Oscar Wilde: Life, Plays, and Aestheticism
Oscar Wilde: A Literary Icon
Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, journalist, novelist, essayist, and poet. Born in Dublin in 1854 and passing away in 1900, he rose to prominence as one of the most popular playwrights of the 1890s.
Wilde’s Aesthetic and Political Views
Wilde’s aesthetics and politics were marked by a disdain for the ordinary and an unwavering obsession with beauty, form, and style. He championed aestheticism, advocating for “Art for art’s sake.” He also embraced dandyism, showcasing a profound artistic sensibility, and held sympathies for libertarian socialism.
The Importance of Being Earnest
While Wilde’s literary repertoire included essays, dialogues, and poetry, he is best known for his comedies. Among them, The Importance of Being Earnest stands out as his most significant work. Wilde’s comedies share several general characteristics:
- Mockery and Celebration of High Society: He depicted the rituals and habits of Victorian England. For instance, in The Importance of Being Earnest, the first act showcases Algernon and Jack’s afternoon tea in a luxuriously furnished room.
- Exposure of Arbitrary Conventions and Morals: Wilde highlighted hypocrisy and double standards. Algernon and Jack exemplify this, each leading a double life. Algernon, in particular, embodies hypocritical morality by criticizing Jack’s duplicity while engaging in the same behavior.
- Family Secrets and Hidden Pasts: Jack’s origin as an orphan found in a black bag, and Miss Prism’s long-held secret of accidentally placing the baby there, are central to the plot.
- Recurring Character Archetypes: These include women with a past (Miss Prism), Dandies (Algernon), and innocent women confronted with sordid reality (Cecily and Gwendolen).
Romantic Comedy and Farce in Wilde’s Work
The Importance of Being Earnest blends elements of romantic comedy and farce. The tone is often frivolous and superficial, most notably through Algernon and Lady Bracknell. Wilde inverts values, transforming “A serious comedy for trivial people” into “A trivial comedy for serious people.” He also critiques social and moral conventions, exposing the hypocrisy of Victorian high society, where many led double lives. Algernon and Jack perfectly embody this behavior.
Key elements of romantic comedy include:
- Love Story: Two couples follow the pattern of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy regains girl. Jack’s proposal to Gwendolen, her initial acceptance, and subsequent rejection upon discovering his true name and double life, exemplify this.
- Humorous Romantic Sub-plot: Secondary characters like Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble provide a comedic romantic subplot.
- Confusion and Obstacles: Mistaken identities and double lives (Bunburying) lead to a comedy of errors. Obstacles to relationships arise, such as Jack’s uncertain identity and Lady Bracknell’s initial disapproval.
- Resolution: Chaos gives way to order as Lady Bracknell discovers Jack’s true identity and consents to his marriage with Gwendolen.
Elements of farce:
- Improbable situations and stereotyped characters.
- Stereotypes: Lady Bracknell embodies Victorian values, while Cecily (country) and Gwendolen (city) represent contrasting lifestyles.
- Physical humor, absurdity, and nonsense.
- Food: Constant presence, such as the sandwiches at the beginning and end, and the bread and butter.
- Evasion of moral responsibility: Algernon’s carefree and detached demeanor.
Language and Humor
- Double Meanings: Plays on words like “Ernest” and “earnest,” and the words “exploded” or “lost.”
- Epigrams: Satirical words and phrases.
- Inversion of Standards: Silly things said with total seriousness.