Dalam makalah ini, penulis ingin menganalisa The Importance of Being Earnest karya Oscar Wilde. Pnulis ingin berdiskusi mengenai beberapa hubungan social yang unik pada tiap hubungan karakter dengan lainnya. Hubungan social ini berdasarkan peran gender tiap karakter. Hal ini membuat drama menjadi lebih menarik dengan menganalisa bagaimana tiap karakter berkomunikasi dengan karakter lainnya berdasarkan peran gendernya. Cara Oscar Wilde menempatkan hubungan social ini di dalam drama membuat drama ini memiliki banyak arti tersirat yang sangat sempurna untuk dianalisa dari drama ini.

1. The
Importance of
Being Earnest
By: Oscar Wilde
(Analyzed by Ayu Bulan
Paramastri)

2. ABSTRACT
In this paper, the writer wants to analyze The Importance of Being
Earnest authorized by Oscar Wilde. The writer wants to discuss
about some unique social relationships in each character’s
relationship with the others. These social relationships are based
on each character’s gender role. This makes the drama becomes
more interesting by analyzing how each character communicates
with the other characters based on their gender roles. The way how
Oscar Wilde puts this relationship in, makes this drama has many
implicit meanings that is perfect to be analyzed from this drama.
 Keywords: The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde,
Drama, Social Relationship, Gender Role, Character,
Analysis.

3. ABSTRAK
Dalam makalah ini, penulis ingin menganalisa The Importance of
Being Earnest karya Oscar Wilde. Pnulis ingin berdiskusi mengenai
beberapa hubungan social yang unik pada tiap hubungan karakter
dengan lainnya. Hubungan social ini berdasarkan peran gender tiap
karakter. Hal ini membuat drama menjadi lebih menarik dengan
menganalisa bagaimana tiap karakter berkomunikasi dengan
karakter lainnya berdasarkan peran gendernya. Cara Oscar Wilde
menempatkan hubungan social ini di dalam drama membuat drama
ini memiliki banyak arti tersirat yang sangat sempurna untuk
dianalisa dari drama ini.
 Kata Kunci: The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde,
Drama, Hubungan Sosial, Peran Gender, Karakter, Analisis.

4. Background of The Study
The Importance of Being Earnest is written by Oscar Wilde. It is
first performed on February 14th, 1895 at the St James's Theatre in
London. The Importance of Being Ernest is a farcical comedy in which
the protagonists maintain imaginary character to escape burdensome
social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian
London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats
institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian
ways. The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular
play.
“Aristotle called drama “imitated human action”. But since his
meaning of IMITATION is in doubt, this phrase is not as simple or
clear as it seems. Professor J.M. Manly saw three necessary elements
in drama: (1) a STORY (2) told in ACTION (3) by ACTORS who
impersonate the CHARACTERS of the STORY. Yet many writers insist
that DIALOGUE developed must be present” (Holman, 1980:
138).

5. Purpose of The Study
 To appreciate the poem of Oscar Wilde’s The
Importance of Being Ernest.
 To analyze the intrinsic elements (Characters) in
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest.
 To analyze the extrinsic element (Social Relationships
and the Gender Roles) in Oscar Wilde’s The
Importance of Being Ernest.

6. Scope of The Study
 The scope of this study is to analize the
intrinsic elements in Oscar Wilde, The Importance
of Being Ernest, such as the Characters. While,
extrinsic elements in this study will focuse on
Social Relationships and the Gender Roles.

7. The Biography of The Author
Born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Irish writer Oscar Wilde is
best known for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the play The
Importance of Being Earnest, as well as for his infamous arrest and
imprisonment for being gay.
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born on October 16,
1854 in Dublin, Ireland. His father, William Wilde, was an acclaimed
doctor who was knighted for his work as medical advisor for the Irish
censuses. William Wilde later founded St. Mark's Ophthalmic Hospital,
entirely at his own personal expense, to treat the city's poor. Oscar
Wilde's mother, Jane Francesca Elgee, was a poet who was closely
associated with the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, a skilled linguist
whose acclaimed English translation of Pomeranian novelist Wilhelm
Meinhold's Sidonia the Sorceress had a deep influence on her son's later
writing.
Taken from: http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-wilde-
9531078#synopsis

8. The Summary
The play begins in the flat of wealthy Algernon Moncrieff
(Algy) in London's fashionable West End. Algernon's aunt (Lady
Bracknell) and her daughter (Gwendolen Fairfax) are coming for a
visit, but Mr. Jack Worthing (a friend of Algy's) arrives first. Algernon
finds it curious that Jack has announced himself as "Ernest." When
Jack explains that he plans to propose marriage to Gwendolen, Algy
demands to know why Jack has a cigarette case with the
inscription, "From little Cecily with her fondest love." Jack explains
that his real name is Jack Worthing, squire, in the country, but he
assumes the name "Ernest" when he ventures to the city for fun.
Cecily is his ward. While devouring all the cucumber sandwiches,
Algernon confesses that he, too, employs deception when it's
convenient. He visits an imaginary invalid friend named Bunbury
when he needs an excuse to leave the city.

9. Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive. Algernon explains
that he cannot attend Lady Bracknell's reception because he must
visit his invalid friend, Bunbury, but he offers to arrange the music
for her party. While Algernon distracts Lady Bracknell in another
room, Jack proposes to Gwendolen. Unfortunately, she explains
that she really wants to marry someone named Ernest because it
sounds so solidly aristocratic. However, she accepts his proposal,
and he makes a mental note to be rechristened Ernest. Lady
Bracknell returns and refutes the engagement. She interrogates
Jack and finds him lacking in social status. On her way out, Lady
Bracknell tells Jack that he must find some acceptable parents.
Gwendolen returns for Jack's address in the country. Algernon
overhears and writes the address on his shirt cuff. He is curious
about Cecily and decides to go "bunburying" in the country.

10. In the second act, the scene shifts to Jack Worthing's country estate
where Miss Prism, Cecily Cardew's governess, is teaching Cecily in the
garden. Miss Prism sings Jack's praises as a sensible and responsible man,
unlike his brother Ernest, who is wicked and has a weak character. She teaches
Cecily that good people end happily, and bad people end unhappily, according
to the romantic novel Miss Prism wrote when she was young. The local vicar,
Canon Chasuble, arrives and, sensing an opportunity for romance, takes Miss
Prism for a walk in the garden. While they are gone, Algy shows up pretending
to be Jack's wicked brother Ernest. He is overcome by Cecily's beauty.
Determined to learn more about Cecily while Jack is absent, Algernon plans to
stay for the weekend, then make a fast getaway before Jack arrives on Monday.
However, Jack returns early in mourning clothes claiming that his brother
Ernest has died in Paris. He is shocked to find Algy there posing as Ernest. He
orders a dogcart — a small horse-drawn carriage — to send Algy back to
London, but it is too late. Algernon is in love with Cecily and plans to stay
there. When Jack goes out, Algernon proposes to Cecily, who gets out a diary
and letters that she has already written, explaining that she had already
imagined their engagement. She has always wanted to marry someone named
Ernest, so Algy, like Jack, needs to arrange a rechristening.

11. Just when it seems that Jack and Algernon couldn't get
into worse trouble, Gwendolen arrives, pursuing Jack, and
discovers that his ward, Cecily, is unpleasantly beautiful. In
conversation, they discover that they are both engaged to
Ernest Worthing. A battle follows, cleverly carried out during
the British tea ceremony. The situation is tense. Jack and
Algernon arrive, and, in attempting to straighten out the
Ernest problem, they alienate both women. The two men
follow, explaining that they are going to be rechristened
Ernest, and the women relent and agree to stay engaged.

12. Lady Bracknell shows up demanding an explanation for the couples' plans.
When she discovers the extent of Cecily's fortune, she gives her consent to her
engagement to Algernon; however, Jack's parentage is still a stumbling block to her
blessings. Jack tells Lady Bracknell that he will not agree to Cecily's engagement until she
is of age (35) unless he can marry Gwendolen. Dr. Chasuble arrives and announces that all
is ready for the christenings. Jack explains that the christenings will no longer be
necessary. Noting that Jack's present concerns are secular, the minister states that he will
return to the church where Miss Prism is waiting to see him. Shocked at hearing the name
"Prism," Lady Bracknell immediately calls for Prism and reveals her as the governess who
lost Lady Bracknell's nephew 28 years earlier on a walk with the baby carriage. She
demands to know where the baby is. Miss Prism explains that in a moment of distraction
she placed the baby in her handbag and left him in Victoria Station, confusing him with
her three-volume novel, which was placed in the baby carriage. After Jack asks for details,
he quickly runs to his room and retrieves the handbag. Miss Prism identifies it, and Lady
Bracknell reveals that Jack is Algernon's older brother, son of Ernest John Moncrieff, who
died years ago in India. Jack now truly is Ernest, and Algernon/Cecily, Jack/Gwendolen,
and Chasuble/Prism fall into each other's arms as Jack realizes the importance of being
earnest.
Taken from: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/i/the-importance-of-being-earnest/play-
summary

13. Literary Review
Intrinsic element and extrinsic element of drama
are elements contained in a drama, which are used to
understand the studying and understanding the implicit
meaning of a drama. There are several intrinsic elements
in drama, but this study will only focus on Characters and
Gender Roles. And for the extrinsic elements will only
focus on the Social relationship based on the gender roles.

14. Literary Review (Instrinsic 1)
 Characters
A character, then, is presumably an imagined person
who inhabits a story although that simple definition
may admit to a few exceptions (Kennedy, 1983: 45).

15. Literary Review (Exstrinsic 1)
 Social Relationship
The sum of the social interactions between people over time. This can be a
positive or a negative relationship. Momentary social interactions can be
described in terms of parental care, dominant-subordinate or aggressive-
fearful interactions etc.
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP: "A social relationship can be positive or
negative."
Taken from: http://psychologydictionary.org/social-relationship/

16. Literary Review (Exstrinsic 2)
A gender role is a set of societal norms dictating what types of
behaviors are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for
a person based on their actual or perceived sex. These are usually centered
on opposing conceptions of femininity and masculinity, although there are
myriad exceptions and variations. The specifics regarding these gendered
expectations may vary substantially among cultures, while other
characteristics may be common throughout a range of cultures.
Taken from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_role

17. Discussion (Intrinsic1)
 Character
John ‘Jack’ Worthing
John ‘Jack’ Wothing is at first known as the adopted son of Mr. Thomas Cardew.
Mr. Cardew found him in a handbag left in the cloakroom of a railway station.
“JACK
The late Mr Thomas Cardew, an old gentleman of a very charitable and kindly
disposition, found me, and gave me the name of Worthing, because he happened
to have a first-class ticket for Worthing in his pocket at the time. Worthing is a
place in Sussex. It is a seaside resort” (ACT 1).
The quotation above shows why John ‘Jack’ has the surname Worthing not Cardew.

18. John ‘Jack’ is a romantic person as can be seen when he proposes
Gwendolen: “Gwendolen, will you marry me? Goes on his knees” (ACT
1). He has an imaginary brother named Earnest who is sickly and living
in London. The purpose of creating this imaginary brother is to have a
chance leave temporarily the domestic household in Shropshire. It can be
seen from Algernon’s words: “You have invented a very useful younger
brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town
as often as you like” (ACT 1).

19. Discussion (Intrinsic1)
Algernon Moncrieff
Algernon is not a romantic young man:
“I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very
romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite
proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then
the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is
uncertainty. If ever I get married, I’ll certainly try to forget the fact”
(ACT 1).
He is the nephew of Lady Bracknell and cousin of Gwendolen (Lady
Bracknell’s only Daughter). He lives in London.

20. Discussion (Intrinsic1)
Gwendolen Fairfax
Gwendolen is Lady Bracknell’s only daughter. She is a very romantic person. She is
in love with John ‘Jack’ Worthing whom she knows as Ernest Worthing. She insists that she
loves a person with the name whose name is Ernest because to her the name Ernest sounds
melodious and romantic:
“GWENDOLEN
Jack?—No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It
does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations—I have known several
Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides,
Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married
to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing
pleasure of a single moment’s solitude. The only really safe name is Ernest” (ACT 1).

21. Discussion (Intrinsic1)
Cecily Cardew
Cecily is the only grand-daughter of Mr. Thomas Cardew who adopted John ‘Jack’
Worthing as his son. Cecily is also a very romantic young girl and she imaginatively
engaged herself to ‘Ernest’ who is imaginary brother of John ‘Jack’ because his name is
Ernest. She also thinks that the name Ernest is a beautiful name:
“Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger
brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief
topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And of course a man who
is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be
something in him after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with
you, Ernest” (ACT 2).

22. Discussion (Extrinsic 1)
 Social Relationship
Basically, the social relationship in The Importance of Being Earnest focuses on the high
class. The outstanding characteristic of the high class is its concern on wealth. This can be
seen in the interrogation done by Lady Bracknell to John ‘Jack’Worthing:
“JACK
I have a country house with some land, of course, attached to it, about fifteen
hundred acres, I believe; but I don’t depend on that for my real income. In fact, as
far as I can make out, the poachers are the only people who make anything out of it.
LADY BRACKNELL
A country house! How many bedrooms? Well, that point can be cleared up
afterwards. You have a town house, I hope? A girl with a simple, unspoiled nature,
like Gwendolen, could hardly be expected to reside in the country” (ACT 1).
The interrogation above focuses on the property of John ‘Jack’ Worthing in the form of land
and houses in town and in the country.

23. The interrogation below also indicates Lady Bracknell’s concern on Cecily’s
wealth because her nephew, Algernon, is in love with Cecily. Lady Bracknell
represents the high class:
“JACK
Oh! about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds. That is all.
Good-bye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you.
LADY BRACKNELL (Sitting down again)
A moment, Mr Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the
Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I
look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of
the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an
age of surfaces. (To cecily) Come over here, dear. (cecily goes across) Pretty
child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might
have left it. But we can soon alter all that. A thoroughly experienced French
maid produces a really marvellous result in a very brief space of time. I
remember recommending one to young Lady Lancing, and after three months
her own husband did not know her” (ACT 3).

24. The conversation between Gwendolen and Cecily below also
indicates the high class characteristic symbolized by Gwendolen who
underestimates the countryside:
“GWENDOLEN
Personally I cannot understand how anybody manages to exist in
the country, if anybody who is anybody does. The country always
bores me to death.
CECILY
Ah! This is what the newspapers call agricultural depression, is it
not? I believe the aristocracy are suffering very much from it just at
present. It is almost an epidemic amongst them, I have been told.
May I offer you some tea, Miss Fairfax?
GWENDOLEN (With elaborate politeness)
Thank you. (Aside) Detestable girl! But I require tea!

25. CECILY (Sweetly)
Sugar?
GWEDOLEN (Superciliously)
No, thank you. Sugar is not fashionable any more.
cecily looks angrily at her, takes up the tongs, and puts four lumps of sugar into the
cup
CECILY (Severely)
Cake or bread and butter?
GWENDOLEN (In a bored manner)
Bread and butter, please. Cake is rarely seen at the best houses nowadays” (ACT 2).
The heated conversation also indicates Gwendolen’s underestimation to Cecily in the form of
the manners and popular knowledge about health. Gwendolen shows to Cecily that she knows
more and she has more manners because she is from the city.

26. Discussion (Extrinsic 2)
 Gender Roles
In The Importance of Being Earnest, there are reversal gender roles. The females
are not passionate, calm, or doing domestic works only. Lady Bracknell for example, she is
a heartless woman who does not show any emotion as can be seen in the following
quotation:
“LADY BRACKNELL
Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr Bunbury made up his
mind whether he was going to live or to die” (ACT 1).
Gwendolen, instead of timid and shy, is a rather aggressive girl as can be seen in the
following quotation:
“GWENDOLEN
Yes, I am quite aware of the fact. And I often wish that in public, at any rate, you
had been more demonstrative” (ACT 1).

27. Cecily is not raised focusing on feminine things, instead she is ordered to
read books which is usually the characteristic of a male:
“MISS PRISM (Calling)
Cecily, Cecily! Surely such a utilitarian occupation as the watering
of flowers is rather Moulton’s duty than yours? Especially at a
moment when intellectual pleasures await you. Your German
grammar is on the table. Pray open it at page fifteen. We will repeat
yesterday’s lesson” (ACT 2).
Meanwhile, the male characters as shown as a carefree and an unproductive
people. Algernon, for example, is playing piano which is a rather feminine
activity instead of reading books:
“ALGERNON
I’m sorry for that, for your sake. I don’t play accurately— anyone
can play accurately—but I play with wonderful expression. As far as
the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for
Life” (ACT 1).

28. Algernon’s carefree life also can be seen in his habit of smoking cigarette when he has guests. It is not
described that they are discussing important things while smoking:
“ALGERNON
Bring me that cigarette case Mr Worthing left in the smoking-room the last time he dined here”
(ACT 1).
The carefree life of the two male characters can also be seen in the following quotation:
“ALGERNON
Oh! there is no use speculating on that subject. Divorces are made in heaven—(jack puts out his
hand to take a sandwich. algernon at once interferes) Please don’t touch the cucumber
sandwiches. They are ordered specially for Aunt Augusta. Takes one and eats it
JACK
Well, you have been eating them all the time” (ACT 1).
“JACK
How you can sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make
out. You seem to me to be perfectly heartless” (ACT 2).
Jack and Algernon a busy eating cucumber sandwiches and muffins. They have no other productive
activities.

29. Conclusion
Although Oscar Wilde’s The Important of Being Earnest has many
characters, the important ones are John ‘Jack’ Worthing, Algernon Moncrieff,
Gwendolen Fairfax, and Cecily Cardew. At the end of the story, they become
two young couples united by the name Ernest. This drama mocks the
lifestyle of the high class in the Victorian Era which focuses on wealth and
material things. Meanwhile, the gender roles are reversed. The males possess
the traditional stereotype of female, such as playing piano and eating
sandwiches and muffins without doing productive things. The females, on
the contrary, show strong will and aggression.

30. Bibliography
Holman, C. Hugh. 1980. A Handbook to Literature (fourth edition). United State of America: The
Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc.
Kennedy, X. J. 1983. LITERATURE An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (third edition).
Canada: Little Brown & Company (Canada) Limited.
http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-wilde-9531078#synopsis
June, 8th 2016 – 11.01 AM
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/i/the-importance-of-being-earnest/play-summary
June, 8th 2016 – 11.08 AM
http://literarydevices.net/characterization/
June, 8th 2016 – 11.15 AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_role
June, 8th 2016 – 11.22 AM
http://psychologydictionary.org/social-relationship/
June, 8th 2016 – 11.36 AM