Importance of Being Earnest
While some critics contend that people find humor in the subject matter presented to them, one has stated that people find humor in how the subject matter is presented, not the subject matter itself. The subject matter may not have the slightest humor to it, but the way someone can present the matter can create hilarity. Oscar Wilde uses this way of writing in his play comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. The characters and the plot of the play have some comical attributes, but it is how the characters and the plot are presented to the reader that makes the funniness. Some subjects that Wilde presents to create hilarity are "bunburying", marriage, and the similarity of characters. Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, two main characters in the play, are similar men who both are "Bunburyists" leading double lives. The practice of "bunburying" is an act where a man lies to his family or others about an imaginary invalid friend present somewhere else, in an attempt to pursue leisure activities elsewhere. Algernon has invented an "invaluable permanent invalid called "Bunbury", which enables him to go on pleasure trips to the country. On the other hand, Jack has created a fictitious brother named Ernest in order to go to the
Meanwhile, Jack just kills Ernest verbally just seconds before Algernon arrives. As a result, both men think of being christened first when proposing: "I must get christened at once. Humor comes from just more than the subject matter itself!. "The presentation of Wilde's "bunburying", marriage, and similarity of characters creates the humor. They have not been allowed to experience many things, making their lives very sheltered: "I have never met any really wicked person before. Algernon finds out about Jack's "Ernest in town and Jack in the country" secret, but Jack knows about Bunbury. Before either man's "bunburying" destroys himself, both men commit 'murder'. Cecily likes to hear Algernon talk about her beauty and love for her, while Gwendolen enjoys being the center of attention, looking for admiration: "I hope you will always look at me just like that, especially when there are other people present. At the start of the play, the reader finds that Jack wants to marry Gwendolen Fairfax whom he adores greatly. " Algernon is left with no choice but to kill Bunbury when his life is exposed in Act II: "I killed Bunbury this afternoon. These subjects in the play, The Importance of Being Earnest, would not be humorous if not presented in the proper way. " Clearly, Cecily and Gwendolen have similar traits and it seems appropriate that they should call each other 'sisters' when they first meet: "You will call me sister, will you not. " One can imagine that the lies will be brought to the surface and all hell will break lose (Hehehe).
Common topics in this essay:
Algernon Moncrieff,
Cecily Gwendolen,
Dr Chasuble,
Gwendolen Cecily,
Importance Earnest,
,
Thomas Cardew,
Act II,
Jack Algernon,
Meanwhile Jack,
subject matter,
act ii,
name ernest,
humor subject matter,
matter subject matter,
similarity characters,
jack's ernest,
characters plot,
cecily gwendolen,
ideal marry name,
reader jack,
subject matter subject,
bunburying marriage,
bunburying marriage similarity,
marriage similarity,
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Acceptance Essays
