Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest

Algernon prefers German music, specifically the "Wedding March" by Felix Mendelssohn, to French music, highlighting a perceived difference in taste and respectability.

Music criticises excessive focus on conversation and the perceived decline in musical excellence.

Algernon exhibits selfishness by prioritising personal desires and superficial thoughts. This includes rejecting advantageous matches for his sister.

Dandies, like Algernon, are viewed as superficial and lacking in virtues; they are the embodiment of upper-class frivolity.

Supper is a light evening meal, whereas dinner is a midday or nighttime meal.

Oscar Wilde critiques the Victorian society by exposing the strained relationships caused by self-centered behavior and unconventional love.

Algernon's desire for dinner in a fancy hotel, despite disregarding suitable matches, demonstrates self-centered behavior.

The play criticizes the absence of positive traits and virtues within aristocratic families and their superficial relationships, revealed by Algy's behavior.

The play uses hyperbole, an exaggerated statement for emphasis. For instance, Algernon's claims of writing to Scotland Yard about a lost cigarette case are a humorous exaggeration.

Turnbridge Wells was a popular retirement destination during Victorian times due to its spa and mineral springs. The town represents a place for the elderly and leisurely lifestyle.

Algernon's wordplay on 'dentist' is a pun - a joke using words with multiple meanings. It mocks Algernon's lack of seriousness and his false nature.

Victorian society expected marriages to be arranged by parents, based on social standing and wealth. Love was secondary to societal approval.

Lady Bracknell embodies Victorian societal expectations. She is controlling, demanding, and prioritizes her own wishes over others.

Victorian customs often dictated even numbers at dining tables for balance and formality. This reflects the society's adherence to tradition and order.

Lady Bracknell's preference for French music over German music reveals her adherence to societal standards of respectability. This also reflects Victorian social hierarchies.

Lady Bracknell considers Jack's proposal on his knees 'indecorous'. This shows Victorian society's emphasis on proper conduct and decorum.

A system of investigation and punishment characterized by secrecy and ruthless methods, often associated with religious persecution.

In Victorian society, men were recognized by their 'domesticity' and roles at home, while women's identities were defined by their duties outside the home.

Lady Bracknell is portrayed as a strict, controlling, and traditional woman who highly values social status and reputation.

Despite her initial disapproval of Jack, Gwendolen's love for him ultimately leads her to defy her mother's wishes, showcasing a shift in her character.

Marriages in the Victorian era were often arranged by parents, based on social standing and wealth, with love being secondary to societal approval.

Oscar Wilde satirizes Victorian social structures, particularly the hypocrisy and superficiality of the upper classes.

In the Victorian era, diary keeping was a popular way for women to express their thoughts and experiences.

The characters' obsession with the name 'Earnest' creates confusion and humor, highlighting the play's themes of identity and deception.

Women's fashion in the Victorian era was restrictive, characterized by long, trailing gowns with hooped skirts, tight corsets, and multiple petticoats.

Gwendolen describes 'Earnest' (Jack) as possessing an upright nature, true to his word, honorable, and opposing deception.

Gwendolen uses a lorgnette, a type of handheld magnifying glass, to examine Cecily. This was fashionable among elderly women in Victorian society.

Gwendolen uses the term 'machina ex machina' to express her doubt about the situation. She travels to the manor house to investigate what's really going on.

Gwendolen believes women should stay at home, avoid being forward, and be seen as innocent, solely focusing on finding husbands.

'The Morning Post' is a newspaper that Gwendolen intends to use to announce her engagement to 'Earnest' (Jack).

In the play, appearance and social status are valued over genuine sincerity and honesty.

The play uses visual elements, different planes of reality, and multiple perspectives to create humor. It relies on action and spectacle to resolve conflicts.

The play subverts traditional gender roles by portraying women as more dominant and adventurous while men exhibit less assertiveness. This is shown through Jack's disclosure of his secret identity and the girls' understanding of the situation.

The play uses puns and wordplay, like Algernon using 'To what young lady?' and Cecily's response 'To Good heavens, Gwendolen,' to create humor and highlight the characters' superficiality.

Wilde creates a parallel structure between Gwendolen and Cecily's conversations. They use similar phrases and express identical likes and dislikes, emphasizing their artificiality and obsession with superficialities.

Algernon avoids taking responsibility for his actions and indulges in frivolous pleasures instead of facing the consequences of his deceitful behavior. This is portrayed through his disregard for commitment and his focus on superficial matters.

The play highlights the importance of names and their association with identity. The characters' struggles with their true identities and their desires to be 'Earnest' underscore the significance of personal representation.

Wilde satirizes the Victorian upper class through their superficiality, obsession with social status, and adherence to strict social norms. This is evident in Lady Bracknell's character and the characters' preoccupation with trivial matters.

Wilde utilizes visual humor, like Algernon's gluttonous consumption of cakes in his anxiety about his name, to amplify the comedic effect and highlight the folly of the characters.

The characters' obsession with frivolous matters, like Algernon's focus on cakes and his disregard for commitment, serves as a metaphor for their attempts to escape the burdens of reality and responsibility. This is highlighted by the constant focus on trivial issues.

Lady Bracknell inquires about Algernon's supposed invalid friend, 'Bunbury,' revealing her interest in maintaining social decorum and her disapproval of unconventional behavior.

Lady Bracknell uses the word 'exploded' to describe her shock at the idea of social change, revealing her rigid and conservative views on societal norms.

Lady Bracknell's belief that common people must be punished immediately reflects her aristocratic perspective and her belief in social hierarchy.

Lady Bracknell's statement about wanting patients to die reveals her harsh and insensitive nature, highlighting her lack of compassion and her belief in the supremacy of social status over human life.

Lady Bracknell's interest in Cecily's 'fortune' emphasizes the importance of money and social status in Victorian marriages.

Lady Bracknell scrutinizes Cecily's physical appearance, focusing on her height, chin, and hair style, reflecting Victorian society's emphasis on physical beauty and social conformity.

Lady Bracknell suggests Cecily hire a French maid to improve her physical appearance, highlighting Victorian societal expectations of women's beauty and the importance of conforming to social norms.

Lady Bracknell's disapproval of anyone associated with 'Terminus' reflects her snobbish attitude and disdain for anything considered lower class or socially unacceptable.