The Importance of Being Ernest: Victorian Attitudes towards Town and Country - Assignment Example

? The Importance of Being Ernest Victorian Attitudes towards Town and Country Introduction The Importance of Being Earnest is a play that reveals the farce that seems to have been typical of the 19th century. There were false identities, engagements that were prohibited, and social classes that overshadowed every other aspect of the society. Country folk behaved differently from the townspeople and the differences were outstanding. Such differences were evident in the mode of dressing, their manners, the activities that occupied them, and even their names. The high society was mainly based in the city, whereas, the ordinary folks were found in the country. The Victorian attitudes of these groups kept them apart, and people from the town could not mingle with those from the country. These two categories of people during the 19th century displayed varying attitudes towards each other. Such was the motivating factor to the protagonist of the story to changing his name from Jack, to Earnest. This paper considers the different Victorian attitudes that existed towards town, and country. Surroundings In the First Act, the scene where Algernon is found is explicitly described, and portray that the room in issue belongs to a town person. Algernon is playing the piano, as Lane gets things ready for afternoon tea (Wilde, 1895). From the description here, it is evident that there are certain skills that a person from town is supposed to exhibit. These skills are thought to place them a niche above the rest. This is why Algernon is keen to know if Lane had heard what he was playing on the piano. He apologizes for his lack of precision in his playing, but is quick to point out that he plays “with wonderful expression.” This description is far removed from the surroundings that are depicted in the country. This is in the second act of the play, and scene is the garden at the manor house. The garden is an old-fashioned one, and is full of roses. The inside of the house is characterized by “basket chairs, and a table covered with books.” There are no luxurious and artistic furnishings as is the case in the house that Algernon is in. From the two scenes, one gathers that the townspeople are fashion-oriented, whereas, those in the country have been left behind (Vincent, 2006). The old fashioned gardens and the setting in the house bring out the disparity between these two settings. Activities It is also evident that whilst those in town while their time by engaging in pleasurable activities, those in the country have to really work. Algernon is playing the piano as he awaits the tea party. Cecily, on the other hand, is watering flowers, and her German grammar is waiting for her. Cecily in the course of her conversation with Miss Prism points out that the geology and German Miss Prism knows, could “influence a man very much.” This shows that the people in the country care about what actually affects the wellbeing of a person (Richardson). Those in the country, however, are concerned by the image that others have on them. Lady Bracknell, for instance, asks Jack to trace his lineage, because she does not want her daughter to be married “into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel.” From the scene description in Act I, one is able to pick the activities that townspeople engage in. Algernon is evidently scheduled to have a tea party later that afternoon. When Jack (Earnest) arrives, Algernon stiffly says that in good society, it is customary to have “slight refreshment at five o’clock.” Earnest then gives a contrast of the situation by telling Algernon that when one is in the country, one amuses others and not oneself. The attitude portrayed in this case is that; while people in the town do things for their amusement, those in the country do it for the amusement of others. Lifestyle After Jack has proposed to Gwendolen, the difference between town and country emerge once more. Lady Bracknell begins to interrogate Jack and one of the questions she asks him about his income and the form of investments Jack has. When Jack tells Lady Bracknell that he has a country house, Lady Bracknell is quick to say that a Gwendolen should not be expected to live in the country (Mazer, Wilde, Society, and Society Drama). She says this is because Gwendolen is “a girl with a simple, unspoiled nature.” The country is in Lady Bracknell’s opinion, a place where people are spoilt. The attitude that the living in the country would spoil her daughter is what makes Lady Bracknell rule out the possibility of her daughter going to live there. The people living in the country are contrasted by those living in towns. Those individuals from the country are simple. They are portrayed as being unintelligent, and righteous in their way of living (Arsic, 2009). When Lady Bracknell is describing Cecily, she describes Cecily’s dress as being sadly simple. About Cecil’s hair, Lady Bracknell says that it is “almost simple as nature might have left it.” This simplicity in the nature of Cecily is also evident when she is telling Algernon of their imaginary relationship. When Algernon kneels before Cecily, she tells him that “I hope your hair curls naturally.” This, in a matter of fact, proves that town people and country folk admire different attributes. Names Jack going by the name Ernest in the town brings out the differences between the town and country people. Jack is country person who has created an imaginary life in the town since he finds it amusing. The name Ernest is meant to increase his acceptability into the high society. This happens since Gwendolen falls in love with him by virtue of the name. Lady Bracknell vs. Miss Prism By looking at the two senior ladies in the play, one is able to deduce the difference between people living in the town, and the ones residing in the country. When Lady Bracknell confronts the two couples, much of her nature comes to light. First of all, it becomes clear that she is more concerned about looks, and social stature instead of character. Jack states that he cannot allow his niece Cecily to get married by Algernon because his moral character is wanting (Baity, 2008). Lady Bracknell does not see that her nephew Algernon was untruthful, instead, she focuses on the fact that “he looks everything”, and that “he is an Oxonian.” To her, these are qualities enough to make Jack consent to the marriage between the two. Miss Prism is Cecily’s teacher, and she is first encountered in the second act. She also serves as the governess, and companion of Miss Cecily Cardew. She is concerned with duties, and character of people. When Cecily comments that her uncle often looks bored, Miss Prism defends Jack by claiming that he is constantly anxious about his brother. This is what makes it impossible to have idle merriment and triviality as part of the conversations with Jack (Richardson). Her understanding nature of the woes of those around her portrays her as a humane person. This is another aspect that tells the people from the country and town apart. Those from town only worry about themselves, and the images they portray. Those from the country in contrast care about what others feel. Lady Bracknell considers education to be an unfavourable aspect to a female. When she inquires of Miss Prism, she calls a woman remotely connected with education to be “a female of repellent aspect.” Dr. Chasuble who is acquainted with Miss Prism reveals that the opposite is actually true concerning Miss Prism. That she is an image of respectability, and “the most cultivated of ladies.” According to Miss Prism, however, education is a pleasure to be enjoyed (Shillington). When Cecily is watering the flowers, she calls to her saying that intellectual pleasures await her. Conclusion Even with all the contrast that exists in this play, the two groups find some common ground. Gwendolen and Cecily are both young ladies of courting age. The former lives in the town, while the latter resides in the country. The two ladies are in love with men of disguised identities (The Double Life in The Importance of Being Earnest). Gwendolen admits to have fallen in love with Algernon’s friend because he was called Ernest. This fact makes Jack want to be christened so that he would become Ernest. According to Gwendolen, the name Ernest is representative of superior social status. Cecily, too, admits that she fell in love with Algernon long before meeting him simply because of his being called Ernest. The name made her feel that “there must be something in him.” Cecily, however, loves her Ernest because it was a girlish dream. References Arsic, A. S. (2009, December 23). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Engleski (The Importance of Being Earnest): http://www.maturskiradovi.net/forum/Thread-engleski-the- importance-of-being-earnest Baity, L. S. (2008). SOUTH COAST REPERTORY PLAYERGOER'S GUIDE to The Importance of being Earnest. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www.scr.org/media/pdf/07-08guides/earnestguide.pdf Mazer, C. M. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Wilde, Society, and Society Drama: http://www.english.upenn.edu/~cmazer/imp.html Mazer, C. M. (2011, August). The Importance of Being Earnest: Wilde, Society, and Society Drama. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www.picttheatre.org/docs/2011/EarnestProgram.pdf Richardson, E. (n.d.). General Introduction to the work. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Teaching Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest from Multiple critical Perspectives: http://www.prestwickhouse.com/PDF/SAMPLE/303135.pdf Shillington, J. (n.d.). Importance of Being Earnest (The). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Colorado Shakespeare Festival: http://www.coloradoshakes.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117 The Double Life in The Importance of Being Earnest. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www.omdix.com/pdf/docs/high_free_1071112304.pdf Vincent, A. (2006). Geography, History and Culture. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Pittsburgh Public Theatre's Study Guide to The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: http://www.ppt.org/documents/SG310Earnest.PDF Wilde, O. (1895). Retrieved March 1, 2012, from The Importance of Being Earnest: http://www.pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/earnest.pdf Wilson, C. (1995, May). A man of some importance. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from Socialist Review: http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/sr186/wilson.htm Read More