Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Our March 2018 Short Story/Novella read is the play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, 76 pages, 1895

Yay!!!!

My hair has gone quite gold with grief at this choice ;)

I read this at school and really liked it. I am not sure yet if I will read with the group - I'm not big on re-reading - but will definitely join in with discussion where I can. :)

I read this last year and found the background information to be fascinating. Looking forward to the discussions.

I read this last month and liked it. Looking forward to the discussion.

I really enjoyed this play. I think I have seen 1 or 2 movie versions of it. The dialogue is great and I liked the many interconnections of the characters. I especially liked the two butlers. Algernon's man Lane had the perfect response for everything, coming to his master's rescue more than once. I think he might have been the smartest character in the play.

As with other selections in the short story category, this is contained in a book along with other of Wilde's plays. I always feel compelled to read the whole book when I have gotten it from the library. So you folks are making me read more than what's on the menu!

Vicki wrote: "I really enjoyed this play. I think I have seen 1 or 2 movie versions of it. The dialogue is great and I liked the many interconnections of the characters. I especially liked the two butlers. Alger..."

Vicki, you are totally right - Lane is the smartest! Thanks for pointing that out.
I also now have an itch to read the rest of Wilde's plays too.

I read this last month. Enjoyed it. Very witty dialogue.

When do we start?

I enjoyed this play. It was an interesting story with witty and humorous dialogue and descriptions. But I'm not sure if I perfectly understood the significance of the title to the story. I'd like to hear what other members think of it. :)

I thought the title was a play on words about the character named Ernest and how he was in the right place at the right time.

I read this last March. I remember it as a humorous and witty play. I hope to at least skim it again this month, it not actually find the time to reread it fully.

Bob, if you don't find the time to reread there are a few productions available to watch on YouTube. I can recommend the 1952 version, it really captured the absurd wit of it all.

I have seen this play at least two times. It is a wonderfully funny play.

Piyangie wrote: "I'm not sure if I perfectly understood the significance of the title to the story. I'd like to hear what other members think of it. :)"

It's a play on words about being Ernest by name (the name itself, which Cecily is obsessed with and which leads to confusion since two of them claim the name) and earnest by nature in the sense of being sincere, resolute, showing conviction (which none of the characters really do -- they are all quite flighty and shallow, really).

Every time I pick this up, I get a little giddy, knowing it's going to be fun! This is my first time reading it, but have seen the 2002 film at least once.

About the film ... Rupert Everett is perfect as Algy. I'm picturing him while I'm reading. And I'm also picturing Minnie Driver as Cecily--I mean she might as well be reading the part in my head. Why? She's not in the film--it's Reece Witherspoon (who I didn't think was that perfect for it). Turns out I'm picturing Minnie Driver because she was in An Ideal Husband (the other Wilde play I've read and seen) sparring with Rupert Everett. She would have been perfect for this one too.

Sorry to go on--I'm just staging a great production in my head right now, and loving this read!

Kathleen, I enjoyed that film too. And I agree with you- Rupert Everett was perfect as Algy.

Oh I might have to look up that modern adaption. I've only seen the 1950s film version.

I like Rupert Everett and that version was clever, but I still love the 1950s version above everything. The way Lady Bracknell delivers the line "A haaaaaaand baaaaaag?!" is brilliant. And that line, "I had no idea there were any persons whose origin was a Terminus.” XD

Kathleen wrote: "... And I'm also picturing Minnie Driver as Cecily--I mean she might as well be reading the part in my head. Why? She's not in the film--it's Reece Witherspoon (who I didn't think was that perfect for it). Turns out I'm picturing Minnie Driver because she was in An Ideal Husband (the other Wilde play I've read and seen) sparring with Rupert Everett. She would have been perfect for this one too."

Ha ha ha, I’ve seen both films and your post confused men as well.
I’m looking forward to the discussion

This Importance of being earnest is a jewel and Wilde a goldsmith.
There's so much to say about being earnest. Men are always earnest. Only their earnestness changes.

I listened to the L.A. Theatre Works production on CD from the library and thoroughly enjoyed it. In less skillful hands this would have just been silly. Oscar Wilde is brilliant.

This is one of my favorites. The fast paced wit is wonderful. I bet Oscar Wilde was fun at a party.

Marilyn wrote: "I listened to the L.A. Theatre Works production on CD from the library and thoroughly enjoyed it. In less skillful hands this would have just been silly. Oscar Wilde is brilliant."

I listened to this one too and I think hearing the acting enhanced the experience for me. (This is typically the case for me with plays, so I usually try to listen to audio versions.) The humor tended to be sillier than what I typically enjoy, but by the end I was pretty amused and thought it was cleverly done.

I can't imagine what a feature film of this play would be like. I will have to check out the ones that have been mentioned in this thread!

Gabrielle wrote: "This Importance of being earnest is a jewel and Wilde a goldsmith.
There's so much to say about being earnest. Men are always earnest. Only their earnestness changes."

Are they more earnest when they're Ernest, or more earnest when not Ernest? Either way they weren't very earnest even when they were Ernest were they?

Renee wrote: "Are they more earnest when they're Ernest, or more earnest when not Ernest? Either way they weren't very earnest even when they were Ernest were they?"

A Wilde-worthy comment :)

Michele wrote: "Renee wrote: "Are they more earnest when they're Ernest, or more earnest when not Ernest? Either way they weren't very earnest even when they were Ernest were they?"

A Wilde-worthy comment :)"

Ha! Yes!

I really enjoyed it. I haven't read that much Wilde, but whereas An Ideal Husband didn't quite get there for me, The Importance of Being Earnest certainly does. I think this is Wilde at his most viciously focussed. It's well done from start to finish. Everything fits into place with precise elegance and there is no coyness or holding back in it.

The silly characters, the ridiculous plot, and the absurd speeches do a better job of targeting the hypocrisy, the shallowness, the greed and opportunism of high society (and of all people, really) than any truly earnest (ha!) approach could have done. I imagine the 'serious people' this comedy was for originally, must have felt the shots keenly, while still laughing.

However, I think the humour, the comedy are only half of the play's value. If one were to dissect it in detail, I suspect, it would become darker and darker and more and more bitter at its core the deeper you went.

Nix wrote: "I really enjoyed it. I haven't read that much Wilde, but whereas An Ideal Husband didn't quite get there for me, The Importance of Being Earnest certainly does. I think this is Wilde at..."

I very much agree with you about the underlying darkness, Nix. Wilde uses comedy to criticise characters in society & quite blatantly shows their hypocrisy. It's much more effective, as you say, to make these points through laughter. What delights me about this play the most is that the jokes are still funny today.

Nix wrote: "If one were to dissect it in detail, I suspect, it would become darker and darker and more and more bitter at its core the deeper you went."

I hadn't really thought about it, but yes, I can see that. The idea that woman are so shallow they would judge a man (and MARRY him!) based solely on his name is pretty satirical :)

Michele wrote: "Renee wrote: "Are they more earnest when they're Ernest, or more earnest when not Ernest? Either way they weren't very earnest even when they were Ernest were they?"

A Wilde-worthy comment :)"

Renee wrote: "Gabrielle wrote: "This Importance of being earnest is a jewel and Wilde a goldsmith.
There's so much to say about being earnest. Men are always earnest. Only their earnestness changes."

Are they m..."

Absolutely! :)
This said, I think this kind of characters are earnest in both cases. They only want to have fun in life, they amuse themselves, who ever they pretend to be or not to be. As they don't take what they say seriously, they don't mind saying one thing or its contrary.

Nix wrote: "I really enjoyed it. I haven't read that much Wilde, but whereas An Ideal Husband didn't quite get there for me, The Importance of Being Earnest certainly does. I think this is Wilde at..."

You're right, Nix.
I'm currently reading Vanity Fair by Thackeray. Same goal, but different way to say it. I prefer much more Wilde's way. I think it's easier to listen to what people think of your defaults when it's said with humour. and "brio"!

Gabrielle wrote: "This said, I think this kind of characters are earnest in both cases. They only want to have fun in life, they amuse themselves, who ever they pretend to be or not to be. As they don't take what they say seriously, they don't mind saying one thing or its contrary."

One might say they are earnest in their pursuit of frivolity :)

Michele wrote: "Gabrielle wrote: "This said, I think this kind of characters are earnest in both cases. They only want to have fun in life, they amuse themselves, who ever they pretend to be or not to be. As they ..."

Here is an answer worthy of Mr. Wilde!

It goes a bit deeper than just a play on the meaning of sincerity and honesty. Wilde is a Catholic writer and is also commenting on identity, morals, ethics, societal values, and Protestant England's take on marriage. If you read his short story The Happy Prince, you'll get a better understanding of where he's at with the hierarchical structure of society, etc.

Yes--he touches on insincerity in many things. My favorite example of this was the diary discussion. A relationship so shallow he didn't even need to be there for it!

Ha! Ha! Yes, exactly.

Kathleen wrote: "Yes--he touches on insincerity in many things. My favorite example of this was the diary discussion. A relationship so shallow he didn't even need to be there for it!"

Perfect :)