Assignment - Subject Code 22395 Paper - 104 Literature of the Victorian Period

This a blog is Part of an Assignment Subject Code 22395 Paper 104 - Literature of  the Victorian Period
Topic of Assignment : [ Jack Worthing's crises in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde ]

◼️Table of Contents :

Personal Information, 

Details of Assignment,

Abstract, 

Keywords, 

Introduction, 

Points of Assignment, 

Conclusion, 

Reference. 

🔷 Personal Information :

Name :- Divya Paledhara

Roll Number :- 5

Enrollment Number :- 5108240026

Batch :- M. A. Sem - 1 (2024-2026) 

Email Id :- divyapaledhara@gmail.com

🔷 Details of Assignment :

Topic :- Jack Worthing's crises in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. 

Paper :- Paper - 104 Subject Code 22395 Literature of the Victorian Period. 

Submitted to :- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar. 

Submission date :- 20, November, 2024

🔷 Abstract :

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is a satirical comedy that explores themes of identity, social conventions, and the absurdities of Victorian society. Jack Worthing, the play’s protagonist, embodies these themes through a series of crises that arise from his double life and mysterious origins. Jack’s first crisis stems from his dual identity: he is "Jack" in the country, a responsible guardian to his ward Cecily Cardew, and "Ernest" in the city, a carefree bachelor. This duplicity leads to complications, especially in his romantic pursuit of Gwendolen Fairfax, who is fixated on marrying a man named Ernest. His second crisis arises when Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen's mother, rejects him due to his unknown parentage, having been found as an infant in a handbag at Victoria Station. These personal and social crises escalate with the arrival of Algernon Moncrieff, Jack’s friend, who impersonates "Ernest" and creates further confusion at Jack’s country estate. The final act resolves Jack’s predicaments as he discovers his true identity: he is the long-lost son of Lady Bracknell’s sister, making him Algernon's brother and, ironically, named Ernest by birth. Through Jack’s crises, Wilde critiques Victorian societal norms, emphasizing the conflict between appearance and reality. The resolution humorously underscores the importance of authenticity while poking fun at the rigid structures of class and morality. Jack’s journey, marked by wit and farce, highlights the enduring relevance of Wilde’s satire.

🔷 Keywords :

Jack Worthing, Protagonist, Dual identity, Responsible guardian, Rmantic hero, Satirical figure. 

Here’s a detailed discussion on Jack Worthing's crises in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, along with a brief overview of Wilde himself.

🔷 Introduction :

🔺 Brief Overview of Oscar Wilde :

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Irish playwright, poet, and novelist, celebrated for his wit, flamboyant personality, and biting satire. Born in Dublin, Wilde excelled academically, attending Trinity College and later Oxford University. Known for his sharp epigrams and keen social commentary, Wilde became a leading figure in the aesthetic movement, which emphasized art for art's sake.

His literary career peaked in the 1890s with works such as The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) and a series of successful plays including Lady Windermere's Fan (1892) and An Ideal Husband (1895). The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), often considered his masterpiece, is a satirical comedy that mocks Victorian societal norms and the institution of marriage. Wilde's career and personal life faced a dramatic downturn following his conviction for "gross indecency," leading to imprisonment and eventual exile. He passed away in 1900 in Paris, leaving behind a legacy of literary brilliance and cultural influence.

Crises of Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest :

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Jack Worthing, also known as John or Ernest, faces a series of crises that drive the play's humor and plot. These crises are tied to his double life, identity, and pursuit of love. Wilde uses Jack's dilemmas to satirize Victorian values, particularly their obsession with appearances, class, and morality.

1. Crisis of Double Identity :

Jack's double life is central to his character. He is "Jack" in the country, where he is a responsible guardian to Cecily Cardew, and "Ernest" in the city, where he enjoys the freedoms of an alter ego. This duplicity allows him to escape the moral constraints of his rural life and indulge in the pleasures of urban society. However, this double life becomes a source of crisis when:

His Lies Catch Up to Him: Gwendolen Fairfax, Jack's romantic interest, believes his name is Ernest, and she is fixated on marrying a man with that name. This creates a problem because his real name is Jack, and he cannot confess the truth without jeopardizing their relationship.

Algernon Moncrieff Complicates Matters: Algernon, Jack’s friend, discovers his secret and uses it to his advantage. Algernon visits Jack's country estate pretending to be "Ernest," further entangling Jack in his web of lies.

The crisis of double identity underscores Wilde's critique of Victorian hypocrisy, where people maintain outward respectability while hiding their true desires and behaviors.

2. Crisis of Love and Marriage :

Jack's love for Gwendolen is a driving force in the play, but their relationship faces several obstacles:

The Name "Ernest": Gwendolen is adamant that she can only love a man named Ernest. Jack's attempts to get christened as "Ernest" highlight the absurdity of valuing superficial traits over genuine affection.

Lady Bracknell's Opposition: Gwendolen's mother, Lady Bracknell, opposes their union due to Jack's ambiguous origins. As an infant, Jack was found in a handbag at Victoria Station, which makes him socially unacceptable in Lady Bracknell's eyes.

This crisis reflects Wilde's satire of Victorian society's fixation on social class and pedigree in marriage. By exaggerating Lady Bracknell's objections, Wilde exposes the irrationality of such prejudices.

3. Crisis of Identity and Origins :

Jack's biggest personal crisis arises from his mysterious origins. Throughout the play, he struggles with:

Uncertainty About His Parentage: Jack was adopted by Mr. Thomas Cardew, but his biological parents remain unknown. This lack of a proper lineage becomes a major barrier to marrying Gwendolen.

The Handbag Revelation: Lady Bracknell’s interrogation reveals that Jack was found in a handbag, deepening the comedic absurdity of his predicament.

Algernon’s Relationship with Cecily: Jack forbids Algernon from courting Cecily because of Algernon’s deception. However, Algernon’s interest in Cecily adds pressure on Jack to resolve his own issues of identity.

This crisis ultimately leads to the play's resolution, where Jack discovers his true identity. He learns that he is actually the son of Lady Bracknell's sister and, therefore, Algernon's elder brother. Ironically, his birth name is Ernest, resolving both his romantic and personal crises.

4. Crisis of Social Expectations :

Jack represents the tension between  personal freedom and societal expectations. His double life is a reaction to the strict moral codes of Victorian society. However, these societal pressures create significant conflicts:

Guardianship of Cecily: As Cecily’s guardian, Jack is expected to uphold moral standards and act as a role model. His secret life as "Ernest" is at odds with this responsibility.

Confronting Lady Bracknell: Lady Bracknell embodies the rigid norms of Victorian society, and her interrogation of Jack highlights the absurdity of such expectations. Jack's struggle to meet her demands exposes the arbitrary nature of social judgments.

Resolution of Crises :

Jack's crises are resolved in the final act, where Wilde ties up the play's conflicts in a humorous and ironic manner:

Discovery of True Identity: Jack learns that he is actually Ernest Moncrieff, the legitimate son of Lady Bracknell’s sister. This revelation means that his name has always been Ernest, fulfilling Gwendolen’s requirement and making their union socially acceptable.

Restoration of Social Standing: Jack’s newfound lineage elevates him to the aristocracy, silencing Lady Bracknell’s objections.

Acceptance of Truth: Jack no longer needs to live a double life. His declaration, "I’ve now realized for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest," underscores the play's central theme of honesty versus pretense.

Themes Explored Through Jack’s Crises :

1) The Duality of Human Nature

Jack's double life reflects Wilde’s exploration of the duality between public and private personas.

2) Satire of Victorian Morality

Wilde uses Jack’s predicaments to mock the superficiality of societal norms and the emphasis on appearances over substance.

3) Identity and Self-Discovery

Jack’s journey from ignorance to self-awareness mirrors the broader human quest for identity.

4) Marriage and Social Conventions

The obstacles in Jack’s pursuit of marriage highlight the absurdity of class-based prejudices.

Comparison of Jack Worthing (The Importance of Being Earnest) with Professor Parimal Tripathi (Chupke Chupke)

     Jack Worthing, the protagonist of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, and Professor Parimal Tripathi, the lead character in the Hindi film Chupke Chupke (played by Dharmendra), share some notable similarities in their use of deception and double identities to navigate their lives. Here’s a simple comparison:

1. Use of a False Identity

• Jack Worthing: Jack creates a fictitious brother named "Ernest" to escape his country responsibilities and enjoy the pleasures of city life. In the city, he introduces himself as "Ernest" to maintain this double life. His deception is a way to escape the rigidity of Victorian society.
• Parimal Tripathi: Parimal impersonates a Hindi-speaking chauffeur named Pyare Mohan to prank his wife’s brother-in-law. His playful deception is a lighthearted way to challenge the ego of Raghavendra Sharma (Om Prakash).

2. Purpose of the Deception

• Jack: Jack’s deception has a romantic motive, as he uses his "Ernest" persona to woo Gwendolen, who admires the name. It also highlights the societal pressures to conform to expectations.
• Parimal: Parimal’s deception is purely comedic, aiming to create chaos and humor within a family setting. His goal is to playfully undermine Raghavendra’s authoritative personality.

3. Conflict and Resolution

• Jack: Jack’s double life causes misunderstandings when his fiancée, Gwendolen, and her mother, Lady Bracknell, uncover inconsistencies in his story. The resolution comes when his true identity is revealed, showing he is indeed "Ernest" by birth.
• Parimal: Parimal’s charade leads to hilarious situations, particularly with Raghavendra’s inability to catch on. The truth is revealed in good humor, strengthening familial bonds.

4. Personality Traits :

• Jack: Jack is charming, responsible (in his country life), and witty, but his deceptive side reflects his struggle against societal constraints.
• Parimal : Primal is intelligent, fun-loving, and mischievous. His deception is driven by a desire to entertain and teach humility to Raghavendra.

 🔷 Conclusion :

Jack Worthing's crises in The Importance of Being Earnest form the backbone of the play’s comedic and thematic structure. Through his dilemmas, Wilde delivers a scathing critique of Victorian society while entertaining the audience with witty dialogue and farcical situations. Jack’s resolution—learning that he has been "earnest" all along—reveals Wilde’s playful take on the Importance of authenticity in a world obsessed with appearances.

This combination of humor, social commentary, and irony cements Wilde’s play as a timeless masterpiece, with Jack’s crises serving as a lens to explore universal themes of identity, love, and societal expectations.

🔷Reference :

Article title : The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) by Oscar Wilde: Conformity and Resistance in Victorian Society

URL : https://zendy.io/title/10.4000%2Fcve.2717

Website title : Zendy 

Date accessed : November 19, 2024

Article Title : Thienpont, Eva. “From Faltering Arrow to Pistol Shot: The Importance of Being Earnest.” The Cambridge Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 2004, pp. 245–55http://www.jstor.org/stable/42967447. JSTOR, . Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

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Image : 3