Informative Essay on The Importance of Being Earnest
Bunburying- a world of chimera:- Bunburying was just a way for Jack to break-out of his social duties and responsibilities by giving an excuse to meet an imaginary person (Ernest) created by him itself. The Bunburying allows both Jack and Algernon to live an untruth, to give an impression assist the highest ethical standards, while be at fault without any such consequences.
Even whenever Jack and Algernon are caught in their lives. They never went through any punishments. The situation never came off for them to kill there imaginary friend Ernest . This shows the Victorian societies real values. The Victorian values did not exhibit truthfulness, accountability and benevolence for the less privileged people. For instance Lady Bracknell:- 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.. In this Lady bracknell shows no sympathy for Mr.
Bunbury and does not exhibit pity for him as he is less privileged then status. It is befitting that how cursory is Victorian values.
Bunbaring as a central theme:- Marriage:- It is of principle importance in the story both as a chief plot and also a topic of debate. The issue of marriage came for the first time when Algernon asks Lane” Is marriage so demoralizing as that ? “(Pg 7). They discuss the attributes of marriage and discuss whether marriage is a substance of “business” or “pleasure”. The Lady Bracknell talks about engagement and marriage .
According to her engagement should come as a something amazing and as a surprise. Jacks proposal can be assumed and so it shows the conventions of Victorian ethics and responsibility and thus shows his status in society. Lane tells about his own marriage that it is a pleasant but then says due to misunderstandings it did not work out between him n his wife so it became an unpleasant experience for him. Algernon takes his views as slack. His views were like that till he met Cecily. Jack expresses remorse to Gwendolyn as he has always been saying truth.
She accepts his apology and feels sure that jack is going to change which shows Gwendolyn’s doubtful thoughts about marriage and men The Dual Life:- Bunburing for Jack was just a way to escape for his duties and social-responsibilities. Similarly Algernon’s imagery friend Bunbury was to break away from the country. As he says “Nothing will induce me to part with Bunbury, and if you ever get married, which seems to me extremely problematic, you will be very glad to know Bunbury. A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it”.
Page 41 act 1 Jack says this when he wishes to finish Ernest and suggests Algernon to finish Bunbury as now he is in love with Gwendolyn. He wants to be completely loyal and honest as now he is going to marry her. Algernon says it is the married man who needs bunbury the most to escape at times. Both have different views about marriage and both take bunbury as their life saver. Bunburing with Algernon:-It’s the cigarette case , when Jack goes and meets Algernon in a party and there Algernon tries to clear the doubt of a girl named Cecily . As the cigarette case that was missing from few days of Jack was with Algernon.
Jack tells him to give it back to him as it is his. Algernon says it is not because it was given by Cecily to some called Uncle Jack. At that point Jack’s faking Ernest was caught . Algernon says that Jack is known as Ernest and has introduced him to everyone as Ernest. He also had a proof ,a visiting card naming Mr. Ernest Worthing. So Jack explains that thus his name is Jack in country and Ernest in the town. And the cigarette case was given to him in the country. Algernon:- You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one as Ernest.
You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn’t Ernest. It’s on your cards. Here is one of them. [Taking it from case. ] ‘Mr. Ernest Worthing, B. 4, The Albany. ‘ I’ll keep this as a proof that your name is Ernest if ever you attempt to deny it to me, or to Gwendolyn, or to anyone else. [Puts the card in his pocket. ] Jack:- Well, my name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country, and the cigarette case was given to me in the country.
Bunburing with Lady Bracknell:- When aunt Augusta asks Algernon to dine with her and Mary Farquhar. Algernon replies that he needs to drop out the plan of dining with her as he got a telegram saying his friend Bunbury is suffering from an illness and needs to see him again. Algernon to aunt augusta:- “It is a great bore, and, I need hardly say, a terrible disappointment to me, but the fact is I have just had a telegram to say that my poor friend Bunbury is very ill again. ” (Pg 16 Act 1) Bunburing with Gwendolyn:- Jack expresses his feelings for Gwendolyn in the absence of Aunt Augusta.
Gwendolyn replying to him says that understands the feelings of Jack and got to know about her love of her life when for the very first time Algernon told her about his friend Ernest (Jack). As Algernon introduced her to Jack as Ernest before. And continues that she always knew that she is destined to love a man named Ernest. Gwendolyn:-“ Yes, I am quite well aware of the fact. And I often wish that in public, at any rate, you had been more demonstrative. For me you have always had an irresistible fascination. Even before I met you I was far from indifferent to you. [JACK looks at her in amazement. We live, as I hope you know, Mr Worthing, in an age of ideals. The fact is constantly mentioned in the more expensive monthly magazines, and has reached the provincial pulpits, I am told, and my ideal has always been to love some one of the name of Ernest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence. The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Ernest, I knew I was destined to love you”. (Pg 17 Act 1) Bunburing with Cecily:- Cecily lives in a fantasy and writes fictitious and imagery things in her diary about the romance of her and Algernon.
She tells Algernon and shows him the ring that he gifted her. Cecily- “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? ”page 41 act 2 Algernon pretends that he gave her that ring.
Note: Citation of dialogues under “ ” pasted from the novel:- http://www. online-literature. com/wilde/being_earnest/2/
