Oscar Wilde

I loved Oscar Wilde’s approach to his writings. It’s finally at a point where I can understand wholeheartedly who is saying what. I never thought that playwrights would catch my attention, but Oscar Wilde changed my perspective. It’s even at a point where I can find a little humor in the selected readings.

I really enjoyed The Importance of Being Earnest. Wilde did a wonderful job of distinguishing the social class and their standing. You could clearly see the difference between rich and middle class and servants. For instance, there was a conversation between Algernon and Lane, the servant. Page 848, “Algernon: Good Heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that? Lane: I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir…That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person. Algernon: I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.” This ticked me off with Algernon. It upset me because from this point, I could see that Algernon only cared about self. Later in the text, good old Lane came to his rescue with those cucumbers sandwiches for his Aunt Augusta. Lane had to lie! Anyway, Algernon’s relationship with Lane clearly gives the reader a sense of reality between the servant and his master. Another factor of social class standing is when Lady Bracknell tells Ernest (Jack) that he is not capable of marrying her daughter. True love never dies and I feel sorry for individuals that never get the opportunity to pick the love of their lives. This happens quite a bit in the elite king and queen families. On this level, I am glad to be considered a low-middle class citizen.

Now as I stated earlier, I did find some comic relief. Algernon was one of those characters that you hated to love. I hated him on the one end of how he treated Lane, but he gave life to the playwright. He was making a big deal to Ernest (Jack) telling him that he could not eat the cucumber sandwiches. Well lo and behold when Lady Bracknell gets there and ask for a sandwich, they are all gone! Page 853, “Algernon [picking up empty plate in horror]: Good heavens! Lane! Why are there no cucumber sandwiches? I ordered them specially.” I laughed hysterically because he knew that he had eaten all the sandwiches. Then he just didn’t stop there. After Lady Bracknell knocks Ernest (Jack) about two levels to let him know that he wasn’t good enough for her daughter, Algernon adds more comical relief. On page 858, “Jack: Good morning! [Algernon, from the other room, strikes up the Wedding March, Jack looks perfectly furious, and goes to the door.]….[The music stops, and Algernon enters cheerily.]” I could only imagine one of my friends doing such a thing! Algernon was most definitely the cast clown not the class clown.

I truly enjoyed the playwright style of writing. Oscar Wilde gave things a new twist. Actually, Algernon and Jack reminded me of Victor Newman and Jack Abbott on the Young and the Restless (soap opera). They were both always bickering back and forth trying to manipulate the other with their fake identities!