The Importance of Being Earnest

Sayali Patukale
Nov 28, 2020
9 min read

Updated: Dec 1, 2020

This is a book review. Also a book summary or interpretation of sorts.

Correction: It’s a play.

*SPOILER ALERT*

The Importance of Being Earnest is written by Oscar Wilde. The tagline is, and I quote, “A trivial comedy for serious people.”

Wilde’s solemn quotes such as “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”, made me presume that he was a serious chap.

In fact, I picked up this play in a bookstore as I was intrigued by the plot. It was a while after I was pleasantly surprised that such a satiric and humorous play had been written by him.

Characters: (basic storyline)

Ernest/Jack:

Our protagonist. He was adopted by a gentleman who found him in a luggage bag on a train station. According to the will, Jack had to live with and take care of the gentleman’s granddaughter Cecily. They lived in the countryside.

However, Jack yearned for the entertainment offered by the bustling city. Hence, he devised a malicious plot. Jack made up a brother named Ernest in the city. Ernest’s illness was an excuse for him to live in the city under the pretense of him offering care. In the city, he roamed freely under the alias of Ernest himself. Hence all his city acquaintances referred to him as Ernest.

Algernon:

The friend of our dearest Ernest who lives in the city. Quite a pompous man. He’s a dignified member of society, a member of the higher class, as his family name bears certain social and economic privileges.

When he learns about Ernest’s/Jack’s alias, he relates it to a method he uses to avoid social gatherings. He calls it “bunburying”. The concept of Bunburying is so; Algernon has a friend ‘Bunbury’ (who does not exist) who ‘falls ill’ conveniently every time Algernon has a social event he does not wish to attend.

Quite ingenious if you ask me.

Although, I personally suspect that the sole reason Ernest maintained a friendship with Algernon was because, Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen is Ernest’s lover.

Gwendolen:

She is the lover of Ernest unaware that his real name is Jack. She lives in the city.

Her character is straightforward and direct, so is her speech. She clearly states how she had always wanted to and will marry a man named Ernest.

Here, the name Ernest could be a metaphor for qualities Gwendolen wishes in a partner.

Ernest however, is devastated when he learns so and wishes to change his real name from Jack to Ernest, officially.

Lady Bracknell:

She is the stern uptight mother of Gwendolen and Algernon's aunt. She strongly disapproves of Ernest as a match for her daughter. Her reason being that Ernest was found in a luggage bag at a train station leading to his adoption. He didn’t have any known family name that would have brought him prestige or dignity in society. It's the concern of another which prevails even today.

Lane:

An amusing character and quite my favorite. Lane in Algernon’s butler. He provides comic relief in the most unexpected ways, forcing you to chuckle.

The banter between Algernon and Lane, in my interpretation, is a medium through which Wilde demonstrated the socio-economic barriers of the high and low classes.

Cecily:

The granddaughter of the gentleman who adopted Jack.

A lively girl, with absolutely no interest in academia. She exclaims and I quote, “Horrid Political Economy! Horrid Geography! Horrid, horrid German!”

She enjoys it when her Uncle Jack tells her tales about his "brother Ernest" living in the city.

Her one and only area of interest seems to be, keeping a diary of events that have never happened nor will ever happen. In it, she penned extensively her fantasies of Uncle Jack’s brother Ernest. She wrote imagines of how they meet, fall in love, write letters, how she rejects him, how he wins her back. You can call it a voodoo fan-fic according to modern terminology.

In conclusion, two women are madly in love with Ernest.

Miss Prism:

She is the governess of Cecily. She teaches her and I quote, “Horrid Political Economy! Horrid Geography! Horrid, horrid German!” She is a woman of intelligence and good taste. A woman with a past. She had written a three-volume novel once, but wishes not to be reminded of it.

Dr. Chasuble:

He is an acquaintance of Jack and Miss Prism. He demonstrates a subtle romantic interest in Miss Prism.

Merriman:

He is the butler of Jack’s household. Unlike Lane, Merriman speaks little and mainly indulges himself in household chores.

Plot:

Act 1:

Act 1 takes place at Algernon’s home where Ernest comes to visit. They are expecting Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen. Algernon finds out about Jack and his alias Ernest. Jack mentions to him how he can’t tell Gwendolen that he lives with a beautiful girl (Cecily) and hence all the secrecy around the name Ernest.

Ernest finds a moment alone with Gwendolen and uses it to propose to her. He tries to do it in a metaphorical fashion which does not amuse Gwendolen. In the end, our straightforward woman instructs Ernest how to carry out the proposal. Lady Bracknell is flabbergasted and disapproves of the proposal instantly. She engages Ernest in a business-like banter relating to matters of family name and wealth leaving her disappointed as before.

However, happy with the engagement, Gwendolen confesses that she would only love a man named Ernest. Ernest is caught in a fix. He decides to go home and clear all the air about ‘Ernest’. He plans to tell Cecily and all those at his country home that "Jack’s brother Ernest" has died. He then planned on getting christened as Ernest by Dr. Chasuble in the church to seal his name officially.

Meanwhile, Algernon is tempted by the thought of the beautiful Cecily (as Jack described) and secretly decides to visit Jack’s country home.

Act 2:

Act 2 takes place at Jack’s country home. Algernon arrives pretending to be Jack’s brother Ernest. Cecily is delighted to finally meet him.

A while later, Jack arrives ‘bearing bad news’ that ‘Ernest’ has died. Miraculously, Ernest (Algernon) presents himself before him.

Cecily shows Ernest her diary as proof that they had been seeing each other, and Ernest (Algernon) complies with everything her pretty face says. Cecily is overjoyed and she too confesses that she’s always wanted to marry a man named Ernest. When Uncle Jack mentioned a brother named Ernest she knew he was the one.

Both women wanted to marry a man named Ernest. According to some, "Ernest" is a metaphor for a woman's ideal mate in that era.

Therefore, Algernon too decided to get christened by Dr. Chasuble. Jack disapproves of Algernon marrying Cecily while Algernon disapproves of Jack marrying Gwendolen. Both fight with each other as they both wanted to get christened as Ernest at the same time by Dr. Chasuble.

Meanwhile, Gwendolen comes to visit Ernest’s home (countryside). Cecily greets her kindly and they become fast friends and greet each other as ‘sisters’. However, quickly they are caught in the Ernest trap and argue on who exactly is engaged to this ‘Ernest’. Both gentlemen soon clear out the misunderstanding in Act 3 and decide to get christened by the name "Ernest" for their women. How sweet!

Act 3:

Act 3 introduces Lady Bracknell to Ernest’s home (countryside). On hearing Miss Prism’s name being mentioned, she remembers that they had been acquaintances before.

To everyone’s astonishment, (Including my own. Hold tight. This is such a mammoth turn of events.) it is revealed that Miss Prism worked for Algernon’s parents as a babysitter. She had put Jack in one leather bag and her three-volume manuscript in another. However, she left Jack at the station where the manuscript should have been. Jack was Algernon’s brother!

And guess what, as a child, Jack's Christian name was Ernest!

In mirth and merriment Jack/Ernest said and I quote, “I’ve now realized for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest.”

Interpretation:

My initial reaction to this satire was sheer amusement with twinkling eyes.

However, I realized it bears a deeper meaning.

Jack was embarrassed about the way he was adopted, found in a luggage bag.

He constantly tried to find validation in his being. Whether it be through lying to his city friends about being from the countryside, or even, his desire to go to great lengths and change his name just to please Gwendolen.

He tried to find himself in a number of things. He felt lost. He tried to find "The Importance of Being Earnest" via external things.

In the end, he realized, he was "Earnest" all along. It was within him. He was a perfectly valid human being who is deserving.

*BONUS*

*SPOILER ALERT*

My Favourite Scenes/Dialogues:

Scene 1: Algernon is playing the piano. After the playing had ceased, Lane enters.

Algernon: Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?

Lane: I didn't think it polite to listen, sir.

Algernon: I'm sorry for that, for your sake. I don't play accurately--anyone can play accurately-but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte.

Scene 2: Algernon and Lane’s views on marriage.

Algernon: Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that?

Lane: I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it myself up to the present. I have only been married once. That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person.

Algernon: I don't know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.

Lane: No, sir, it is not a very interesting subject. I never think of it myself.

(LANE goes out.)

Algernon: Lane's views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.

Scene 3: Algernon making the excuse of Bunbury when invited for a meal by Lady Bracknell.

Algernon: It’s a terrible disappointment to me, but the fact is I have had a telegram to say that my poor friend Bunbury is very ill again. They seem to think I should be with him.

Lady Bracknell: It is very strange. This Mr. Bunbury scams to suffer from curiously bad health. Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the question is absurd.

Scene 4: Ernest’s earnest approach to propose Gwendolen.

Gwendolen: I Adore you. But you haven't proposed to me yet. Nothing has been said at all about marriage. The subject has not even been touched on.

Ernest: Well... may I propose to you now?

Gwendolen: I think it would be an admirable opportunity. And to spare you any possible disappointment, Mr. Worthing. I think it only fair to tell you quite frankly before-hand that I am fully determined to accept you.

Ernest: Gwendolen!

Gwendolen: Yes, Mr. Worthing, what have you got to say to me?

Ernest: You know what I have got to say to you.

Gwendolen: Yes, but you don't say it.

Ernest: Gwendolen, will you marry me?

Scene 5: Lady Bracknell is quizzing Ernest to determine his suitability as a suitor for her daughter.

Ernest: I have lost both my parents.

Lady Bracknell: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

Scene 6: Jack and Algernon talking about themselves without realizing.

JACK: I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays. You can't go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left.

ALGERNON: We have.

JACK: I should extremely like to meet them. What do they talk about?

ALGERNON: The fools? Oh! about the clever people, of course.

JACK: What fools!

Scene 7: Miss Prism and Cecily chatting about Miss Prism’s novel.

Miss PRISM: Do not speak slightingly of the three-volume novel, Cecily. I wrote one myself in earlier days.

CECILY: Did you really, Miss Prism? How wonderfully clever you are! I hope it did not end happily I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much.

Miss PRISM: The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means.

Scene: Cecily is scared to meet Jack’s brother Ernest for the first time:

CECILY: I have never met any really wicked person before. I feel rather frightened. I am so afraid he will look just like everyone else.

Scene 8: Cecily showing Ernest (Algernon) her diary where she penned her fantasies.

ALGERNON: I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won't you?

CECILY: You silly boy! Of course. Why we have been engaged for the last three months.

ALGERNON: For the last three months?

CECILY: On the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence,

I determined to end the matter one way or the other,

and after a long struggle with myself, I accepted you under this dear old tree here.

The next day I bought this little ring in your name,

and this is the little bangle with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear.

ALGERNON: Did I give you this? It's very pretty, isn't it? And my letters! But, my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters.

CECILY: You need hardly remind me of that, Ernest. I remember only too well that

I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week, and sometimes oftener.

ALGERNON: But why on earth did you break off the engagement? What had I done?

I had done nothing at all. Cecily, I am very much hurt indeed to hear you broke it off.

CECILY: It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out.

ALGERNON: What a perfect angel you are, Cecily!

Scene 9: Dr. Chasuble’s subtle romantic interest.

CHASUBLE: I hope Cecily, you are not inattentive.

CECILY: Oh, I am afraid I am.

CHASUBLE: That is strange. Were I fortunate enough to be Miss Prism's pupil, I would hang upon her lips.

(Miss PRISM glares.)

I spoke metaphorically- My metaphor was drawn from bees. Ahem.

Scene 10: Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble’s views on marriage.

Miss PRISM: And you do not seem up realize, dear Doctor, that by persistently remaining single, a man converts himself into a permanent public temptation. Men should be more careful, this very celibacy leads weaker vessels astray.

CHASUBLE: But is a man not equally attractive when married?

Miss PRISM: No married man is ever attractive except to his wife.

CHASUBLE: And often, I've been told, not even to her.

NOTE: The above scenes mentioned have been taken from the book "The Importance of Being Earnest" written by "Oscar Wilde". I do not claim to have written these scenes.