Resolution

Towards the end of the play there was resolutions on character status. at the beginning of the play status between the characters were singled out. If you had a high status in society you were looked up to and was guaranteed respect however if you had a low status in society you was looked down upon and people were judgemental and treated people who were poor horridly. Especially when Gwendolen tells her mother Lady Bracknell that she's getting married to Jack Worthing, Lady Bracknell wants to first interview him and see if he's eligible for her daughter and is interested what his position is in society. When she finds out that he was found in a handbag and what his ranks of the aristocracy is, she isn't to happy because she cares more about her status than the man that wants to marry her daughter because he wouldn't be on the list for eligible men for Gwendolen. 

Furthermore, the main resolution is at the end of the play when Jack Worthing finally realises his place in society because he knows he has the same social status as Lady Bracknell which means Lady Bracknell can't look down to Jack no more or judge him because there actually equal. Also at the end the quote "Unmarried! I do not deny that is a serious blow. But after all, who has the right to cast a stone against one who has suffered? Cannot repentance wipe out of an act of folly? Why should there be one law for men and another for woman? Mother, I forgive you." This is saying that Miss prism is an unmarried woman with a son in the victorian times that is looked upon as foul and disgusting, In summary to this it is clear that by then end of the play Jack Worthing has a status and is part of the aristocracy however in the end there all happy and equal with each other.  Lady Bracknell was very hypocritical in the play because she talks about how status is so important, her herself hasn't got a background status because she married into a rank of aristocracy.

Annotate: Showing K&U or language and literary features as well as context. Cross reference with rest of text to show wider

In the conversation between Gwendolen and Cecily the topic is centred on family, opinions and it’s put across very formal. Wilde uses language and literature devices to reveal the character and their attitudes. Oscar Wilde has made them so similar to one another because his main interest was satirizing the society that produced women like them. Within the text Gwendolen s character is portrayed she comes across as a forthcoming and very limited woman. The quote ‘Has brought me up to be extremely short sighted’ reveals that she is a narrow minded person, Gwendolen is like this because she has been raised in the city and is polished and sophisticated she has this advantage over Cecily which she enjoys. However Cecily may be younger, less fashionable, and less sophisticated than Gwendolen, but when she wants something she’s determined to get it. Also Cecily thinks very high of herself we know this when she says ‘Oh! Not at all, Gwendolen. I am very fond of being looked at’.

Wilde uses many language devices throughout the text, one of them is lexis. The quote ‘Once a man begins to neglect his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate’. Gwendolen uses strong vocabulary because she’s saying when man neglects his duties he becomes lazy and worthless, in the Bracknell family roles have been switched around. In the play Gwendolen takes the man role, she thinks that the man is the one that should be at home ‘The home seems to me to be the proper sphere for the man’.  Also another device is a rhetorical question which is used by Gwendolen, ‘So do you mind me looking at through my glasses’. She does this to engage to the reader, and to see if Cecily is really listening to her because she classes her as ignorant.

In the Victorian society hypocrisy was like a mask because most people comported themselves in overly sincere, in polite ways but cruel attitudes. Wilde portrays the divide in some scenes in the novel, especially between Gwendolen and Cecily there mannerism towards their servants or governesses. The constant changing between truth and lies of earnestness and duplicity shows how messed up Victorian values of honesty and responsibilities are.

‘Appearances are seen as very important in the act. How and why does Wilde explore the hypocrisy of English society through this theme’?

The Importance of being earnest was written in 1835 during the Victorian period, it's a trivial comedy for serious people. Throughout the novel you discover the play's major themes, the hypocrisy of English society and why appearances are important within the novel.

 Wilde explorers many themes in the novel, one of them being marriage. In the Victorian period marriage was looked upon as an important asset in a woman’s life because it was about maintaining or bettering your social position. The big question that the importance of being Earnest raises is whether marriage is pleasurable or a restrictive social duty? .In the Victorian period if you were to get married you'd submit to an interrogation, in act 1 you see Lady Bracknell interrogating Jack Worthing to see if he is suitable for her daughter Gwendolen, however you can understand that Lady Bracknell has had a lot of experience with Bachelors available for her daughter. Lady Bracknell degrades people that are good enough for Gwendolen because she knows no one is good enough for her daughter so she tries to pick out the flaws from that person. From Lady Bracknell’s perspective having an acceptable title, along with the parents to prove it is essential in her opinion, because she’s got high class title she needs to find the perfect husband for Gwendolen.

 Another theme that is looked at is Society and Class. The Importance of Being Earnest reveals that there are differences between upper class and lower class, members of upper class resemble a great deal of pride and pretense. Especially when it comes to their high social position and their wealth, the lower class in Earnest are less pretentious and more humble, but equally good at making jokes.

 Furthermore another theme that is important in the novel is respect and reputation. In the play upper class is about being respectable so much so they do a lot of lying. In the Victorian period the upper class had different expectations for both men and women, men were looked upon as to have come from a good family, that they were rich and upstanding. However women were convinced to be rich, have high morals and to have come from a wealthy family with a good background to be proud of. All the characters in the play strives to be respectable and they all mock the idea that one can be both respectable and happy.

 In the Victorian society hypocrisy was like a mask because most people comported themselves in overly sincere, in polite ways but cruel attitudes. Wilde portrays the divide in some scenes in the novel, especially between Gwendolen and Cecily there mannerism towards their servants or governesses. The constant changing between truth and lies of earnestness and duplicity shows how messed up Victorian values of honesty and responsibilities are.

‘How are the characters, attitudes and prejudices of Cecily Cardew, Miss prism and Dr. Chausable are established during the opening of Act 2’

In the second act of ‘The importance of being Earnest’ were introduced to three characters; Cecily Cardew, Miss Prism and Dr Chausable. Cecily Cardew is represented as a young and light-hearted woman, she comes across as a person that doesn’t like studying or German especially dialogue. She states ‘But I don’t like German. It isn’t at all becoming a language. I know perfectly well that I look quite plain after my German lesson’. Oscar Wilde reveals Cecily as the dominant speaker in the beginning of act 2 during the conversation with Miss Prism (her governess). Miss Prism is very careful on what she says to Cecily Cardew because of their statues Cecily undermines and ignores Miss Prisms comments and questions. Even though Miss Prism is only a governess, Cecily has the influence to change the subject of conversation.

At the beginning of act 2 Miss Prism says ‘Child, you know how anxious your guardian is that you should improve yourself in every way’, her guardian is Jack Worthing and he wants her to succeed in life but never give up. He’s very determined that she should be studying. With Cecily’s reply ‘Dear Uncle Jack is so very serious! Sometimes he is so serious that I think he cannot be quite well. Wilde is portraying to us that she isn’t serious when it comes to studying; she thinks that her Uncle Jack is exaggerating. Miss Prism belittles her by using the word ‘Child’ because Cecily is being immature, so she’s trying to come across as if you’re not going to be grown up I’ll treat you like a child.

Oscar Wilde is trying to make us an audience pre-judge Cecily Cardew without even knowing her by showing us that she’s being childish and inconsiderate when it comes to her Uncle Jack and her studies. Wilde illustrates Miss Prism as a caring and considerate woman, who thinks high of Cecily Cardew and wants the best for her, the relationship between the both of them are very close. Oscar Wilde portrays Dr Chausable as a clergyman.

                                                                   

An in-depth analysis of Act 1 Scene 1

(Beginning scene of 'The Importance Of Being Earnest', in Algernons flat and the sound of the piano being played in the adjoining room).

At the beginning of the conversation between Algernon and Lane, you can instantly tell within the first two lines that Algernon has a higher status compared to Lane. You know this by Lane saying "I dont think it polite to listen,sir", it comes across that Lane is Algernons butler because he is referring him to as "Sir also he intends to always agree with Algernon he never disagrees or state his opinion.

From reading act 1 scene 1, it is reverently clear that Algernon has the higher status and is the dominant speaker in the conversation. In this conversation, declaration and interrogation is you used, by Algernon question Jack Worthing you understand why Earnest is made up and who Earnest it's about. Algernon calls Jack a 'bunburyist' someone who leads a double life in two different places but he's really interested in why Jack is Earnest in town and Jack in the country. Jack is a very respectable man, he's adopted Cecily Cardew and she looks up to him as an uncle, however Jack has created Earnest who's suppose to be his brother. Jack has described his brother to get into the most dreadful scrapes.

Alergnon and Johns conversation over dinner

Algernon and Jack are at the dinner table eating their dinner whilst drinking glasses of wine.

Algernon: I must say Jack this Fish is amazing the taste is to die for!
Jack : hmm yes, it is certainly cooked to perfection
Algernon: Wheres that butler of yours? (shouts) Lane! Lane
Lane: Yes sir, you called?
Algernon: Bring me in another bottle of wine please!
Lane: Yes Sir!

(Lane leaves the room)


Jack: Algernon have you seen it in the local paper!
Algernon: No Jack, I haven't read todays paper!.
Jack: Oh, well in the little village there thinking of opening a new bakery.
Algernon: That would be a nightmare, all little school kids running round the place!
Jack: Hmm yes! You've finished your dinner? Yes! (shouts) Lane!
Lane: Yes SIR!
Jack: Take our dinner, we've finished now!
Algernon: But I'm not...
Jack: Oh that was a lovely evening

(Jack gets up suddenly)

Jack: Is that the time! oh its getting late, I must be getting to bed!
Algernon: Oh um it is rather late Ive outstayed my welcome
Jack: Yes algernon lovely seeing you.

(Sees Algernon to the door )

Lane: Sir I think your friend has forgotten his cigarette case
Jack: Give me that oh how forgetful I shall give it to him next time I see him

Analysis Of Title, Cast List and Act 1 Scene 1

The Importance Of Being Earnest

The novel is set in the Victorian period, where men had a higher status than woman. The title of the novel ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ can suggest many things. As a reader this leaves us intrigued to find out what the play is about, the title of the novel makes us question whether the novel could be about a person. However, Earnest means a name and the importance of being a man, which could be the centre attraction of the play. The author doesn’t give much detail which allows us as reader to explore all possibilities and allow our imaginations to expand.

The cast list of the play has nine main characters with all different statues. Status is very important in the novel because it symbolises what each character is like and how he/she is perceived, throughout the novel from a reader’s perspective you get to acknowledge that all of the characters are linked to one another in some way. The first character introduced to the novel is John Worthing J.P (Jack), his status is reverently high because of his name, John Worthing J.P (Jack), loves Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax and he’s like an uncle to Cecily Cardew in which he has been accused of loving her. The second character mentioned is Algernon Moncrieff his name sounds foreign but his status has yet been perceived, the third character is Lady Bracknell, her status is Aristocracy because she has ‘Lady’ in her name, she’s an auntie to Algernon and is a mother to Gwendolen. The fourth character is Gwendolen Fairfax; at the beginning of the novel it isn’t revealed to the reader that she is Lady Bracknell’s daughter. Her status isn’t portrayed she just seems normal like a plain character with no excitement. The fifth character is Cecily Cardew her status seems quite high because she has been foster by John Worthing J.P (Jack). The sixth character is Miss Prism she is Cecily’s governess, Miss Prism is in love with the priest which is forbidden because of his status. The eighth character is Rev Canon Reverend (D.D), D.D is an abbreviation doctor of divinity which places his role in society. His status is quite high because of him being a priest a lot of people would look up to him and go to him for help.

At the beginning of act 1, Oscar Wild uses language to portray all the different statuses and how they all vary. You see the variation between Algernon and Lane, Algernon gets what he wants because he is more superior to Lane. Lane has a lower status than Algernon and he’s looked down upon because of it.

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