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10B Sarcasm in The Importance of Being Earnest - Coggle Diagram
10B Sarcasm in
The Importance of Being Earnest
Sarcasm of name Ernest
The meaning of the name represents trustful and honest.
However, this idea is completely ironic because Jack and Algernon uses this name to get away from society and daily life obligations
JACK
ALGERNON
He did not create a new identity
Recieved support from Cecily and invented stories that DO NOT change any perseption of reality
Algernon invented this "Earnest life" for himself
Sarcasm in the cultural norms of marriage love and mind-set.
The play is based in The Victorian Age and the author uses satire in order to show the ridiculous the ideas of standards, morals and manners.
Lady Bracknell represents women of the Victorian upper class society and believes that only the high class should be in power.
This character represents the typical aristocrat who bends no rules of the upper class society. Sarcasm is used in order to show how this character that already has all the economic benefits instead of being focused in moral values and ethics focuses on the materialistic.
The passage when Lady Bracknell finds out that Cecily has a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in funds shows how the moral and values are non important for this character.
"A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! Miss.Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her." Emphasis is placed in wealth, status rather than personality.
The importance of being EARNEST
Hypocrisy of society
People pretend to be something and someone else they're not
Algernon accepts he is a "Bunburyist", he pretends to be Bunbury to get away of his social obligations
while
Jack Worthing pretends to have moral values and he doesn't want to accept he is a "Bunburyist", which makes him more hypocrite than Algernon
"I don't know whether you will be able to understand my real motives... in order to get up to town I have always pretended to have a younger brother of the name Ernest"
Materialism
Behaving and feeling well
Dualism
Relationships
Family
Algernon+ Jack
Brothers?
"You are the son of my poor sister, Mrs Moncrieff, and consequently Algernon's elder brother"
Mother and father
Mrs Moncrieff
Ernest John
Fake love
Focuse on the superficial characteristics of the person
Name
'Ernest' produces vibrations, transmits absolute confidence
Cecily got interested in Ernest by his name and wickedness
"It suits you perfectly. It is a divine name. It has music of its own. It produces vibrations."
Gwendolen only is looking to marry someone named Earnest
"The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend named Earnest, I knew I was destined to love you."
Money
Lady Bracknell only accepts Cecily when she realizes she is worth money
Social status
Being high class was the main interest in the relationships, especially when "Earnest" asked Gwendolen to marry her because Lady Bracknell questioned him about his life and all the things he had, including money
“Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you do become engaged to some one, I, or your father, will inform you.”
Since Jack was actually part of Lady Bracknell's family, now she accepted his marriage with Gwendolen
"Every luxury that money could buy, including christening, had been lavished on you by your fond and doting parents."
Fake letters Cecily wrote to herself on the name of Algernon
Algernon wasn't actually called Ernest
"Oh, any name you like- Algernon- for instance..."
"We have been engaged since February 14th, and I only met you today"
Cecily didn't want to wait until she was 35, which shows that the relationship is not based on true love
”..I couldn’t wait all the time. I hate waiting even five minutes for anybody. It makes me rather cross.”
Morality
The book intends to make fun of the Victorian society's view on morality
with
A paradox of morals
because
The main character is and isnt Earnest
His name is Earnest
He does not present the qualities of being serious and sincere
A example in the book is
Algernon considers that the servant class has to set a moral standard for upper classes
"Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them?"
Algernon and Jack have to invent alter egos to escape from their reality
Impossibility of being earnest or moral when they're trying to be
Fake Identities
Through the whole extension of the book
we see two people use fake identities to their advantage:
Algernon use his to escape from his high class responsibilities. He calls this "Bunburying."
He also uses Jack's fake identity to meet Cecily and propose to her.
Jack used his to escape the responsability of taking care of Cecily and join the one he loves at the high class society.
He also uses his identity to have an oportunity in proposing to Gwendolen,
since "Ernest" had money and status
It all back fires in the end since everyone found out about that
"Ernest" didn't exist.
Ernest or Jack?
He was someone in the country and other in town
"My name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country"
Algernon or Ernest?
Pretends to be Ernest (Jack's younger brother) in order to meet Cecily, as he got interested in her when Jack mentioned her
Bunbury or Algernon?
Algernon pretends to be Bunburby to get away from his obligations
Irony
Jack and Algernon creating alternate characters to create excuses to people around them
"My name is Earnest in town and Jack in the country"
"I have Bunburyed all over Shropshire on two separate occasions"
Gwendolen and Cecily fighting over who is marrying a man named Earnest
"But I don´t like the name Algernon"
"I might respect you, Ernest... I should not be able to give you my undivided attention"
They were actually confused between Jack and Algernon
Lord Bracknell's death
Lady Bracknell says she looks 20 years younger
Marriage
Motivation of all characters
Gwendolen + Jack
Cecily + Algernon
Chasuble + Miss Prism