ENGL 101H, Fall, 2014
Dr. Harnett
TuTh Week 9 Class Notes, page 1
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Essay 5 written in class. See me if you have not completed that essay.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Announcements:
 The play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, is tonight
(Thursday, 10/23/2014)! Arrive at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena
(Madre exit off I-210) by 7:15. The play starts at 7:30, and I am told runs
for 2 hours 20 minutes, counting a 15-minute intermission. So you should
expect to be there until 10:00. Look for ways in which humor is intended
and actually delivered and received as far as you can tell. I’ll give you your
ticket today. Theatre website: http://www.anoisewithin.org/
 Essays will be graded and returned ASAP!
 Library Workshops reminder.
 SI today at 12:30 PM in SG 136.
 Let’s Hike!
 Other?
Essay 6 will focus on the functions of humor in the play, and your evaluation of
it. What are the categories of intended humor in the play? What are the
outcomes—how successful are the various kinds of humor that you identify?
A reading on the nature of humor will be provided over this coming weekend. I’ll
post it on the website in the ENGL 101H COURSE MATERIALS page.
Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Act I
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/844/844-h/844-h.htm
Some ideas from each of the 3 acts to note for their significance.
Act 1.
1. Cucumber sandwiches
2. Marriage and divorce
3. Lower classes
4. Ernest and Jack, and why he’s “Ernest in town and Jack in the country”
5. Cecily—Aunt or niece?
6. Gwendolen
7. Jack’s background and motives with Gwendolen
8. Bunbury and Bunburying
9. Aunt Augusta, or Lady Bracknell
10. Jack and Gwendolen
a. Ernest
b. Proposing
c. Lady Bracknell on rules of being engaged
11. Lady Bracknell’s list and interview of Jack
a. Smoking
b. Age
c. Political affiliation
d. Income
ENGL 101H, Fall, 2014
Dr. Harnett
TuTh Week 9 Class Notes, page 2
e. Property (country and town)
12. More on Jack’s background and Lady Bracknell’s advice to him about it
13. Algernon on relations, mothers, fools, the truth (about Jack/Earnest)
14. Jack’s objections to Algy’s various suggestions of what to do that evening,
and his own suggestion of what they could do instead.
15. Gwendolen’s pledge to Jack (when Algy turns away); what Algy finds out
while listening intently
16. Plans for tomorrow for Algy
Act 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cecily’s studies of German
Cecily and Miss Prism on memory and diaries
“What Fiction means,” to Miss Prism
Dr. Chasuble and Miss Prism
a. Definition of chasuble
b. How Dr. Chasuble apparently feels about Ms. Prism
i. Quote and cite an example
c. How Ms. Prism apparently feels about Dr. Chasuble
i. Quote and cite an example
d. A satiric aspect of their interactions at this point in the Second Act
5. Algernon’s impersonation in this act
6. Algernon and Cicely:
a. How well they are getting along
b. Jack’s plans for Algernon’s “emigration,” according to Cecily
c. The idea of “reforming”
7. Miss Prism’s pattern of making a statement, then the listener is startled,
then she clarifies what she had intended to say—examples with Cecily and
Dr. Chasuble in Act 2 so far
8. Jack in mourning clothes/crape
9. Jack’s request to Dr. Chasuble
10. Jack’s reaction to Cecily’s “surprise” that she announces
11. Algernon’s statements to Jack as “Ernest” and Jack’s reactions
12. Cecily’s explanation of her engagement to Ernest 3 months ago, since
February 14
13. The letters and the breaking off of the engagement (temporarily)
14. The name Ernest and Algernon’s sudden desire to be christened Ernest
15. Gwendolen and Cecily: Who is engaged to Ernest Worthing?
16. Comparison of diaries
17. Jack’s confession of the truth
18. Jack’s and Algernon’s plans and conflicts about being christened Ernest;
the situation as the act ends
Act 3
1. Cicely’s and Gwendolen’s interrogations of Jack and Algernon about
their impersonations, i.e., Algernon pretending to be Jack’s brother,
and Jack pretending to have a brother.
2. The decision to speak at the same time.
3. The “insuperable barrier” and the apparent solution.
ENGL 101H, Fall, 2014
Dr. Harnett
TuTh Week 9 Class Notes, page 3
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lady Bracknell’s statement to Jack about Gwendolen and himself.
Algernon’s response to Lady Bracknell’s question about Bunbury.
The basis of Lady Bracknell’s approval of Cecily.
Jack’s statement about Cecily as her guardian, regarding Algernon’s
untruthfulness.
8. Cecily’s age, and the age at which she is eligible to receive her
inheritance.
9. Lady Bracknell’s declaration upon Dr. Chasuble’s entrance.
10. Lady Bracknell’s interview with Dr. Chasuble about Miss Prism.
11. Miss Prism’s revelation about the baby and the handbag.
12. What Jack reveals to Miss Prism, and Miss Prism’s reaction.
13. What Lady Bracknell reveals about Jack’s identity.
14. Jack’s actual name by which he was christened, found in the Army
Lists.
15. The three couples who embrace at the end.
Issues and Themes of the Play:
Impersonations, lies, deception
Names and identity
Family and legitimacy
The basis of love
Secrets and the need to know the truth
Religion and morality
Social status
Satire of mores of society