Trace the farcical absurdities in The Importance of Being Earnest. [NU.2017]
"The Importance of Being Earnest" is filled with farcical absurdities, employing mistaken identities, witty dialogues, and improbable situations for comedic effect. Here are some examples of farcical elements in the play:
"The Importance of Being Earnest" is funny because characters make up fake identities and get into silly situations. They care a lot about names, and there's even a mix-up with a baby and a book. The play uses these funny moments to make fun of how seriously people took things in the past, especially about names and social rules.
Algernon and Jack create fictional characters (Bunbury and Earnest) to escape social obligations.
Gwendolen confesses her love for the name "Ernest" and declares she could never marry a man with any other name. This obsession with a name becomes farcical.
Cecily and Gwendolen really want to marry guys with a specific name, "Ernest." It's funny because they care so much about just a name.
Lady Bracknell asks Jack weird questions in an interview. The scene is funny because the questions are so strange.
Algernon pretends to be Jack's brother, "Ernest," to gain access to Cecily. The absurdity of his multiple identities and the confusion it causes contribute to the farcical nature of the play.
The Importance of Being Earnest is a play of absurdity. Jack, who is the central character of the play, has been found in a handbag in the cloak-room of a railway station in London. But the absurdity of this situation is that Miss Prism, a nurse, makes a great mistake but she does not try to report to anyone about her mistake.
Overall, Wilde uses these farcical elements to satirize the societal norms and expectations of the time, infusing the play with humor while offering a critical commentary on the trivialities that preoccupied Victorian society.
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