the importance of being earnest Flashcards
Comedy genre features used in IOBE (AO3)
- ridiculous and absurd situations (Jack found in a handbag)
- physical action (Jack and Algernon bickering)
- Exaggeration in older gen (Lady Bracknell)
- epigrams
- irony (language, “Ernest”, dramatic irony)
Traditional themes of Shakespearian comedy - updated (AO3)
- love and courtship - explores changing positions of women and shifting gender roles, ‘new women’
- young people in love vs older generation - mocks the upper class and the ‘good’ society, satirising Victorian attitudes
- trickery and disguise
- happy ending - explores and challenges morality through double life
farce (AO3)
- physical humour - action and slapstick comedy
- hilarious and ridiculous - simple and crude
- unlikely and improbable situations
TYPICAL Melodrama (AO3)
- miraculous changes of heart
- complex family relationships
- high emotion and exaggeration
- mystery, secrets and sudden revelations
- stock characters (orphan, heroine, aristocratic villain)
- clear moral message
Wilde’s portrayal of melodrama (AO3)
- parodies melodrama
- mocks traditional Victorian values, showing the audience how ridiculous their ideals are
Examples of parody of melodrama within IOBE (AO3)
- Portrayal of Cecily as ‘pure’, when the reality is opposite
- Algernon/ Ernest acts as a typical aristocratic villain
- Jack meeting ‘Ernest’
The Fin de Siecle Dandy (AO3)
- rebelled against social norms through unconventional appearances
- rebelled against morality and respectability by acting upon their desires
- aspired to be modern artists
Algernon as a dandy - quotes
“no taste in neckties”
“doing nothing”
“bunburying”
“modern”
“luxuriously and artistically”
Algernon as a typical Victorian - quotes
“duty as a gentleman”
“serious”
“hard work”
“business”
Motif of eating and drinking
“cucumber sandwiches” “champagne”
- symbolic of how the characters are constantly giving into desire and allowing themselves to leave a hedonistic lifestyle filled with pleasure
- They are making the choice to ignore the societal standards of ‘good society’
Wilde is actively challenging the strict and harsh rules present in his Victorian society by having his characters reject these values
‘Angel in the House’ (AO3)
- idea linked to the purity of women, that they are devoted to their husbands and needs to be meek, self sacrificing and pure
links to the Victorian ideals of marriage - marriage was seen as idealised as the perfect harmony of love and happiness
Wilde contrasts these Victorian views of society - instead portraying marriage as boring “Is marriage so demoralising”
“Divorces are made in heaven”
SHOCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!! very very anti Victorian view as divorces were seen as frowned upon and marriage is so perfect
- shows Algernon’s views of marriage, he wants the freedom to flirt with any women and he wants their freedom to flirt back
- Algernon is known to break the rules - establishes his character immediately
- epigram (match made in heaven)
Satirisation of Victorian society through Lady Bracknell
- cares more about her reputation than the health of Mr Bunbury (Victorian morality) “kind enough not to relapse”
- mocks upper class, ‘good society’
- typical view of marriage, Lady Harbury is much happier married “Twenty years younger”
What does Wilde satirise through Lady Bracknell’s character
- upper class/ aristocracy
- the world of ‘Good Society’
- Traditional Victorian values and morality
- power of the older generation
