S6 Essay writing practice:

Question: How does Wilde explore the theme of deception in the ¨Importance of being
earnest¨?
What:
1. Jack lies about his name being ernest. Cigarette case - reveals his double identity.
Bunbury
2. Algernon fakes being jack´s brother to meet and court Cecily.
3. Algernon lies about Bunbury dying. Gwendolen contradicting herself when speaking
to Cecily.
Quotes:
¨Its not Earnest, its Jack¨
Algernon to Cecily ¨You are my little cousin Cecily, I´m sure¨
¨But we will not be the first to speak¨/ ¨Bunbury is dead¨

How does Wilde present deception:

1. Paradoxical language
2. Irony
3. Melodrama
4. Foreshadowing
5. Symbolism
6. Misunderstanding
7. Satire
8. Physyical Comedy(low)
9. Verbal Comedy (low)
Why:
Jack´s character symbolises Wilde´s double life. Wilde was forced to live a double-life to
disguise his sexuality because it was not socially accepted or even legal to be gay in Victorian
times.
Upper classes in Victorian times wer able to use deception to improve their lives, portraying
the shallowness of personnality and class standards.
The portayal of women in Victorian time swas so simpllistic and demeaning. It could be
interpreted that Wilde challenges audiences to re-think the hilarity of it. However, he
ironicallly reinforces the role of patriarchy through this portrayal.
Arguments:
Wilde explores both deception of self and others in this comedy of manners through the
protagonists to poke fun at Victorian rigid rules and society.

In ¨The Importance of being Earnest¨, characters lie as they breathe and even more if nature
would only permit it. But it is only a way to escape the pressures that their upper class
status imposes on them. The play asks us, is it only their hypocrisy or a larger problem with
the society.

Paragraph structure:
In act one, Algernon confesses to having created a made-up ¨invaluable impermanent
invalid¨ called ¨Bunbury¨ whom he cares for to escape social expectations.
Wilde