Importance of Being Earnest

A detailed Summary of Importance of Being Earnest

While some critics contend that people find humor in the subject matter presented to them, one has stated that people find humor in how the subject matter is presented, not the subject matter itself. The subject matter may not have the slightest humor to it, but the way someone can present the matter can create hilarity. Oscar Wilde uses this way of writing in his play comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. The characters and the plot of the play have some comical attributes, but it is how the characters and the plot are presented to the reader that makes the funniness. Some subjects that Wilde presents to create hilarity are "bunburying", marriage, and the similarity of characters.

Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, two main characters in the play, are similar men who both are "Bunburyists" leading double lives. The practice of "bunburying" is an act where a man lies to his family or others about an imaginary invalid friend present somewhere else, in an attempt to pursue leisure activities elsewhere. Algernon has invented an "invaluable permanent invalid called "Bunbury", which enables him to go on pleasure trips to the country. On the other hand, Jack has created a fictitious brother named Ernest in order to go to the

The presentation of Wilde's "bunburying", marriage, and similarity of characters creates the humor. These subjects in the play, The Importance of Being Earnest, would not be humorous if not presented in the proper way. Knowing Gwendolen and Cecily wanting to marry a named Ernest would not be comical if the reader had not known Jack and Algernon were "bunburying" as Ernest. Humor comes from just more than the subject matter itself!

city whenever he wishes. Algernon finds out about Jack's "Ernest in town and Jack in the country" secret, but Jack knows about Bunbury. This creates a comic tie. At the start of the play, the reader finds that Jack wants to marry Gwendolen Fairfax whom he adores greatly. Moreover, in Act II the reader discovers Algernon proposing to Cecily Cardew: "I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won't you?" However, it has always been Cecily's and Gwendolen's ideal to marry someone of the name Ernest. As a result, both men think of being christened first when proposing: "I must get christened at once." In Act II they look to Dr. Chasuble to rechristen them as Ernest, arguing that "both can't be christened Ernest." One can imagine that the lies will be

Some common words found in the essay are:
Algernon Moncrieff, Cecily Gwendolen, Dr Chasuble, Gwendolen Cecily, Importance Earnest, , Thomas Cardew, Act II, Jack Algernon, Meanwhile Jack, subject matter, act ii, name ernest, humor subject matter, matter subject matter, similarity characters, jack's ernest, characters plot, cecily gwendolen, ideal marry name, reader jack, subject matter subject, bunburying marriage, bunburying marriage similarity, marriage similarity,

Approximate Word count = 801
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Importance of Being Earnest

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