The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde

HI.
IT’S SHANNON.

Okay, we’ve got another good one this week (admittedly I don’t put plays I don’t like on here, but this is still way way up there), by one of the greatest English writers of all time: Oscar Wilde. The comedy of all comedies, the farce of all farces, the epitome of what it means to be quippy and British and hilarious.

That’s right ladies, this week we’re doing:

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

by Oscar Wilde

This play is a classic farce, depending on the mixing up of identities and names and ending in wealth, marriage, and love for all involved. It revolves around the young, wealthy bachelor who was found in a handbag at birth (though adopted by a rich lord we never see), Jack Worthington. Jack lives a double life: In the city he is known as Earnest, drinking and gambling and courting a young woman named Gwendolen with whom he is in love. In the country, he goes by Jack, and sets a proper example for his beautiful young ward, Cecily. Whenever he wants to switch between lives, he cites his alter-ego: Cousin Jack in the country gets sick whenever he needs rest, and his brother Earnest gets into trouble whenever the city calls. All goes well until Jack’s best friend Algernon (Algy), cousin to Jack’s beloved Gwendolen, confronts Jack about a cigarette case addressed to “Dear Uncle Jack” and discovers Jack’s double life. Upon hearing of Cecily, Algernon immediately travels to Jack’s residence in the country, where he introduces him self as the prodigal brother Earnest to the already-enchanted Cecily (and her governess, Miss Prism). He proposes to Cecily, and she accepts him immediately. Jack arrives, having proposed at last to Gwendolen (who “has always longed to be married to a man called Earnest”) and determined to end his dual life. His plot is to announce his brother dead, but upon discovering Algernon masquerading as his brother, is forced to reevaluate. They go inside to dress. Gwendolen arrives, fleeing her mother who has refused to accept her engagement, and confronts Cecily with the news that she has been engaged to Earnest Worthington (Jack). Cecily rebukes her with the information of her recent proposal to Earnest Worthington (Algernon). Just as the argument between the girls gets heated, the men enter and their true identities are revealed. Lady Bracknell (Gwendolen’s terrifying mother who has completely rejected Jack’s proposal), enters and demands Gwendolen’s return to the city. Algernon requests permission to marry Cecily, which Lady Bracknell gives. Jack, as Cecily’s ward, witholds permission for Cecily to marry Algernon unless he is permitted to marry Gwendolen. Lady Bracknell does not give that permission, and the party is at a standstill. Suddenly, Lady Bracknell spots Miss Prism (Cecily’s governess, remember). She demands the return of the baby Miss Prism lost years ago, her brother’s child (Algernon’s brother). Miss Prism confesses that she left the baby in a handbag. Jack leaps up, realizing that he was that baby, and retrieves the handbag. Lady Bracknell accepts Jack as her nephew, grants him permission to marry her daughter (because nobility and inbreeding), he grants Cecily permission to marry Algernon, and everyone is happy. And then, wanting to know his true name, Jack rushes to the catalog of generals (and their families, apparently) and finds out that his name was Earnest after all.

All are happy, the play ends.

Whew that was a long summary. It’s all very intricate and complicated and witty and ridiculous. It’s a satire of the upper class, and an endless stream of perfect, quippy one-liners that make the plot so much more than my summary (despite its length) could possibly imply, so I heartily encourage you to read it. No matter who you are, it will make you laugh.

There are two brilliant parts for girls in this play:

Gwendolen and Cecily

and their scene together is one of

the best girl/girl scenes

in all of literature.

(seriously, take a look at if you’re ever doing scenework)

But today we’ll be looking at

GWENDOLEN

This is the proposal scene, where Jack (or as Gwendolen knows him, Earnest) is proposing to her. Gwendolen knows this is coming, but is delighted anyway.

(JACK: Miss Fairfax, ever since I met you I have admired you more than any girl… I have ever met since… I met you)

GWENDOLEN: Yes, I am quite well aware of the fact. And I often wish that in public, at any rate, you had been more demonstrative. For me you have always had an irresistible fashion. Even before I met you I was far from indifferent to you. (Jack looks at her in amazement) We live, as I hope you know, Mr. Worthing, in an age of ideals. The fact is constantly mentioned in the more expensive monthly magazines, and has reached the provincial pulpits, I am told: and my ideal has always been to love someone by the name of Earnest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence. The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Earnest, I knew I was destined to love you.

JACK: You really love me, Gwendolen?

GWENDOLEN: Passionately!

JACK: Darling! You don’t know how happy you’ve made me.

GWENDOLEN: My Earnest!

JACK: But you don’t really mean to say that you couldn’t love me if my name wasn’t Earnest?

GWENDOLEN: But your name is Earnest.

JACK: Yes I know it is. But supposing it was something else? Do you mean you couldn’t love me then?

GWENDOLEN: Ah! That is clearly a metaphysical speculation, and like most metaphysical speculations has very little reference at all to the actual facts of real life, as we know them.

JACK: Personally, darling, to speak quite candidly, I don’t much care for the name of Earnest… I don’t think that name suits me at all.

GWENDOLEN: it suits you perfectly. It is a divine name. It has a music of its own. It produces vibrations.

JACK: Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name.

GWENDOLEN: Jack? … No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all indeed. It does not thrill. It produces no vibrations…. I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing pleasure of a single moment’s solitude. The only really safe name is Earnest.

Isn’t it lovely? The British accent (perfect RP if you can wrangle it) is absolutely essential -- if you try to walk in with this monologue in an American accent (or anything else), people are going to look at you funny. Wilde has a very specific style, and unless you’re trying to specifically go against it, I’d recommend toeing the line as close as possible. That said, it’s absurd and fun.

As always,

read the play, post your version of the piece, and have fun!

This has been

SOMEONE MONO-BLOGGING

and again,

I’M SHANNON

ENJOY!