Essay about Absurdity and Satire in The Importance of...

Absurdity and Satire in The Importance of Being Earnest In Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, much is made of societal expectations, protocols, as well as the inversions of these expectations. A character, Jack Worthing, adopts an alter ego when going into town to avoid keeping up with the serious and morally upright behaviour that is expected of him as guardian to his eighteen-year-old ward, Cecily. Another character, Algernon Moncrieff, makes up an invalid friend Bunbury whose grave health conditions provide him with the excuse to escape to the country as and when he pleases. Both Jack and Algernon are admired by two young ladies who erroneously believe the mens names to be Ernest, and who adore the men for this very†¦show more content†¦JACK. You really love me, Gwendolen? GWENDOLEN. Passionately! JACK. Darling! You dont know how happy youve made me. GWENDOLEN. My own Ernest! JACK. But you dont really mean to say that you couldnt love me if my name wasnt Ernest? GWENDOLEN. But your name is Ernest. JACK. Yes, I know it is. But supposing it was something else? Do you mean to say you couldnt love me then? GWENDOLEN. [Glibly.] Ah! that is clearly a metaphysical speculation, and like most metaphysical speculations has very little reference at all to the actual facts of real life, as we know them. JACK. Personally, darling, to speak quite candidly, I dont much care about the name of Ernest . . . I dont think the name suits me at all. GWENDOLEN. It suits you perfectly. It is a divine name. It has music of its own. It produces vibrations. JACK. Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name. GWENDOLEN. Jack? . . . No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations . . . I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know theShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde980 Words   |  4 PagesEarnest Hypocrisy In Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, two gentlemen exemplify the result of dishonesty and hypocrisy. Set in Victorian England, the two bachelors, Algernon and Jack, fight over which one of them will take the name Ernest in order to win their own girl. 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Specifically, he satirizes the socially constructed role of the family, religion and marriage. Lady Bracknell’s characterization and Jack’s family story satirize the importance of the familyRead MoreHoratian and Juvenalian Satire1884 Words   |  8 PagesHoratian and Juvenalian Satire Satire has many definitions, but according to Merriam Webster satire can be defined as â€Å"A literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn† (Webster). This definition is likely used by many authors who exercise the application of satire. Satire has been in literature since ancient times; it is derived from the Latin satura, meaning dish of mixed fruits, (Weisgerber). Many satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises