's interrogation of Jack about his financial and social status before approving his engagement to Gwendolen highlights the transactional nature of marriage in Victorian society. Commentary on Class and Identity

• The play explores themes of class and identity, often mocking the pretensions and affectations of the upper class.

• Example: The importance placed on lineage and social standing is satirized through Lady Bracknell's obsession with Jack's lack of known parentage, only to accept him when it is revealed he comes from a respectable lineage.

Language and Style

Use of Puns and Wordplay

• Wilde extensively uses puns and wordplay to create humour and to add layers of meaning to the dialogue.
• Example: The title itself is a pun, playing on the double meaning of the name "Ernest" and the adjective "earnest," reflecting the characters' superficial concern with appearances over reality.

Parody and Exaggeration

• The characters and situations are often parodic exaggerations of real Victorian social norms and attitudes.
• Example: The exaggerated seriousness with which characters like Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen approach trivial matters such as a person's name or the arrangement of a tea service parodies the trivial concerns of the aristocracy.

Structure and Plot

Well-Made Play Structure

• Wilde follows the structure of a well-made play, with clear exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution, but subverts it with his satirical content.

• Example: The play's resolution, where all misunderstandings are cleared up and the couples are happily united, adheres to the conventions of a well-made play while simultaneously mocking the predictability and superficiality of such endings. Use of Dramatic Irony

• Wilde uses dramatic irony to create humour and to engage the audience, as the audience is often aware of the true identities and situations before the characters themselves are.

• Example: The audience knows about Jack and Algernon's double lives long before the other characters do, creating comedic tension as we watch the characters navigate their deceptions.