Wildes Play The Importance of Being Earnest - Essay Example

Importance of Being Ernest The original Wilde’s play dubbed ‘importance of being earnest’ was a four-act play. Wilde then later edited this play into a three-act play that became famously studied. The revision of the play was made upon the request of George Alexander who was the producer. Upon the request, Wilde made the play more attracting and dramatic to work better. However, some analysts said that the play later lost witticism and clarity of the important plot elements. In-depth critics noted that the despite the fact that Wilde changed the play from a four-act play into three-act play, the play was hardly changed. Relationships of man and master remained. On the other hand, Wilde edited the conversation between Jack and Algernon, which prompted telling of lies in future of the play (Roger 475-484). The theatre manager St. James was earnest open she asked Wilde to reduce his original four-act play to three acts like most of the conventional fares. Wilde then removed the Gribsy episode from the play by merging two of the four acts into one act. This was meant to make the play more relevant in terms of literacy and market. The virtue of being earnest set in Wilde’s life at the point when he had the greatest responsibility of serving his family. During this time, most of the playwrights found interest in challenging and attacking issues such as the white Anglo Saxon. Wilde at this time also had the responsibility of balancing the pressures that he had with the issues of homosexuality that was slowly becoming popular in his country (Elisha 474-485). Importance of being earnest opened up in George Alexander’s St. James theatre on Feb. 1895 where the show was mainly meant to honor Wilde’s expertise in striking aestheticism to his work. Due to the tenacity of Wilde’s work, he was unbelievably celebrated and accepted despite the fact that he was an absolute outsider. On this occasion, Wilde became conspicuous as individuals of various backgrounds came to the occasion to celebrate his categorical blend and aestheticism (Bryan 1-3). According to Wilde, he wanted to edit the lines within the play that would display the comic strips of the play characters. The play by Wilde creates a misunderstanding where debt that in real sense is for Jack is perceived to be for Algernon. In addition, Wilde also cut the dialogue by Miss Prism in the third act. What had been edited was Wilde’s condemnation of the writers as well as the artists. While reading the play, the cuts have no impact on the content of the play; nevertheless, the editing made the play to flow faster. The importance of editing was that it removed the parts of the play that had grotesque political, societal and cultural impacts on Victorian Britain (David n.p). In the remaining parts of the play, Wilde remained straightforward and popular. The Grisby’s scene was therefore appended to the final edition of the play. This made the play to be more interesting that its original four-act edition. The play ‘importance of being earnest’ is considered, as one of Wilde’s known masterpieces (Bryan 1-3). In the initial act, Algernon knows Jack as earnest as earnest courts Jack’s niece Gwendolen. The fictitious use of friends and relatives between Jack as well as Gwendolen creates confusion and is mainly used as a tool for avoiding people. As Jack proposes to Gwendolen, she declines and says that she can only marry any person named Ernest. She believes that Jack is called Ernest and this forces Jack to accept to be called Ernest. Gwendolen then declines and says that Jack lacks social status and that she cannot marry him (Bryan 1-3). Back at Jack’s own country, Miss Prism discusses Jack as a sensible and responsible person. She makes comparison between Ernest and his brother Jack and says that Jack is responsible unlike Ernest who is wicked and weak. As Algernon arrives, he pretends that he is Ernest while Jack himself says that his brother Ernest has sided. Jack does this to disappoint Ernest who is pretending to be his brother. Jack’s argument with Algernon is demonstrated where Jack says, It is only the superficial qualities that last. He fiercely sends him back to London. Algernon, who pretends to be Ernest, falls in love with Cecily who says she had imagined and written that she is in love with someone named Ernest. Just like Jack, Algernon agrees that he has to be rechristened as Ernest. Jack says, Oh, thats nonsense, Algy” (Roger 475-484). As both Gwendolen and Cecily realize that they are all engaged to Ernest, they stage a fight. They fight verbally as they take tea and they end up resolving to be rechristened Ernest. They agree to remain engaged to Ernest. As a reverend arrives, Jack cancels rechristening. The reverend however mentions the name of Miss Prism who awaits him at the church. Gwendolen and Prism recognizes each other as Jack is also recognized as John Ernest’s son who also happens to be Algernon’s older brother. At this point, the women realize that Jack is really Ernest. Jack therefore engages Gwendolen, Algernon engages Cecily and Reverend engage Miss Prism (David n.p). This play creates a strong critique on the social nature of the Victorian Class values. Wilde uses the play to comment on the Victorian social class standing. The masking demonstrated by jack and Algernon represents the masks in the societies. The play is interesting as it creates a picture of hidden identities and double lives. In this sense, the play reflects Wilde’s own double life as a married man and as a homosexual on the other end of life. In his edition, he incorporates the common phrases, but uses them in a way to create humor as well as strong commentary. Wilde uses the concept of marriage in his play as a hypocritical cover and destroys the passions that exist between individuals. According to his own feelings, marriage is a business rather than a pleasurable event (Elisha 474-485). Wilde uses food to bring about the sensual reactions as well as lust in individuals. He demonstrates witticism in his lines. This play is a tool that Wilde uses to display his cleverness to the audience. Wilde uses jack to demonstrate how he would kill his own brother to prevent the one he loves from unsuitable suitors. This play brings forth the satire of class values in the Victorian Britain. Wilde illuminates how the marriages that occur between individuals of various social classes plan and arrange their marriages. Clearly, he displays how the aspect of love is not regarded as a major factor in Victorian marriages (Shaw, Beckson, and Southam 221-222). The edition of the play blends the blame and enhances its flow; nevertheless, the cut part makes confusion as initial conversations between the characters are concealed in the edited parts. Wilde creates humor as he demonstrates the unrealistic nature of the characters that rely on names for marriage. Jack pictures the characters that individuals have and makes it open for all the audience to question themselves concerning the characters portrayed. Clever wordplay enables the edition to have enhanced flow and attractiveness as compared to the initial lengthy script. The edition also has minimal attacking devices that would have sparked criticism (Bonnyman 1). Shortness of edition that was proposed by Alexander was phenomenal as it gives an ultimate blend that is neutrally entertaining and teaching as well. A lot of information has been compacted within the three-act play. The final edition has limited provocations on culture, politics and values of Victorian Britain. This version is best since it does not lead to challenges of strong criticism from the audience (Elisha 474-485). The shallowness of the edition gives the audiences a short but interesting play with wisely chose parts that translate into a masterpiece. The edited version brings more humor and straightforwardness as compared to the older four-act version. Taking these parts out of the play is not very serious since it did not change the play any much. However, it made the play to become unique, straight and short. The producer achieved the final edition that had limited provocative sections, as he wanted (Roger 475-484). As an editor, I would not have allowed editing of the parts of the play as they had significant contributions to the flow of the play. I believe that the play had connections between the various acts and editing would cause compressing and omitting important information from the play script. In my personal opinion, I would restore them back to the original play script. I would include all the edited parts to ensure that the social and political themes are also torched within this play script. Works Cited Aubrey, Bryan. "Oscar Wilde." Dictionary of World Biography: The 19Th Century (2000): 1-3. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Cohn, Elisha. "Oscar Wildes Ghost: The Play of Imitation." Victorian Studies 54.3 (2012): 474-485. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Cohn, Elisha. "Oscar Wildes Ghost: The Play of Imitation." Victorian Studies 54.3 (2012): 474-485. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Rodgers, David. Wilde, Oscar (1854 - 1900), Writer, Patron. n.p.: Oxford University Press, 1996. Grove Art Online. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Sale, Roger. "Being Earnest." Hudson Review 56.3 (2003): 475-484. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Shaw, George Bernard, Karl Beckson, and Southam. "Part 15: The Importance Of Being Earnest: Chapter 73: George Bernard Shaw On The Importance Of Being Earnest." Oscar Wilde (Routledge) (1997): 221-222. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Stanley, Isabel Bonnyman. "The Importance of Being Earnest." Cyclopedia of Literary Places (2003): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Read More