Argument Analysis
One of the major arguments in this play by Oscar Wilde is between Cecily and Gwendolen while they are at Jack’s country house. When they first meet, they act as though they are the best of friends, while they have only just met, and Gwendolen even says, “Something tells me that we are going to be great friends... My first impressions of people are never wrong.” She then contradicts herself by saying that she disliked Cecily from the beginning and that, again, her first impressions are never wrong. Liking or disliking someone should never be based solely on first impressions, especially when, like Gwendolen, someone bases that impression off of a name. Also, when they become angry at each other, it is because they think that another person lied to them, Gwendolen and Cecily never lied to each other, so why are they mad at each other? They should really be angry with “Earnest.”
They then turn to calling each other “sister” after finding out that Jack and Algernon had tricked them. This entire argument supports wholly the theme in the lay of shallowness. At one point when they are angry with each other, Cecily serves Gwendolen tea with sugar when she asked for none and cake when Gwendolen asked for bread and butter. Gwendolen gets even angrier at Cecily for this; something so small and so trivial but something that is still made into something that seems to be so important.
Quote Analysis
“To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”
This is my favorite quote from the play because, in context, it is a funny remark, but taken out of context looks even more absurd and is even funnier. Lady Bracknell says this when she is speaking to Jack after he proposes to Gwendolen and is asking about Jack’s parents and background. This quote just goes to show how shallow and “appearance obsessed” the society that Wilde is satirizing is presented to be. The fact that losing both parents “looks like carelessness” is horrible; it is a very sad situation when a person does not know who their parents are, like Jack. Lady Bracknell is so fixated on her appearance and that of Gwendolen that she completely overlooks the sadness of this situation and looks only to what others will ultimately think of her.
Thoughts
The Importance of Being Earnest is probably my favorite work that we have read so far this year. It was another satire, but this was presented in a way that was comical to the point of foolishness. Even is we had only read certain pats of this play it would have still been my favorite. In my opinion, the best scene was when Cecily was telling Algernon all about their engagement that, even though they had never met before, had been arranged for a few months at that point. Cecily had bought herself a ring and had written letters to herself that she signed with Algernon’s name (Ernest to her). Cecily was probably the character who was made to have the most qualities that Wilde was satirizing. She had all the manners that a Victorian lady should, but also came across as the character who was the most flighty and, even though it was said that she was educated, was the least intelligent when it came to dealing with the real world.
Another reason that I liked this play was that I agree with the point that it is making. Victorian society had some of the most ridiculous rules that people had to follow. Why couldn’t a woman show her ankle or wrist or have a different public opinion on something than what her husband’s views were? Rules like these lead you to believe that people of this era were shallow if they cared so greatly about things like these.
