Lane's Instruction

TASK

Imagine that Lane has to leave work for a short period and writes his instructions to a

temporary replacement. Write Lane's instructions about how to deal effectively with

Algernon.

Give careful consideration to your language choices, form and style, in order to convey a

sense of Lane's voice and attitudes. 

(45 marks)

Dear Butler,

                     I am writing to inform you that I am leaving for a short period of time to visit an ill relative. During this time away I would like you to take care of Mr Moncreiff. He requires a lot of attention and care for he can not do the simplest things for himself. Follow my instructions carefully and you should have no problem.

Algernon has a friend called Ernest that like to visit a lot. When he enters the room you should leave them to there privacy. The way they banter one would assume that they are brothers. They consume extreme quantities and blames it on the servants so the best thing you can do is just play along.

He also likes to eat. Whether he would admit it or not he can devour several sandwiches which are not prepared for him, he has an extremely large appetite . I had once prepared several cumber sandwiches for when Lady Bracknell arrived for afternoon tea, before however Ernest had arrived and whilst they had there conversation, Algernon had eaten them all. Then when Lady Bracknell had arrived she was quite disappointed that there were no cucumber sandwiches. This is where I had stepped in and said that the market had no cucumbers, even for ready money. This little lies are what you need to do for Mr Moncreiff in his time of need.

Another thing he enjoys doing almost as much as eating is playing the piano. However he may like playing the piano does not mean that he is any good at it. In fact he is dreadful, if he asks how he plays just say 'I didn't think it polite to listen, sir' then say no more. His excuse for his dreadful piano skills is 'I don't play accurately - any one can play accurately - but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte.'

Hopefully I will return soon, but until then I would like to say good luck because working for Mr Moncrieff you will need it

Lane

Resolution

 The play 'The Importance Being Ernest' is resolved when Ms Prism reveals that she left a baby at Victoria train station that belonged to Lady Bracknell's sister. The child inside the hand bag was infant Jack and he could now do all the thing he wanted (marrying Gwendolyn) because he had status.

Jack could now marry Gwendolyn because he now had position, status  and most importantly the name Ernest 'I always told you, Gwendolyn, my name was Ernest didn't I' This suggest that when we find out what his name it brings him status. When he finds out that his has a place in aristocracy he immediately becomes arrogant. This shows that aristocracy brings arrogance and a sense of importance.

When Ms Prism Reveals that she left the handbag at the station with little Jack/Ernest held within you think that the play is resolved. 'Unmarried! I do not deny that is serious blow. But after all who has the right to cast one who has suffered ?' Jack is quick to forgive her because the first thing he thinks about is that he forgives her before his status because he has finally found his mother. This is completely different  to what  he believes later when he finds out that he is part of aristocracy.

Biography

Oscar Wilde Biography 

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet born on 16 October 1854 and died 30 November 1900. In 1964, his father William Wilde was a surgeon who was knighted for his services to medicine and his mother was a writer and literary hostess. Wilde was educated at Trinity College and then Magdalen College, Oxford. While at Oxford, Wilde became involved in the aesthetic movement.

After he graduated, he moved to London to pursue a literary career. Oscar Wilde wrote fairy stories and a novel called ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ which wasn't a success but his greatest strength was writing plays. His greatest talent was for writing plays, and he produced a string of extremely popular comedies including 'Lady Windermere's Fan' (1892), 'An Ideal Husband (1895)' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1895)

In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd and they had two sons, but in 1891 Wilde began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. In April 1895, Wilde sued Alfred's father, the Marquis of Queensberry, for libel, after the Marquis has accused him of being homosexual. Wilde lost and, after details of his private life were revealed during the trial, was arrested and tried for gross indecency. He was sentenced to two years of hard labour. His wife took their children to Switzerland and adopted the name 'Holland'.

Gwendolen Speech About How Important She Is

My name is Gwendolen and I can say without a doubt that I am the most important character in this play. I am never wrong.

This entire play is centred around me, I mean the whole reason why Jack had kept this lie about a brother named Ernest was to stay with me.

My ideal is always been to love someone named Ernest, that name inspires absolute confidence and once dear Algy told me he had a friend names Ernest i knew at that moment i was destined to love him.

I am Lady Bracknell's daughter, a high member in society why wouldn't i be important and without me this entire play crumbles to pieces. I am utter perfection, within society and my appearance. The perfect character.

The only reason why Jack went to look for his parents in the first was so he could marry me, This whole charade is because of me

I Gwendolen Bracknell am THE most important character in this play and don't forget it.

How does Wilde create humour at the expense of his characters Gwendolyn and Cecily?

How does Wilde create humour at the expense of his characters Gwendolyn and Cecily? 

The importance of being Ernest is a play written by Oscar Wilde in the Victorian era.Wilde uses humour between Cecily and Gwendolen by using various devices, linguistic and language features. He often reverses writes the opposite of what society really thinks in his play.

The scene where Gwendolen and Cecily sit down to eat is humour in itself. We as the audience know that Ernest is Jack and Algernon, but they both believe they are talking about the same man. At the beginning of the scene Gwendolen announces that 'I like you already more than I can say. My first impressions of people are never wrong'. This shows that she is self centered and believes everything she says is right however later on in the scene after she finds out that they are both engaged to Ernest says ' From the moment I saw you I distrusted you, I am never deceived in such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right' which is the exact opposite of what she had said to begin with.

 Another bit of humour in this scene is when Gwendolen talks about her father.'And certainly once a man neglects his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate, does he not? This suggests that a man loses his masculinity the moment he leaves the household. This brings humour because the audience know's this is wrong.It is an inversion because people would think that by staying at home you would become 'effeminate' not by 'neglecting his domestic duties'. This could refer to Oscar Wilde's sexuality because he neglected his wife and kids which in this case make him effeminate or 'camp' which can be him subtly hinting to the audience that he was gay.

The fact that Jack plays Ernest in town and Jack in country is quite funny because Algernon who also has an alter ego Bunbury becomes Ernest in the country. When Gwendolen and Cecily meet they both believe they are talking about the same man. The audience finds this funny and it creates alot of drama and humour

Lady Bracknell's Speech to her husband about Jack

How dare he, soiling our precious family name with his presence. Being found in a handbag is simply inexcusable, loosing both his parents. To think that we would allow our precious, unspoilt Gwendolen to marry that man is laughable. He is not down on my list of eligible young men, which is the same list as the dear Duchess of Bolton has. 

Lord Bracknell, i believe if this man had not lost his parents, then he would have been most suited for Gwendolen, but this outrageous lie is has made me realize that we should chose a husband for her whether she likes the man or not.

Another thing, this Mr. Bunbury should make up his mind whether he was going to live or to die, his constant illness is preventing Algernon from meeting any women. Illness of any kind is hardly a thing to be encouraged in others. It would be very nice of him if he should not fall ill again this Saturday.

Gwendolen's Diary Entry

Dear Diary,

I am to be married to Ernest Worthing, I will be Mrs Ernest Worthing. To be married to a man with a name that produces vibrations such as Ernest has always been my dream and it is about to come true. His name strikes utter confidence and that is who I'll be married to. However I am afraid that mama will question him to harshly and not accept the proposal, even so I will marry Ernest he is my soul mate. I am destined to be married to a man named Ernest, it was written in the stars.

He started the conversation with the weather, a topic which makes me nervous, I new this was not what he intended to talk about, of course I was right, I'm never wrong. he told me that he loved me and then I revealed my love for him as well. He stated that we must get married at once but he didn't propose to me. When he did i knew my life was complete.Although a strange thing occurred before Ernest proposed to me, he asked if I would still love him, if his name were Jack.

Jack, that name has very little music, and produces absolutely no vibrations. I know several Jack's who are all quit plain, I pity any woman who is married to a man called John for the only safe name is Ernest. A man whom i am marrying. 

I Gwendolen Bracknell will become Mrs Ernest Worthing 

Essay on a converstion between Cecily and Gwendolen

Gwendolen:  Outside the family circle, papa, I am glad to say, is entirely unknown. I think it is quite as it should be. The home seems to me to be the proper sphere for the man. And certainly once a man begins to neglect his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate, does he not? And I don't like that. It makes men so very attractive. Cecily, mamma, whose views on education are remarkably strict, has brought me up to be extremely short-sighted; it is part of her system; so do you mind my looking at you through my glasses?

Cecily: Oh! not at all, Gwendolen. I am very fond of being looked at.

Annotate showing K&U or language and literary features as well as context. Cross reference with rest of text to show wider K&U of play.

Gwendolen and Cecily's conversation in Act 2 is centered around family. Oscar Wilde places double meanings within the text that are not immediately noticed until analyzed further. He uses language, literary features and context to show the characters attitudes and ideas. 

In the beginning of the quote Gwendolen starts with a sentence with a complex structure, 'Outside the family circle, papa, I am glad to say, is entirely unknown.' The reason why the sentence is structured this was is because Gwendolen wanted it to be dramatic and have a bigger impact. By but the word 'unknown' last it has become the punch line of the sentence, you don't expect that Lord Bracknell would be unknown. This gives humor to the sentence and refers back to the sub-title 'a trivial play for serious people'. In the Victorian era men are often the ones that are in the public eye whereas the woman stay at home. Oscar Wilde shows his distaste of the 'society rules' by reversing the gender roles.

Oscar Wilde continues this role reversal through Gwendolen by saying 'And certainly once a man neglects his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate, does he not? This suggests that a man loses his masculinity the moment he leaves the household. This is an inversion because people would think that by staying at home you would become 'effeminate' not by 'neglecting his domestic duties'. This could refer to Oscar Wilde's sexuality because he neglected his wife and kids which in this case make him effeminate or 'camp' which can be him subtly hinting to the audience that he was gay.

Gwendolen states 'has brought me up to be extremely short sighted; it is part of her system' this suggests that she is very narrow minded and in society with in the city being 'short-sighted' is a clue to whole is part of the aristocracy. The word 'short-sighted' is polysemic because it could mean short sighted or narrow minded. It shows that Gwendolen wants to be like her mother, she has been brought up like her mother 'it is part of her system'. Gwendolen isn't insulting her mother but rather idolizes her and her values. This shows us a lot about Gwendolen's character, she is both a model of elegant fashion and sophistication. Jacks fears are confirmed in this scene because the audience find out that she is almost exactly like her mother except she is more likeable.

Cecily seems to like her self quite a lot when she says 'Oh! not at all, Gwendolen. I am very fond of being looked at' this suggests that she doesn't mind what people think of her and likes the attention. Cecily's character is the polar opposite to Gwendolen, where she is sophisticated and a great representation of society, Cecily is unspoilt and childlike.

In Conclusion Oscar Wilde discreetly shows the characters personality and his personally views on society and aristocracy through various language and literary features. He uses all the characters to portray how he really feels on society and hierarchy. The way in which each sentence has been structured and each word chosen give us a further understanding into the mind of each character and Oscar Wilde.  

Comparison of Algernon and Cecily

Explore the similarities and differences between Algernon and Cecily with particular reference to their language, imagination and use of inversions.

Oscar Wilde wrote the play ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ in the Victorian era. The life of each character differ but somehow throughout the play comes together in a surprising plot twist. In the play the characters Algernon and Cecily are very similar but also have their differences. Oscar Wilde shows this through their language, imagination and use of inversions.

Cecily is like Algernon when it comes to making up stories. ‘You silly boy! Of course. Why, we have been engaged for the last three months’ she invented a romance between herself and Ernest, which lasted for three months within her mind and diary. She made up the relationship in so much detail it is like Algernon’s invention Bunbury. However unlike Algernon Cecily invented a relationship whereas he invented a alter ego or a person, which he uses to get out of boring activities. This could be are reason why Algernon comes to like Cecily so much. The situation Algernon finds himself in is very amusing because he has gone Bunburying as Earnest while Cecily has created an engagement between herself and ‘Ernest’ although early in the play he states that marriage isn’t for him.

Cecily falls in love with Ernest based on his wicked nature; she had never met him before but has a fascination with Ernest just like Gwendolyn. This is similar to when Algernon hears from jack about his young beautiful ward Cecily after hearing the little information about her immediately sets out to meet her. This shows that they are very similar in that they don’t have to have met a person to fall in love with him

Both these characters are out spoken and intelligent people, ‘ I am not little in fact believe I am more than usually tall for my age’ Algernon is taken aback when she says this. He believes that she would shy away or not respond, however where Algernon is selfish and witty Cecily is childish and very innocent.

In conclusion Algernon and Cecily have many similar attributes and difference, which shows us why later in the story they seem perfect for each other

Annotaion of a Quote

This quote is found in Act 2 between Algernon and Cecily when algernon has gone Bunburying as Jacks younger brother Earnest 

Algernon: “Oh! I am not really wicked at all, cousin Cecily. You mustn’t think that I am wicked.”

Cecily: “If you are not, then you have certainly been deceiving us all in a very inexcusable manner. I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.”

Algernon is bunburying as Ernest but because he doesn't know much about him he states that he never could be wicked. Jack always says that his brother is wicked and has a wild lifestyle which is why no one has meet him. Cecily then believes that he has been lieing the whole time. 

Cecily says that hypocrisy os pretending be wicked and being really good all the time but the real definition is pretending to have standards that one does not have. 

Analysis of a scene in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

The scene is when Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen visit Algernon for some Afternoon tea.

At the beginning of the scene Lady Bracknell asks Algernon if he behaving well. When Algernon responds she immediately corrects him which shows that she has a higher knowledge then him. When Lady Bracknell notices Jack in the stage directions it says that she 'bows to him with icy coldness' this suggests that she does not like jack and his intentions with Gwendolen. Algernon diverts the conversation with his aunt by exclaiming to Gwendolen that she is smart. Gwendolen then flirts with Jack who go sit down together in a corner.

Lady Bracknell Gossips with Algernon about Lady Harbury whose husband had just died and that was the reason why she was late. She then asks for a cucumber sandwich which she had been promised, Algernon then goes over to the tea table and realizes that while taking to Jack he had eaten them all.

He calls out to Lane about the lack of cucumber sandwiches which Lane pretends that he had gone down to the market twice but there were no cucumbers. This shows that Lane and Algernon have a close relationship were Lane knows when he needs to lie for Algernon. While Algernon goes over to the tea table Lady Bracknell asks Gwendolen if she would like with her. Gwendolen however prefers the company ofJack and declines the offer. This could be a another reason why Lady Bracknell has a distaste towards him.

Lady Bracknell is not concerned about the lack of cucumber sandwiches and talks about a married women called Mary Farquar that she would like Algernon to take to dinner that evening. Regretfully, Algernon tells Lady Bracknell that because his friend Bunbury had fallen ill, he’ll be unable to come to dinner after all. Bunbery is coinage that Oscar Wilde made up which means a made up excuse to get out of doing something boring. While Algernon talks about Bunbury he glances at Jack this could mean that he doesn't mind Jacks other alias Ernest because he does it himself. Lady Bracknell is irritated by Bunbury's 'shilly shallying' about whether he is going to live or die. This suggest that Lady Bracknell does not care for those who have poor health. Algernon offers to go over the musical program for an upcoming reception with her and takes her into the music room.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 of the Importance of Being Earnset

Reading Act 1 Scene 1 of The Importance of Earnest I can tell that Algernon has a higher relative status than Jack/John Worthing. Algernon is in control of the conversation forcing Jack to reveal his other identity as  'Ernest' his younger brother who lives in town. However as soon as Lady Bracknell enters the scene his is relative status is lower. The topic shifts when Lady Bracknell enters from Jacks's two identities to casual hello's. This is adjacency pairs. Lady Bracknell starts the converstation she often asks questions relating to money. This suggests that she care about wealth and her status in the community.

Algernon calls Jack a 'Bunburyist' which is coinage, Algernon and thus Oscar Wilde made it up. Bunburyist is someone who has a secret alias in order to escape however this is polycemic because this could also mean having to your sexuality which in a way refers to Oscar wildw who had to hide his sexuality from his wife and kids .

Transcript

Algernon- Lane fetch me somemore champagne, two more bottles should do

Lane- Yes Sir

[Lane Enters hands the wine over to Algernon and Exits]

Algernon- Ah yes. Now, where was I, Jack how are things in the town

Jack- They are very good I visited Lord Shoreman and we dined

Lord Shoreman- Yes what an eventful day that was

Algernon- Where exactly was my invtitation to this oh so lovely get together

Jack- It was a spur of the moment type of thing

Algernon - Well I suppose that's alright then

Lord Shoreman-What time is it Lane?

[Lane Enters]

Lane: Sir it is quarter past seven

Jack: Oh goodness is the time well I shall be on my way. Thank you for having me. The sandwichs were

scrumptious  

The Importance of Being Earnest Analysis

 The Beginning of the Act One, The Title and the Character list

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is polysemic. The word earnest means sincere and honesty however the title could be referring to the name Ernest. In the play John Worthing leads a double life where in the country his is known Jack and in the city he goes by the name of Ernest. Oscar Wilde use of the word Earnest in two ways could also represent John’s double life. There is a sub-title ‘A trivial comedy for serious people’ which suggests that this play is for everyone including serious people however if you do not find the play funny it suggests that you are trivial.

Status is very important in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ at the beginning of the play there is a character list, which we can then determine what status each character is before reading the whole play. The first character on the list is John Worthing J.P because the he has a first and last name we can tell he has a high status. The initials J.P stand for Justice of Peace, which also shows that he is a higher status than most. Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D has no first name but because of all his titles you can tell he is a high status character. The characters that have a low status have only one name, which is their surname, Merriman (The Butler) and Lane (The Man Servant). Algernon Moncrieff has an unusual name, which could suggest that he has a high status as well as having a full name. Miss Prism is the only middle class character on the list, her work title is Governess, which shows that while she is put above Merriman and Lane she is still a lower status than John Worthing. Miss prism is also the only character that we can tell her marital status. She is unmarried which means she is a spinster. Lady Bracknell, Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew all have a high status. Lady Bracknell seems to have the highest status out of all the characters because her title is Lady.

In Act 1 Scene 1 you are first introduced to Algernon and Lane. Immediately you can see that Lane is of a lower status to Algernon you can tell this because whilst Algernon has a lot of speech, Lane repeats Yes Sir.  When Lane does talk about his marriage Algernon is quick to say that is not interested in marriage or any of Lane’s personal life.  

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