The Analysis of Play The Importance of Being Ernest

INTRODUCTION

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personæ to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Contemporary reviews all praised the play's humor, though some were cautious about its explicit lack of social messages, while others foresaw the modern consensus that it was the culmination of Wilde's artistic career so far. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.

The Importance of Being Earnest has been revived many times since its premiere. It has been adapted for the cinema on three occasions. In The Importance of Being Earnest (1952), Dame Edith Evans reprised her celebrated interpretation of Lady Bracknell; The Importance of Being Earnest (1992) by Kurt Baker used an all-black cast; and Oliver Parker's The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) incorporated some of Wilde's original material cut during the preparation of the original stage production.

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish author, playwright and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. Today he is remembered for his epigrams, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his plays, as well as the circumstances of his imprisonment and early death.

Wilde's parents were successful Anglo-Irish Dublin intellectuals. Their son became fluent in French and German early in life. At university, Wilde read Greats; he proved himself to be an outstanding classicist, first at Dublin, then at Oxford. He became known for his involvement in the rising philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles. As a spokesman for aestheticism, he tried his hand at various literary activities: he published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on the new "English Renaissance in Art", and then returned to London where he worked prolifically as a journalist. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversation, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day.

Source: Wikipedia.com

CONTENT

Exposition

At the beginning of this story, Algy is running away from debt collector because he has debt. In another story, Worthing always told if he has a brother that making problem all the time such as debts. He met each other in the pub. Algy offered to Worthing for coming into his house to drink with Mrs. Augusta and Gwendolen. After Worthing accepted that invitation, they debated about the cigarette case which looks like Worthing’s cigarette case. Until they told each other, Worthing gave explanation if he has different names, Jack in the village and Ernes in the city.

Rising Action

When Worthing told about his feeling to Gwendolen and wanted to marry her, Aunt Augusta rejected worthing confession and married proposal but she gave him one more chance to be considered. She invited worthing to come into her house and gave some question. When Aunt Augusta offered the question about worthing’s parents, Worthing told if he lost his parent and is adopter by Mr. Thomas Cardew. Aunt Augusta didn’t like that because she thinks that worthing’s family is not clear.

Climax

In the middle of the story, Algy decided to stay at Worthing’s house. In the other hand, Worthing declared if his brother was died by fever and brought the ashes of his brother to convince people in his house. After that Cecily told that his brother (Algy) came into worthing’s house. All of people are confused to know that but Algy and Worthing knew how to make it clear. Worthing felt confused about Algy. He decided to make Algy out from his house. Debt collector came to Algy for payment the debts. It made people in worthing’s house are angry about Algy attitude. Algywas caught by cop.

Falling Action

When Gwendolen and Cecily gathered in somewhere, they debated about Ernest. After that Algy and Worthing came into them. Gwendolen and Algy explained about whoAlgy and Worthing are each other. Gwendolen and Cecily are angry and they don’t believe about that. Algy and Worthing made anything to make them to be forgiven by Gwendolen and Cecily. After they struggled with many ways, Algy and Worthinggot their forgiveness.

Resolution

At the end of story, Algy and Worthingmerried with their own partner even though at the beginning they have obstacle such as there’s no agreement by Worthing to agree about marriage proposal by Algy to Cecily and Aunt Augusta also rejected worthing marriage proposal until Mrs. Prism met with Aunt Augusta. Mrs. Prism explained about the kid in the bag to Aunt Augusta until the facts are Worthing is Algy’s brother and Aunt Augusta’s nephew.

CONFLICT

The conflict of this story is about two brothers are pretending to be a person who called Ernest in order to impress the women they love.

Kinds of conflict:

Kind of conflict in this story is external conflict (man vs man), because the conflict happens between both Algy and John who try to impress in front of the women that they love, Cecily and Gwendolen with the name of Ernest.

SETTING

Place

• The setting of the film The Importance of being Ernest takes place in London. Then, the setting changes from the city to the countryside of London, Hertfordshire.

Time

• The time period of 1890s.

Function of Setting

• Function of the setting in this story is as background. Since the conflict of the story is about two brothers are trying to be a person who are called Ernest in order to impress the women they love, so its relationship with the setting is not significant. Even the setting is changed, the conflict still can happen.

DIALOGUE

Function of dialogue

• To characterize

• In this story, there are dialogues which highlight the characterization of the character.

1. Jack. "How utterly unromantic you are!" => unromantic

2. Jack. "Of course it’s mine. [Moving to him.] You have seen me with it a hundred times, and you have no right whatsoever to read what is written inside. It is a very ungentlemanly thing to read a private cigarette case." => impolite

3. Gwendolen. "I am always smart!" => confidence

4. Jack. "[In a very patronizing manner.] My dear fellow, the truth isn’t quite the sort of thing one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl." => good girl

5. Lane. "I do my best to give satisfaction, sir." => responsible

CHARACTERS

Jack Worthing

He is a young man, brave, responsible, romantic and respectable young man who leads a double life. In Hertfordshire, where he has a country estate, Jack is known as Jack. In London he is known as Ernest. As a baby, Jack was discovered in a handbag in the cloakroom of Victoria Station by an old man who adopted him and subsequently made Jack guardian to his granddaughter, Cecily Cardew. Jack is in love with his friend Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen Fairfax. The initials after his name indicate that he is a Justice of the Peace.

Kinds of characters:

• Based on main part or roles in this story, Jack Worthing belongs to main or major character. Because the story focuses on Jack Worthing and most of the story is talking about him from he went to the country to met Algernon Moncrieff until he and he knows about his family.

• Based on the personal traits, Jack Worthing belongs to Complex or Round Character. Because he showed his depth personality in this story and he posses both good and bad traits. Jack Worthing care about Cecily to have a more knowledge and the other side he has bad traits like he lies to Gwendelon about the real name was Jack because he falls on with her.

• Based of possibility to change, Jack belongs to Dynamic Character because at the beginning he lies to Gwendelon about his named but in the middle of the story he tells the truth about his named to Gwendelon because he was falling in love with her.

Algernon Moncrieff

He was young man, charming, handsome, romantic, selfish and brilliant. Algernon is like jack, too, leads a double life, being Algernon in the city and Ernest in the country. Algernon, unlike Jack, is not serious and is generally out for his own gratification. He falls in love and proposes to Jack's ward, Cecily, while posing as Jack's wicked younger brother, Ernest.

Kind of characters

• Based on main part or roles in this story, Algernon belongs to main or major character. Because the story focuses on Algernon and most of the story is talking about him from he met Jack until he knows that Jack is the brother

• Based on personal traits, Algernon belongs to Complex or Round Character. Because he showed his depth personality in this story and he posses both good and bad traits. Algernon help Jack to to meet with Gwendelon but the other side Algernon have the bad traits, he lies to Cecily about the real name because he falls in love with her .

• Based of possibility to change, Algernon belongs to Dynamic Character because at the beginning he lies to Cecily about his named but in the middle of the story he tells the truth about his named to Cecily because he was falling in love and wants to marry her.

Gwendolen Fairfax

She is a beautiful, intellectual,and love Jack very much.Gwendelon is Algernon’s cousin and Lady Bracknell’s daughter. She is romantic and confidence person we can see that when she speak with Jack about her feeling. In the middle of the story he felt angry with Jack because Jack was lie to her and at the end of the story she accept Jack to be her husband.

Kind of characters

• Based on main part or roles in this story, Gwendelon belongs to main or major character. Because the story focuses on Gwendelon and most of the story is talking about him from she met the man that she like, Jack, and until she accept Jack to be her husband

• Based on personal traits, Gwendelon belongs to Flat character, because she shows a simple personality in the story. She only concerns with her own interests and she doesn’t care about others. She just think about their realtionship with Jack

• Based on possibility to change, Gwendelon belongs to Static Character because her personality and attitude remains the same in the story.She still love with Jack at the beginning until the end of the story.

Cecily Fairfax

Jack Worthing's ward, daughter of his adopted father, Sir Thomas Cardew. she is being tutored at Jack's secluded country estate by Miss Prism, her governess. She is romantic and imaginative, and feeling the repression of Prism's rules. A silly and naïve girl, she declares that she wants to meet a "wicked man." Less sophisticated than Gwendolen, she falls in love with Algernon but feels he would be more stable if named Ernest.

Kind of characters

• Based on main part or roles in the story, Cecily belongs to main or major character. Because the story focuses on Cecily and most of the story is talking about her from at the beginning of the story when she learn about German language until the end of the story she falls in love with Algernon.

• Based on personal traits, Cecily belongs to Flat character, because she shows a simple personality in the story. She only concerns with her own interests and she doesn’t care about others. She just think about their realtionship with Algernon.

• Based on possibility to change, Cecily belongs to Static Character because her personality and attitude remains the same in the story.She still love with Algernon at the beginning until the end of the story.

Lady Bracknell

She was an old woman belief that style is more important than substance and that social and class barriers are to be enforced. Lady Bracknell is Algernon's aunt trying to find a suitable wife for him. A strongly opinionated matriarch, dowager, and tyrant, she believes wealth is more important than breeding and bullies everyone in her path. Ironically, she married into the upper class from beneath it. She attempts to bully her daughter, Gwendolen.

Kind of characters

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Lady Bracnell belongs to Minor character in this story, because she only appears in some part of this story. She doesn’t show himself up from the beginning until the end of the story.

• Based on personal traits, Lady Bracnell belongs to Complex or Round Character. Because she showed her depth personality in this story and she posses both good and bad traits. At the beginning she reject Jack because Jack didn’t where is the family but at the end of the story she accept Jack to marry her daughter because she knows about Jack’s family.

• Based of possibility to change, Lady Bracknell belongs to Dynamic Character because at the beginning she reject Jack that want to marry her daughter but at the end of the story when Miss Prism tell about the story, she accepted Jack to marry her daughter.

Miss Prism

She was an old woman who is very smart. She is educating Cecily to have no imagination or sensationalism in her life. She teach Cecily about other language like German language. She becomes the source of Jack's revelation about his parents.

Kind of characters

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Miss Prism belongs to Minor character in this story, because she only appears in some part of this story.

• Based on personal traits, Miss Prism belongs to Flat character, because she shows a simple personality in the story. She only concerns with her own interests and just educating Cecily.

• Based on possibility to change, Miss Prism belongs to Static Character because her personality and attitude remains the same in the story.

Rev. Canon Chasuble

He was an old man and also the source of Victorian moral judgments, but under the surface he appears to be an old lecher. His sermons are interchangeable, mocking religious conventions. Like the servants, he does what Jack wants: performing weddings, christenings, sermons, funerals, and so on. However, beneath the religious exterior, his heart beats for Miss Prism.

Kinds of characters

• Based on the main part or roles in this story, Rev. Canon Chasuble belongs to Minor character in this story, because he only appears in some part of this story.

• Based on personal traits, Rev. Canon Chasuble belongs to Flat character, because he shows a simple personality in the story. He only concerns with his own problems and interests.

• Based on possibility to change, Rev. Canon Chasuble belongs to Static Character because his personality and attitude remains the same in the story.

THEME

The theme of this story is “We have to be honest to anyone”.

In this story, Jack and Algernon lie to their girlfriends Gwendolen and Cecily. They tell to their girlfriends that their name is Ernest. They lie because every woman liked the man who named “Ernest” because it believed that Ernest is an honest and trustworthy man. Finally Gwendolen and Cecily realize that they are being fooled by their boyfriend and the men tell the truth that they are lying, they are not Ernest.

SYMBOLS

• Ernest : Ernest in this story implies seriousness or sincerity represents. Algy and Jack lie to Gwendelon and Cecily that they are ernest because those two girls crazy to marry a man with Ernest name or title. Both women not only fantasize about marrying a man named Ernest, they say it is a name that “inspires absolute confidence.” Their idealism is reflected in these “girlish dream” and definitive assertions.

• This symbol belongs to original symbol because “Ernest” only uses in this story and the meaning of it only belongs to this story.

• Chasuble : The word chasuble is a vestment worn during religious services. Chasuable’s name is a pun because when said aloud can sound like chase-able. Regarding Miss Prism, he is in fact chase-able, which he had previously claimed he was not.

• This symbol belongs to original symbol, because the word “Chasuble and its meaning only exist in this story.

• Miss Prism : Her name symbolizes the fact that her image was distorted, much as the light is distorted n a prism.

• This symbol belongs to original symbol, because the name “Prism” only exists in this story.

• Bunbury : A bunbury is said to be the practice of creating an elaborate deception while seeming to uphold the very highest standards of duty and responsibility.

• This symbol belongs to original symbol because it is only its meaning is not widely recognized and known, it’s meaning only known in this story.

• Red Rose : Red rose means a beautiful and elegant woman. It is said by Algernon Moncrieff to Cecily.

• This symbol belongs to original symbol because the meaning of this symbol only exists in this story.

CONCLUSION

This play is quite interesting because the genre of this play is comedy. The title itself ‘The importance of being Ernest’ and the name ‘Ernest’ gives a special meaning in this story. Ernest means honest and serious and this name is used by the two major characters Jack and Algy in order to impress their girlfriends. Another interesting fact in this story is the role of mother who is quite strict with her daughter. In this case the Gwendolin’s mother, she is very strict to choose the husband of her daughter, Gwendolin. Jack, who wants to propose her daughter refused by her because he comes from unknown family.

This plot itself is full of surprises. Beside the fact that the two Ernests (Jack and Algy) are not the real Ernest, another surprise is when finally Mrs. Prism tells the truth that the baby whom she sent to Brighton railway is Jack and he is actually Algernon’s older brother. The last surprise is come from the ending of this story, that the name of their father was Ernest John Moncrieff and Jack knows the vital of being Ernest.