a. Explain the significance of the full title of the play: The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People). Discuss the meaning of the word earnest and the name Ernest as well as how Wilde communicates his message regarding trivial and serious matters. Use examples from the play.
The full title of Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People)," carries significant meaning and serves as a reflection of Wilde's witty and satirical approach to societal conventions and values.
Firstly, the word "earnest" itself holds multiple layers of meaning. On one hand, it refers to a serious and sincere attitude or intention. Wilde humorously plays with this meaning, as the characters in the play proclaim the importance of being earnest, emphasizing the significance of being genuine and truthful. However, it becomes clear that they are, in fact, quite the opposite. They adopt the name "Ernest" for their own convenience and amusement, using it as a disguise while engaging in frivolous activities and leading double lives.
The name "Ernest," which is a play on the word "earnest," further emphasizes Wilde's ironic commentary. Gwendolen, one of the female leads, declares that "in matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing." She insists that she could only love a man named Ernest, believing that the name itself evokes trustworthiness, honesty, and earnestness. Similarly, Cecily, another character, confesses her attraction to the name Ernest and her refusal to marry any other. By highlighting the importance placed on the name "Ernest," Wilde exposes the superficiality and triviality of society's obsession with appearances and societal expectations.
Furthermore, the subtitle "A Trivial Comedy for Serious People" reinforces Wilde's intention to satirize the upper-class societal norms and values of Victorian England. He criticizes the trivial issues that occupy the minds of the characters, such as their preoccupation with matters of fashion and society. Their focus on trivial matters at the expense of more significant ones is represented in the play by the characters' obsession with the trivial details of their own lives and relationships, while they remain indifferent to larger moral and ethical concerns.
Wilde effectively communicates his message regarding the trivial and serious matters through humorous dialogue and situational irony. For example, Algernon, a character pretending to be Ernest, quips, "I love scrapes. They are the only things that are never serious." This statement exposes the characters' adherence to trivial matters and their avoidance of anything of real significance. Additionally, the play's comedic tone and exaggerated characters underscore the triviality of their concerns, contrasting sharply with the serious issues that remain unaddressed.
Overall, "The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People)" encompasses Wilde's satirical critique of Victorian society's obsession with surface appearances and trivial concerns. The significance of the word "earnest," the play's title, and characters named Ernest all contribute to Wilde's exploration of the dichotomy between superficiality and sincerity and his portrayal of the trivial matters that occupy the minds of the upper class.