Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

So, we read this for English and are now writing a paper on it. I was wondering if I could have some help? My thesis statement is:

In Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde illuminates the hypocrisy of the upper class (aristocracy) by overexaggerating (hyperbole), other techniques of satire, and irony.

Then I have an outline of all that I want to talk about, ie: Tone, Imagery, and Theme. Then my conclusion is:

Wilde makes fun of the upper class society of his time by using satire and irony.

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO ME FOR SURE-HE WAS A WORD WIZARD IN THE MOST IRONICAL SATYRICAL FASHION SO EXAMINE THE WORK FOR SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT-MIGHT GET CHA UP IN THE GRADE STUFF-KNOW WHAT I MEAN-AS I SAID SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE ON VERY SOLID GROUND WITH YOUR PAPER. WITH ALL OF HIS SHARP TONGUE THERE WAS GREAT WIT IN HIS WRITING AND IT IS-WELL TO PUT IT IN THE VERNACULAR-FUNNIER'N HECK IF YOU WERE NOT THE PERSON OR PERSONS BEING CUT WITH HIS SHARP TONGUE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE WILDISMS IS IN MY WHATEVER THAT THING IS THEY CALL AT THE BOTTOM OF ALL MY POSTINGS-'Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative' -- Oscar Wilde

Thanks Dave, I am going to talk about exaggeration, situational and dramatic irony, understatement, parody, and burlesque.

OOH SUPER SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A GREAT TRACK ON THE MAN-ONWARD AND UPWARD YOUNG LADY!

Post it Swimmer. Let us nit-pick you first. We got your back.

yes i would quite enjoy that-fine suggestion

i got to this a little late but it sounds like you are cooking on all 4 burners here. one small suggestion for your thesis-- use a verb like lampoon or satiririze instead of "makes fun of". "wilde lampoons the upper classes by employing.... " then list the elements you plan to write about--hyperbole, parody, dramatic irony, situational irony and so on. be sure that you can devote a paragraph or so to each element. the best advice i can give is to show it to your teacher soon and often so you can get his/her input as you write. your english teacher might growl a little but they are always nicer before the due date---s6

Thanks Shakey, I would, but I don't usually say "lampoons" so I will have to think about it. I will post it when I am done, but I have to request you don't do a thurough edit if you are going to do one because it's for my class and I can't have it edited by a bunch of authors, that's kinda cheating. Plus, its more of a self-edit. :)

i'm an english teacher--does that count?--s6

Hehe you sneaky dog Shakey. Swimmer, get it the very best you can first. That's the rules. You do pretty darn good when you give your all. And that word Lampoon, you just might stumble upon it while you research. As Shakey said, you could mention it in conversation to the teacher. She'll love that you're willing to work and learn. It's the job and thrilling to imagine she's succeeding.

so swmmer, just say you saw it in a thesaurus. a student looking in a thesaurus without being told to would make any english teacher choke up. you will be the golden haired child for all eternity--or the rest of the semester. i promise--s6

Ahh, too late. Oh well, I guess I'll fix what I can :)

SS, I didn't see this on here last night - it must have moved off the most current list, and twelve hours is not necessarily much time to get request done. I don't have edit ability myself, so wouldn't have been any help.

GOOD WORK SUPPER-THE SUGGETIONS I HAVE MADE ARE SIMPLY ONES WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT ENHANCE YOUR PAPER-HOWEVER I BELIEVE THEY MAY MAKE IT A TAD TIGHTER-GOOD STUFF



I was wondering if you could maybe edit this for me please? We all had to re-write them, so now I have time to post this. If you could post any comments by tomorrow morning at the latest that would be great. Thanks. :)
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In Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde shows the ridiculous aristocrats by using over (NOT SURE OVER IS NECESSARY HERE-I SHOULD THINK IT IS EITHER EXAGERRATED OR NOT) exaggeration, satire, and irony.

One way that Wilde shows situational and dramatic irony is in the overall tone of the play. An example of situational irony at the very end of the play when the audiences (and characters) find out that Jack’s real name is Earnest. “Lieutenant 1840, Captain, Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel, General 1869, Christian names, Earnest John.” (Page 71) Dramatic irony is shown numerous times throughout the play as well. All along the audience knew that Jack was not Earnest and Algy was not Earnest. Both (I MIGHT DROP BOTH-WELL I WOULD)Gwendolyn and Cecily, characters in the play, truly believed that the two men’s names were Earnest, when, in fact, they weren’t. The tone shown throughout this example is disbelief; everyone (audience and cast) is surprised to know that Jack’s real name was Earnest all along. (I SEEM TO BE GOING ON A BIT HERE-SORRY-SIMPLE AND PRECISE IS ALWAYS BETTER-THE TWO WORDS-ALL ALONG-FOR ME AT LEAST IN THIS KIND OF STRUCTURE IS TOO PERSONAL)Wilde makes fun of the upper class by over (AGAIN I WOULD DROP OVER)exaggerating everything they say or do. “To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.” (Page 27) In this passage Lady Bracknell is speaking to Jack his parents, or lack there of. The upper class, in Wilde’s time, put too much pressure on parentage and birth. (IS THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE WILDE'S OPINION OR A FACT OR YOURS? THIS IS A PAPER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST, HENCE, IN WILDES OPINION? THE ANSWER MAY BE OBVIOUS HENCE THE PLAY-PERHAPS-IN wILDES OPINION THE UPPER CLASS PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON PARENTAGE AND BIRTH. IS IT AN OPINION OR A FACT?) The tone throughout the majority of the play is surprise, shown by the use of satire and irony.

There are numerous examples of understatement and irony throughout the play; all the examples are shown through use of imagery. From pages fifty-five to fifty-six of the play Jack and Algy discuss eating muffins. Algy was more worried about getting butter on his cuffs than the situation at hand. A parallel scene is also on page fifty-six when they discuss tea-cakes. An example of understatement in the play is when Lady Bracknell questioned Jack about society and education. She doesn’t care that Jack smoked; she actually said that it was good. These are some examples of how imagery is used throughout the play.

Throughout the play there are many forms of love shown. The (I WOULD DROP THE HERE)love is shown by use of satire and over exaggeration. One form of love is the love of names and class. Gwendolyn and Cecily both over exaggerate the need for a husband names (NAMED-OR-FOR A HUSBAND WHOSE NAME IS EARNEST)Earnest. Gwendolyn saying she could never love someone if their name wasn’t Earnest. The love of the name Earnest “forces” the men to say that they are Earnest for the love of the women that they love. There is a love of marriage because most people married for money (another love shown) while others married for actual love. Lady Bracknell was not rich when she was young, but after marrying Lord Bracknell she became a wealthy and powerful woman. These are some examples of theme shown throughout the play.

Wilde makes fun of the upper class society of his time by using satire and irony.