OSCAR WILDE
The Importance of Being Yourself
SUMMARY
 Born into the British Elite
 Spent his life poking of the British Elite
 A “British Dandy”
• What we now call a “metrosexual”
• But we think it’s cute, they thought it was evil
 Married with Two Children
Lord Alfred Douglas
“ D E V I A N T S E X UA L B E H AV I O R ”
A Silent Hidden World
THE FAMOUS OSCAR WILDE
 Importance of Being Earnest
• Launches Oscar Wilde into Meteoric Fame!
 Lectures around the world
 Toast of the town
 Everybody loves Oscar Wilde
 Until . . .
WILDE VS MARQUESS OF
Q U E E S B E R RY
Father of Lord Alfred Douglas
THE LIBEL TRIAL
• Wilde Drops the charges
• He is arrested for sexual deviancy
WILDE IS CONVICTED
• Sentenced to two years of hard labor
• Financially Ruined
• Professional Life Ruined
• The term “Homosexuality” is
created
THE DESTRUCTION OF AN
ARTIST
IMPORTANCE OF BEING
EARNEST
 British Elite Realism matched with Turn of the Century absurdist Style
 The is just like the characters and the lives of the TV series Downton Abbey
 Parody and Satire: Poking fun at the British elite of which Wilde is a member
PARODY AND SATIRE
 The play is a vehicle to make fun of:
 The Absurdity of The British Upper Crust
• Their rules, and propriety
• Their judgment
• Their elitism
 Absurdity of Religion
• The hypocrisy
 The Absurdity of Relationships
SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF
 Heightened Language – Poetic Dialogue
 Cartoonish Characters
 Cartoonish Situations
 In the guise of Realism
• Very real comments on society
 Make them laugh while you attack
CHARACTERS
 Jack Worthing
• Merriman – Country Home
 Algernon Moncrieff
• Lane – Butler
 Gwendolen Fairfax
 Cecily Cardew
Duality of Characters
THE BRITISH ELITE
 Lady Bracknell
• No duel character
• Her own two sides
• Alone: symbol of Victorian Rules
• Public: Judgment – judge, jury, executioner
 Miss Prism
•
•
Sarcastic Schoolmarm
Wilde’s way of getting back at his children's nanny
CAN’T FORGET THE
CHURCH
Dr. Chausuble
Wilde’s opportunity to make fun of the
hypocrisy of religion.