The Best Conclusion That Can Be Drawn From Jack's Words Is That He Is .

Aestheticism, Functioning and The Importance of Being Earnest

Algernon and Jack

"I could deny information technology if I liked. I could deny annihilation if I liked."

-Jack Worthing, Act Two

"In matters of grave importance, style, non sincerity, is the vital affair."

– Gwendolen Fairfax, Act 3

"Gwendolen, information technology is a terrible thing for a man to find out of a sudden that all his life he has been speaking null but the truth. Can you forgive me?"

-Jack Worthing, Human action Iii

Abstruse

This paper links Oscar Wilde's play, The Importance of Beingness Earnest, to aestheticism, the movement to which Wilde belonged. It explores the thought of performance, specifically, how the main characters' personalities both change and remain unchanged within these performances. The kickoff goal is to establish Algernon and Jack as opposite characters who are both artificial because they both put on a performance, or pretend to be Ernest. It then aims to demonstrate that artificiality should be morally neutral considering every man beingness is required to be bogus in life. Later coming to this realization, nosotros are able to disregard the characters' artificial natures and finally conclude that Jack is moral and Algernon is immoral solely on the basis of their personalities, rather than on whatever degree of artificiality they display.

Background Information

The Importance of Beingness Earnest, is truly a product of its time, an artistic testament to the values of the aesthetic movement. It was first performed at the St. James' Theatre in London on Feb 14th, 1895. This era, the end of the Nineteenth Century, is typically described as fin de siècle– a French word that literally means the terminate of the century, but which implies much more. Bergonzi notes that the phrase was "applied to a broad range of trivial behavior, provided it was sufficiently perverse or paradoxical or shocking" (xix). In social club to behave in this manner, many aesthetes adopted a conscious mode of functioning, every bit it took attempt to "shock" others. Their reason for doing so was mostly to disrupt, or counteract, the strict morality that characterized the Victorian Historic period. The aesthetes, and many others, sought an culling lifestyle, or 1 that was not subjected to the Victorian perception of morality.

Functioning

Performance is a fundamental theme in The Importance of Being Hostage. Both of Wilde's main characters, Jack and Algernon, lead double lives, which means that they are each pretending to be someone they are not, or performing. Jack creates a younger, troublesome brother for himself, named Ernest, whom he pretends to be in the urban center. Afterwards discovering Jack's secret, Algernon also takes on the role of Ernest, though he is no stranger to the double life. (Algernon had already invented an invalid friend named Bunbury, whom he pretended to visit oftentimes.) Essentially, both Jack and Algernon become actors in their own lives and take to craft split performances for these additional roles. When they do become these culling characters, nonetheless, they do not completely abandon their old selves. Jack and Algernon retain many of they key aspects of their original personalities inside their performances.

Algernon Moncrieff: Intensely Wicked

Algernon, as a member of the upper-grade, is both idle and indulgent. He never attends to his responsibilities nor does he keep his commitments. In fact, he oft uses Bunbury as a means of escaping dinner parties which he has promised to nourish. Wilde uses Algernon as a means of criticizing the elite of his society and to condemn the quondam Victorian values to which aestheticism was strongly opposed. In gild to do so, he has Algernon evangelize many hypocritical lines, such equally, "[the lower orders] seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility" (Wilde 184). Such a statement would have been extremely ironic at the fourth dimension, every bit it was the upper classes to which Algernon belongs, that were identified as suffering from moral deposition (Huggins 589-590).

Algernon is likewise a charming, playful grapheme, which implies that he has a certain knack for operation. His charm comes in the form of many brilliantly witty statements that are intended to both "shock" and amuse his audience. In Deed One, he declares, "You don't seem to realize, that in married life 3 is visitor and two is none" (Wilde 190). Algernon implies that in society to have a successful union, one must have another person on the side. He is referring to his own "bunburying," which means that the third person is actually himself. Information technology is this ambiguity that allows Algernon to pull off such an indecent statement. He is able to suggest the necessity of infidelity without actually committing to his suggestion.

Another of Algernon's personality traits is selfishness. He allows his love friend, Jack, to dig himself into a pigsty in regards to the cigarette case, earlier admitting that he suspected Jack of being a "bunburyist" all forth (188). He is deeply amused by Jack'south unsuccessful attempts to muffle the truth and is unaffected by Jack's discomfort.

When Algernon acts as Ernest, these personality traits intensify. Upon his arrival in the country, information technology is made articulate that he will continue to fail his responsibilities. He says to Jack's ward, Cecily, "I have a business organization appointment that I am broken-hearted… to miss" (209). He also continues to treat life in a playful, little manner. When Cecily calls him her Uncle Jack's "wicked" blood brother, Algernon denies it (208). Subsequently sensing that Cecily is quite disappointed that this is not true, Algernon quickly retorts, "Oh! Of course I have been rather reckless!" (209) With this interaction he exposes both his power to adapt quickly and to say precisely what one would similar to hear, which are both indicative of potent improvisational skills. Since Algernon is enlightened that Cecily has shown an interest in Ernest, he puts his skills to utilize in wooing her. He tells her, "I want you to reform me. Yous might make that your mission, if you lot don't mind, cousin Cecily" (209-210). Algernon's attempts to charm Cecily reemphasize his selfish nature, as he does so without Jack'southward permission. Furthermore, he is fully enlightened that Jack intends to "kill off" Ernest, yet he disregards the difficulties his arrival will cause Jack in doing so.

Moreover, Algernon'due south affections for Cecily seem implausible equally they have but met. In professing his intent to marry her, he completely negates the contemptuous remarks he previously fabricated about union. Therefore, Algernon'south trend to indulge reaches a climax as he throws himself into more hypocrisy. Previously, he was eating and drinking freely, at present he is professing his love for some other without restraint. Proving to be the platonic friction match for Algernon, Cecily emphasizes Algernon'due south personality traits past mirroring them to an extent. For example, she claims to return his love and admits that she has felt this way since her Uncle Jack get-go started talking about how "wicked" he was. She has even given herself gifts and letters from Ernest, which Algernon pretends to have sent, although both characters know that this is a consummate fallacy. This shows that neither of the characters places much value on pursuing the truth. They brand whatsoever appeals to them almost at the time their own truth, and furthermore, they are delighted past the dramatics and the operation involved in carrying on an unwelcome beloved affair. Their resolve to create their own reality is emphasized when Cecily asks Algernon, "I promise your hair curls naturally, does information technology?" He replies "Yes, darling, with a little assist from others" (219). Rather than pointing out the obvious contradiction in his response, Cecily just responds, "I am so glad" (220). Therefore, Algernon's personality traits carry over into his performance as Ernest. Though he pretends to be more "wicked" than he really is, he maintains most of his own characteristics. His style of functioning is more of an amplification of his ain personality rather than the crafting of an entirely new grapheme.

Jack Worthing: Unwittingly Hostage

Whereas Algernon is idle, hypocritical, playful, and selfish, Jack is almost the consummate reverse. Wilde emphasizes their opposing natures by having Jack contradict many of Algernon'due south more ridiculous statements. For case, Algernon claims, "The simply way to bear to a woman is to make dearest to her, if she is pretty, and to someone else if she is obviously." Jack replies, "Oh, that is nonsense" (186). Jack repeats this retort frequently throughout the Beginning Human activity, which in turn, causes the audience to identify him as their source of sense.

Jack even expresses a certain reluctance to continue living a double life. He claims that he will "kill off" his brother Ernest, equally soon as Gwendolen accepts his marriage proposal. Algernon, however, says that "Nothing will induce [him] to part with Bunbury…" (190). These lines show that Jack understands the consequences of carrying on such a lifestyle and that he desires to be truthful with Gwendolen, whereas Algernon refuses to take himself and his lifestyle seriously. Jack is besides sincere in his affections for Gwendolen. He professes his love only after courtship her for an adequate amount of time, which makes his assertion much more dependable than Algernon'southward.

When it comes to caring for Cecily, Jack is very responsible. Not but does he outline a strict course of report for her, simply he likewise provides a perfect case of sobriety with his own demeanor. In fact, her teacher, Miss Prism, claims to "know no one who has a higher sense of duty and responsibility" (205). Nonetheless, Jack is not an untouchable, stoic figure in her life. He shows tenderness and general business organization for Cecily. For example, in Deed Two, Jack refuses to shake Algernon's hand. He eventually overcomes his own pride and does then, simply just after Cecily says that she will never forgive him if he doesn't (215).

When Jack acts as Ernest, he lets loose a niggling, but still manages to maintain his respectability. For instance, when Lady Bracknell separates Gwendolen and Jack, the phase directions indicate that they "blow kisses to each other behind Lady Bracknell's back" (196). Such an activeness seems foolish for a respectable human being similar Jack, but the audience can over-look this instance simply because his love for Gwendolen comes across as sincere.

He even seems to mimic Algernon'south indulgent personality to some extent. When Algernon asks why he is in London, Jack responds, "Oh, pleasure, pleasure! What else should bring 1 anywhere?" (184). We can see from these lines that he is much more carefree as Ernest and not weighed downwards past the pressure level of providing a good example for Cecily. Unlike Algernon, however, Jack is not over-indulgent. He but comes to town after he has attended to his duties in the land.

Jack too loses some of his sophistication in portraying Ernest. When existence badgered by Lady Bracknell, who wishes to discern whether or not he is a suitable match for Gwendolen, he initially remains at-home but is still firm in his responses. For example, when Lady Bracknell says that his lack of family history is unsuitable, he responds, "May I ask you then what yous would suggest me to do? I demand inappreciably say I would do anything in the world to ensure Gwendolen's happiness" (199). He refuses to give up his pursuit of Gwendolen, just still questions Lady Bracknell in a polite manner. Eventually Jack does lose his temper with her, which causes her to tempest out of the room indignantly (199). By this indicate, even so, Lady Bracknell has become so ridiculous in her inquiries that one can hardly blame Jack for getting upset. Therefore, when Jack acts as Ernest, he is slightly more playful, indulgent, and less composed, yet he is all the same respectable.

In performing, or in acting as Ernest, both Jack and Algernon alter their personalities, yet they practice not fully abandon their original personalities. Substantially, Jack and Algernon are two very different characters; they are almost opposites. This fact will be important in trying to discern the morality of each character.

Artificiality & Morality

Performance, or pretending to be something that one is not, is a blazon of artificiality. Therefore, though Jack and Algernon are 2 very unlike characters, each is artificial every bit they both pretend to be someone they are not– Ernest. Furthermore, nosotros tend to view artificiality as a negative attribute, even deeming it equally "immoral" since it requires one to be dishonest. Nether these constraints, both the disreputable Algernon and the respectable Jack would be immoral characters.

Wilde would disagree with this negative view of artificiality and with the consequential negative judgement of his characters. The opening remarks in his Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young , are as follows, "The outset duty in life is to exist as artificial as possible. What the 2d duty is no i has as yet discovered." He justified such an assertion through the aesthetic belief that life should imitate fine art. Essentially, this means that each person becomes an actor and the world becomes a stage on which he must perform. A fellow aesthete, Arthur Symons, remarked that "[Wilde'south] intellect was dramatic, and the whole human being was non so much a personality as an attitude… without beingness an artist, he maintained the attitude of an artist, and it was precisely in his attitudes that he was nearly sincere" (Miyoshi 24). Every word that Wilde spoke and every activeness he took was advisedly planned out in order to portray himself in the manner he desired. He felt it was of import to exercise control over one's own image, and he did and then past embracing artificiality, or by condign a master of performance.

Though we may not all be masters of functioning, nosotros are all performing yet. Therefore if it is impossible to be accurate, how can one be deemed immoral for beingness bogus? Wilde and the aesthetes would take resolved this issue by calling for a consummate divide between artificiality and morality. For them, artificiality was morally neutral. They arrived at this conclusion past way of the artful belief that art should exist democratic, or divide from any type of moral instruction. Vernon Lee explains, "to appreciate a work of fine art means, therefore, to appreciate that piece of work of art itself, every bit distinguished from appreciating something outside information technology, something accidentally or arbitrarily connected with it" (qtd. in Evangelista five). Algernon and Jack'southward performances, as well every bit all of ours, are a class of art, and every bit a issue, should not be subjected to any blazon of moral judgment.

Within the play, Wilde arrives at this decision by having Jack question whether or not one is truly capable of beingness honest and authentic. When Jack is forced into admitting that he never had a brother named Ernest, he says, "It is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It is the first time in my life that I take e'er been reduced to such a painful position, and I am actually quite inexperienced in doing anything of the kind" (227-228). Across the obvious humor in these lines, in that location is a serious philosophical statement being made. Jack transcends his own character and speaks for all of humanity. He is simply repeating Algernon's earlier assertion that "the truth is rarely pure and never elementary" in a more personal and purposeful way (189). With these lines, Jack points out how cool information technology is to exist forced to tell the truth considering humans are incapable of deciphering and pinpointing a thing as circuitous as the truth. Essentially, artificiality, a form of dishonesty, is a universal trait of humanity.

Therefore, Jack and Algernon must be judged for what lies beneath their artificialities– their personalities. Equally discussed above, Jack possesses all the traits of a moral figure. He is sensible, responsible, and sincere. On the other hand, Algernon is the immoral figure. He is idle, indulgent, playful and selfish. Wilde solidifies Jack's morality past having all of his lies go truths at the end of the play. He finds out that he is really Algernon's older brother and that his name was meant to have been Ernest. Therefore, his ii major lies, the creation of a brother and his function-playing as that brother, go the truth. This revelation proves that the acts of being bogus and truthful are non necessarily mutually exclusive, as Jack ends up being honest despite his artificiality. In a classically Wildean fashion, the play leaves us with the paradoxical agreement that the just way to exist natural is to be bogus.

Clips from the South Coast Repertory'south product of The Importance of Existence Earnest. Specific examples of performance equally discussed in a higher place begin effectually the 00:57 mark.

References:

Algernon and Jack photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Eatables.
Bergonzi, Bernard. The Turn of a Century; Essays on Victorian and Mod English Literature . New York: Barnes & Noble, 1973. Print.
Evangelista, Stefano. British Aestheticism and Ancient Greece: Hellenism, Reception, Gods in Exile. Not bad Britain: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Huggins, Mike J. "More than Sinful Pleasures? Leisure, Respectability and the Male person Eye Classes in Victorian England." Journal of Social History 33.3 (2000): 585-600. JSTOR. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. < http://www.jstor.org/stable/3789212>
Miyoshi, Masao. The Theme of the Divided Self in Victorian Literature. Diss. New York University, 1963. Ann Arbor: Photocopy, 1968. Impress.
The Important of Beingness Earnest video clips courtesy of South Declension Repertory. Video tin can be found on their YouTube aqueduct: http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthCoastRepertory
Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays. New York: Modern Library, 2003. Print.

Correspondent: Delanie Laws

reinerthiscout.blogspot.com

Source: https://sites.udel.edu/britlitwiki/the-importance-of-being-earnest/