Monday, 12 December 2011

Instructions

Dear Sir/Madame

I am writing to inform you of my short absence from the Manor, in which case you will have to replace me. I am sorry for the short notice but you seemed to me to be best suited as my replacement. As you have applied for this position I am afraid to mention it bears with it very hard word and dedication. Mr Moncrieff has many needs to be tended to, and so I hope very dearly that you do a good job of it. He in particular has a very big appetite, so make sure that food is always at hand otherwise his temper will get the better of him and we certainly don't want that. Muffins are of his favourite so keep plenty in the house. But do remember that when Sir Algernon is a slight bit upset he will overeat with little emotion.

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Lady Bracknell Speak

Dear Eugene
Ernest, Ernest, Ernest, this name has an absolute repulsive ring to it. The cheek,  how could he even consider having interest in my dear Gwendolen let alone propose to her. Today my own Eugene, I came across a terrible situation. Ernest Worthing asked for Gwendolens’ hand in marriage.
Gwendolen must be worth 10 of him. She is such a beautiful girl at a Young ripe age, with an amazing unspoiled nature. He would not be able to look after her properly, Although he claims he loves her profoundly he does not have any relations! How ridiculous is that? He was found in a leather bag! I must say when I heard these words from his mouth I found is extremely hard to control my laughter!  Found in a leather bag! What a joke!

I understand that i might seem like a cruel person, but in these days you have to be careful. The society is not like it was 5 years ago. We are higher class people we have to worry about every little thing. What will everyone say when they find out about Gwendolen marrying a Man Found in a Bag! we will become a laughing stock! all the women will mock me.

What shocks me most is the daughter I raised to be sensible and understanding has now for the first time gone against me. She is also persistent in wedding Ernest. She says she will not marry anyone else. She will never forgive me etc. But this is her inner child speaking. Soon she will come to her senses.

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

What are the similarities between Cecily and Algernon?


What are the similarities between Cecily and Algernon? Compare and contrast their use of inversions and the role which imagination plays in their lives. 

There seem to be many underlying similarities between Algernon and Cecily in the play ‘The importance of being Earnest’. They are both outspoken and imaginative individuals who enjoy having a laugh once in a while. They are both of similar status and so come across more alike than different.  Oscar Wilde enjoys including his humorous and witty side within Algernon and Cecily’s characters, and this can been witnessed throughout the play. In the following essay I will be comparing the similarities between Algernon and Cecily.

Algernon is very laid back and down to earth about life in general. He doesn’t take anything seriously and enjoys the pleasures of being a bachelor, for example he says ‘the only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to someone else, if she is plain’. He doesn’t believe in committing to one person and takes pleasure in variety. Similarly Cecily is also a much laid back and realistic young girl who enjoys dwelling on the beauty of imagination and thinking less about the more unentertaining side of life; education. ‘But I don’t like German...I know perfectly well that I look plain after my German lesson.’ She is very young and would not want her youth to be worn out by studying. She has perfect intention to do far more interesting things with her life as with Algernon who always conjures up better and more inventive ideas; they rather not spend their time doing useless and uncreative things that would bring boredom to one’s life/lifestyle. 

Algernon and Cecily are both incredibly imaginative. Algernon has himself an invalid friend who goes by the name ‘Bunbury’, whom he uses to get out of tedious social occasions. This aspect of his personality makes him amusing and somewhat sarcastic. ‘I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose’. Bunbury is a work of fiction and imagination working hand in hand. Similarly Cecily also has a wicked imagination; her fascination with ‘Uncle Jack’s brother’ had moved her, so much so that she fabricated an elaborative romance between herself and Earnest. This romance consisted of a ring, love letters (written by her) and an engagement that had also been broken off sometime during the all invented love story. 

The play by Oscar Wilde contains many inversions that portray accepted Victorian practices with regard to gender roles. For example Lady Bracknell seizes the role of the father in interviewing Jack, since typically this was a father’s job to do so. In another case it can relate the practice of marriage which seems to be the main focus of the play. When Algernon remarks, ‘Divorces are made in heaven,’ he inverts the cliché about marriages being ‘made in heaven.’ 

To put it briefly Algernon and Cecily share many aspects of their personalities together. They indeed have more similarities than differences. They are both witty and outspoken individuals who aren’t afraid of letting their imaginations run wild.

Monday, 26 September 2011

Analysis of Act1 Scene 1 of the Importance of Being Earnest

In act 1 scene of the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest' we can see that Argenon has a higher relative status than that of Jack Worthing. This is because he is leading the conversation, he has a strong grip on the conversation and does not let it be taken into Jacks control. All the way through the scene Algenon and Jack seem to be having a normal one-to-one conversation, as they take turns to speak; one doesn't have superiority over the other to be speaking continuously throughout the scene. 

The manner of the conversation is informal. It's between two close friends talking about as well as teasing each other over their made up names or people. This also comes in under 'coinage'. Argenon has made up a  term for an 'imaginary friend' if you like to call it that. 

Sunday, 18 September 2011

Analysis on ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’


The title ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ conveys two very different meanings of the word ‘Earnest’, which adds curiosity to what the title could actually portray. In one hand it could stand for honesty and sincerity or on the other hand seriousness, it too relating to a name of an individual. On the whole the word itself seems to play an important role in the play, could there be a character in the play called Earnest that this play could be revolved around. Anyhow, this title is then followed by a sub-title: ‘A trivial comedy for serious people’. Simply by reading this a comedic meaning has been added to the overall representation of what the play could be about; it is connoting that be it for serious people the play should also be taken optimistically.

As you move on cautiously to observe the cast list you notice that there is a clear division between the characters and their stature mentioned. This difference can be distinguished by titles given to some characters such as ‘Lady Bracknell’ and ‘hon. Gwendolen Fairfax’ who have a high status in the play but on the other hand the titles are also given to ‘Merrimen, Butler’ and ‘Lane, Manservant’, who have a lower status in the play. This shows a clear separation between the characters and their statuses as the first two mentioned have their full names included as well as their titles, and the second two characters only have their second names mentioned and also their working titles. Through these distinct differences between the characters’ names one can merely make observations of the outcome of the story if not know about the individuality of the characters and how they might be perceived throughout the play. 

Whilst reading Act 1 Scene 1 of the play, before any character is mentioned you can straight away pick out a clear difference in stature between Lane and Argenon. Lane is the ‘manservant’ and Argenon is the master. He is the superior one out of the relationship and is one who gets his way, whereas Lane doesn’t. Lane typically gives short replies for example: ‘yes, sir’. This clearly shows that Argenon Moncrieff has and is of higher status than Lane. Lane tries to put across his view on marriage: ‘I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it myself up to the present. I have only been married once. That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young lady’, and fails because of the reply he gets from Algernon; ‘[Languidly.] I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.’ He seems to want the mutual relationship that he has with Lane to be kept at decent working manner, trying not to mix, or give way to closer relationships between people of different statuses.

Monday, 12 September 2011

Yayyy !

My First Blog ever! OMG LOL
Welcome people... enjoy the blog i know you'll love it.
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