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The Importance of Being Earnest 35618 Views


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Description:

Oscar Wilde was a beast when it came to wordplay. Oh, maybe that's why Shmoop loves him so much—we're pretty wilde, too.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

The Importance of Being Earnest, a la Shmoop. Everyone wants a little variety in their life.

00:10

31 flavors of ice cream. Underpants for each day of the week. And something other than

00:15

tuna casserole for dinner.

00:17

But isn’t there anything to be said for “same old, same old?”

00:21

In the satire, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde keeps it green by recycling his

00:28

characters. Sort of.

00:31

Best buds Jack and Algernon <Al-jer-non> have a lot in common. They’re both rich, they’re

00:36

both in love, and they both make the same lame-brained mistakes.

00:41

Exhibit A: Jack creates a fake brother named “Ernest,” as a handy alibi for weekend

00:47

benders.

00:48

Exhibit B: Algernon also pretends to be Ernest, so he can meet ladies.

00:54

Which brings us to Exhibit C: Jack and Algernon’s better halves end up thinking they’re in

00:58

love with the same man… Ernest. Having a little trouble keeping the characters

01:06

straight?

01:06

Yeah, us too.

01:08

Did Oscar Wilde just copy and paste the same character?

01:11

Why does he make Jack and Algernon so similar? Maybe it was for comedic effect.

01:16

Algernon and Jack don’t take any bowling balls to the family jewels, but they still

01:22

manage some Youtube-worthy gaffes.

01:24

Plus, they’re both big on talking, which is an excuse for Wilde to whip out his witty

01:28

one-liner epigrams.

01:31

Wilde really enjoys a good farce.

01:33

Jack and Algernon’s shenanigans include fighting over pastries, flirting with each

01:37

other’s female relatives, and that whole “fake person” scam.

01:41

One “Ernest” is pushing it, but here we’re talkin’ a seriously, Ernest-happy alternate

01:46

universe. Or maybe Wilde was trying to say that one

01:49

of these things is NOT like the other.

01:51

Jack and Algernon seem like twin BFFs, but when they argue, we see that each is crazy

01:56

in his own special way.

01:58

Sure, Jack invented an imaginary sibling to help him escape responsibility, but at least

02:03

he worries about the future. Algernon? Not so much.

02:05

And while Jack tries to look like a role model, Algernon concentrates on looking sharp. And

02:10

making trouble.

02:12

Algernon and Jack are foils for each other—and we don’t mean the kind you use to cover

02:17

the lasagna.

02:18

More like the compare/contrast kind. With less ricotta.

02:22

Here’s a third perspective… maybe Wilde cloned his characters to make a statement

02:27

about the snobby Victorian upper classes… it’s not you, it’s them.

02:33

Names are everything in this play. “Ernest” is much less attractive when he turns out

02:38

to be plain old Jack and/or Algernon. Well, okay, Algernon’s still pretty fancy.

02:42

And Jack could be Brad Pitt for all Lady Bracknell cares… if he wants to marry Gwendolen, he’d

02:48

better scrounge up a family tree to prove his worth. …

02:50

A handbag isn’t going to cut it.

02:51

It also helps if you’re made of money. Lady Bracknell isn’t super-thrilled with Algernon’s

02:56

fiancée, Cecily, until she hears that cash cowbell.

03:01

No one in this play seems to care too much about personality.

03:03

It doesn’t matter if Jack cuts in line at Disneyland, and Algernon finally buys that

03:08

puppy-kicking machine… money and pedigree will get them what they want.

03:12

So why did Wilde make Jack and Algernon almost-but-not-quite the same?

03:17

Is he aiming for our funny bones?

03:19

Is he a fan of the foil?

03:21

Or is he picking a fight with British society?

03:23

We earnestly want to know.

03:26

Shmoop amongst yourselves.

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