A Short Analysis of the Play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

This is my first time to read such a play. At first, I just felt ridiculous about their play. I didn’t think deeply about their play at that time. However after discussions in class between classmates, I started to understand what Wilde really wasted to convey. Wilde made this play funny, but after finishing reading it, there are still something that can’t be neglected. In my opinion, the sarcasm toward the upper class is the most important idea in this play.

It clearly describes the hypocrisy and vanity of the upper class. I think that Lady Bracknell is the typical representative of this. I myself regard her as the most clear out character in this play, because when I read the novel for this first time, she impressed me deepest, especially, that conversation between her and Algy. She said that ” It’s high time that Mr. Bunbury made his mind whether he is going to live or to die”. Wow, Wilde described the coldheart attitudes of the upper class perfectly!

At that time, I even felt a little bit angry at these words, though Bunbury, in fact, doesn’t really exist. That’s why Lady Bracknell impressed deepest, because I dislike her most! It is hard for me to image that there are that kind of disgusting people existing in the world. How unbelievable it is that a person can be so unfeeling! Moreover, Lady Bracknell stressed on wealth and statue very much. I won’t say sanctimonious that I don’t care money or the statue at all. Money is really something, but it is not everything. How snobbish and selfish she was can be proved at page 266,267 and 268. She even was gratified that the education system was still unsound, so that she can keep her status. I think that these words reflected how most people of the upper class thought. Jack and Algy were all hypocritical. Compared with Jack, Algy was more cynical and playful. They are happy to be Bunbury.

Although they are named “Ernest”, they are not earnest at all. Gwendolen and Cecily were ignorant, for they fell in love with a name! To make a comparison between Gwendolen and Cecily is very interesting. Their characteristics and behavior were a contrasting. Gwendolen acted extremely diffirently after she found that her lover is the same with Cecily’s. She regarded herself more noble and decent, just because she lived in the town. She thought she was superior and looked down upon Cecily. However, Cecily is more frank. She called a spade a spade. She is a girl full of fancies. She made up many events explaining when she engaged and broke up with Ernest. There are indeed some serious message Wilde wanted to convey in this play.

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