A comedy of manners is used to make fun of the social upper classes and their behavior which, at many times as we see in The Importance of Being Earnest, is outlandish and hypocritical.
Lady Bracknell's character and attitude towards others is a big part of why this play is a comedy of manners. She believes without doubt to be correct about things, and really doesn't leave room for anyone to make argument otherwise. When she is questioning Jack about his family and he admits to have lost his parents, rather than be sympathetic she says that he's careless. Obviously he can't control the fact that he's been an orphan since he was a baby, but Lady Bracknell overlooks that. She has a certain mindset on how things should be in life and holds very firmly to these beliefs. The stubborn, snobbish nature of the woman is bordering on unbelievable.
Another scene that's funny but at the same time shows the two-faced nature of many upper class women is when Cecily and Gwendolen meet. From the jump they claim that they'll be the best of friends despite knowing nothing about one another. However, when the news comes out that they're both engaged to marry Ernest, they turn on each other immediately. Despite making claims that they knew not to trust each other from the start, even though they agreed to be friends, when Jack and Algernon arrive at the same time and reveal the true nature of their names, the girls become friends again. The flighty nature of how they behave, allowing their emotions to overrule common sense and simply going along with what's happening at that moment displays how fickle the ladies of the time period could be.
Lastly, we have Miss Prism. In the play she's very strict and proper, and has open disdain for Jack's brother Ernest and all of the stories about his distasteful behavior in the city. Miss Prism tries to impress upon Cecily how important it is to be a lady and never misbehave. At the same time though, she's encouraging this awkward, flirting relationship with Dr. Chausuble, a man who has sworn himself to celibacy and service of the church. Not only that, but we also find out that she misplaced a baby and then fled from her actions rather than own up to it. Miss Prism acts as if she can do no wrong, and always has the right opinions of others, when in fact she isn't a saint herself.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
The Importance of Being Earnest quotes.
“Good Heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that?”
This was said by Algernon on page 116 in response to Lane making the remark that wine in a married household isn’t as good as the wine in the household of a single person. What Algernon meant by this was that once a person gets married, the quality of their life and belongings goes down dramatically. He believes that the only way to really be happy and to have nice things is to remain single. I don’t agree with his view on this. There’s no reason why getting married directly causes you to not be able to have nice things.
"Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you d become engaged to some one, I, or your father, should his health permit him, will inform you of the fact. An engagement should come on a young girl as surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. It is hardly a matter that she could be allowed to arrange for herself..."
This was said by Lady Bracknell on page 131. She says it to her daughter Gwendolen after she discovers that Gwen has agreed to marry Ernest without the consent of her family. Lady Bracknell believes that young women shouldn't be allowed to take charge of their engagement and marriage affairs, and that the parents have exclusive rights to take charge of everything. I disagree with her philosophy on the subject. If I was going to be married, I would want to be in charge of what was going on. Being allowed to choose who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with is something that I'd really like. Anyone else, even my parents, having the final say just doesn't sit well with me.
"My dear fellow, the truth isn't quite the sort of thing that one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl. What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman!"
This quote is from Jack on page 137. It is in response to Algernon asking him when he planned to tell Gwendolen about the true nature of his identity. Jack thinks that exposing the whole matter of him really being named Jack, and that Ernest is merely a cover for him to escape his country duties, isn't necessary. Or rather he feels that any sort of truth that really should be known, especially one so pressing as his real name, isn't the type of thing that a young girl like Gwendolen could handle or understand. I don't agree with him on this. Keeping up the facade is just digging him deeper into a hole, and eventually Gwendolen will find out that he's been deceiving her for all of the time that they've known each other.
This was said by Algernon on page 116 in response to Lane making the remark that wine in a married household isn’t as good as the wine in the household of a single person. What Algernon meant by this was that once a person gets married, the quality of their life and belongings goes down dramatically. He believes that the only way to really be happy and to have nice things is to remain single. I don’t agree with his view on this. There’s no reason why getting married directly causes you to not be able to have nice things.
"Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you d become engaged to some one, I, or your father, should his health permit him, will inform you of the fact. An engagement should come on a young girl as surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. It is hardly a matter that she could be allowed to arrange for herself..."
This was said by Lady Bracknell on page 131. She says it to her daughter Gwendolen after she discovers that Gwen has agreed to marry Ernest without the consent of her family. Lady Bracknell believes that young women shouldn't be allowed to take charge of their engagement and marriage affairs, and that the parents have exclusive rights to take charge of everything. I disagree with her philosophy on the subject. If I was going to be married, I would want to be in charge of what was going on. Being allowed to choose who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with is something that I'd really like. Anyone else, even my parents, having the final say just doesn't sit well with me.
"My dear fellow, the truth isn't quite the sort of thing that one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl. What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman!"
This quote is from Jack on page 137. It is in response to Algernon asking him when he planned to tell Gwendolen about the true nature of his identity. Jack thinks that exposing the whole matter of him really being named Jack, and that Ernest is merely a cover for him to escape his country duties, isn't necessary. Or rather he feels that any sort of truth that really should be known, especially one so pressing as his real name, isn't the type of thing that a young girl like Gwendolen could handle or understand. I don't agree with him on this. Keeping up the facade is just digging him deeper into a hole, and eventually Gwendolen will find out that he's been deceiving her for all of the time that they've known each other.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Modern Day vs. Victorian Era Dating Customs
It's not uncommon in this day and age for a guy to ask a girl out to the movies or dinner without any prior permission. The entire process of dating someone, getting to the stages of engagement, and then eventually marriage are still serious matters. However, compared to the complexity of courting and marriage proposals that were in practice during the Victorian Era, our style of becoming romantically involved with an individual are almost casual and even improper according to the old rules of romancing a woman.
A girl only became available to date someone at the age of seventeen or eighteen, and only after she had gone through a coming out ceremony. During this time she was given an entirely new wardrobe of more mature looking dresses, and her father would let out the news that his daughter was able to date and be married. Obviously in this day and age such grandeur isn't paid to the dating age of a girl. Many girls date at younger ages than this, and often times without consent of their parents.
The role that a man played in the courting process was just, if not more, important and complicated. There were many very specific rules that he had to follow in order to earn the approval of the father in order to court a young woman. If a man met a woman whom he liked at a party, he had to give her his card along with any other potential suitors. The lady would then pick which man she wanted to be in her company for the evening. However, once the party ended, the same man wasn't allowed to approach the lady again on the streets unless he was re-introduced by a mutual friend. This certainly doesn't apply today; men and women can choose to speak to each other whenever they feel like, no middle man involved.
If he suceeded in gaining approval from the woman's father and began the courting process, it was under the watchful eyes of the family. He could go visit the lady only in her home for the first little while, and he had to say goodbye to her at the door. If things went well then the couple could eventually move out onto the front porch of the house. They were never allowed to be truly alone together though, as a way of protecting the innocence of the lady. This is very different from this day and age, where couples go on dates by themselves without any sort of chaperone.
One custom that still remains in use today, though again nowhere near as important as it once was, is the man asking for permission to marry a lady from her father. This was usually done in person, but a man could also do it in writing. The news of an engagement was kept secret for a few days to give ample time for any problems to be sorted out and avoid damaging the reputation of the man if the deal fell through. If all was well, he would then give the woman a ring to bring the deal together. In modern times women don't have to wait to hear from both sides of the family to accept a marriage proposal. While it is nice to have inlaws who like you, it's not exactly a big deal nowadays.
The Vistorian Era made the entire process of courtship and engagement into a truly theatrical event. With all of the fanfare that it involved, it's a wonder that anyone ever got married at all.
A girl only became available to date someone at the age of seventeen or eighteen, and only after she had gone through a coming out ceremony. During this time she was given an entirely new wardrobe of more mature looking dresses, and her father would let out the news that his daughter was able to date and be married. Obviously in this day and age such grandeur isn't paid to the dating age of a girl. Many girls date at younger ages than this, and often times without consent of their parents.
The role that a man played in the courting process was just, if not more, important and complicated. There were many very specific rules that he had to follow in order to earn the approval of the father in order to court a young woman. If a man met a woman whom he liked at a party, he had to give her his card along with any other potential suitors. The lady would then pick which man she wanted to be in her company for the evening. However, once the party ended, the same man wasn't allowed to approach the lady again on the streets unless he was re-introduced by a mutual friend. This certainly doesn't apply today; men and women can choose to speak to each other whenever they feel like, no middle man involved.
If he suceeded in gaining approval from the woman's father and began the courting process, it was under the watchful eyes of the family. He could go visit the lady only in her home for the first little while, and he had to say goodbye to her at the door. If things went well then the couple could eventually move out onto the front porch of the house. They were never allowed to be truly alone together though, as a way of protecting the innocence of the lady. This is very different from this day and age, where couples go on dates by themselves without any sort of chaperone.
One custom that still remains in use today, though again nowhere near as important as it once was, is the man asking for permission to marry a lady from her father. This was usually done in person, but a man could also do it in writing. The news of an engagement was kept secret for a few days to give ample time for any problems to be sorted out and avoid damaging the reputation of the man if the deal fell through. If all was well, he would then give the woman a ring to bring the deal together. In modern times women don't have to wait to hear from both sides of the family to accept a marriage proposal. While it is nice to have inlaws who like you, it's not exactly a big deal nowadays.
The Vistorian Era made the entire process of courtship and engagement into a truly theatrical event. With all of the fanfare that it involved, it's a wonder that anyone ever got married at all.
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