"The Importance Of Being Earnest" - O.W.

 "Used to go to school with a guy named Ernest. Got hit by a car." - what I wrote on the first page of the play.

 Oscar Wilde, my beloved, is a comedic genius! I haven't had this much joy as I have reading this 91 page essay for so long. William Shakespeare is a classic, and with all due respect, a great writer whose works I have enjoyed much and many. But Wilde is just exceptionally gold!

 The plot is about two men, Jack and Algernon who fall in love with two women under the pseudonym - Ernest. (See the irony?)

 When we first read about Jack and Algernon, Algernon addresses Jack as "Ernest", but through an event that occurs after, finds out that Jack is indeed leading a double life; Ernest in the city and Jack in town/country, where he sells Ernest as his misbehaving brother. After Algernon finds out, Jack tells him that he'll be killing Ernest and will be telling truth to Gwendolen about his name. When Gwendolen and her mother, Bracknell (undoubtedly the best character in the play) arrive, Algernon leaves the room with his aunt so that Jack can propose to Gwendolen. Before Jack can reveal the reality of his name, Gwendolen makes a claim that she loves his name ("Ernest"). When Jack asks what she would think if his name wasn't Ernest, instead Jack or John. She states that too many men have the name of John, she pities every woman married to a John. That Ernest emits an energy, but Jack or John does not. Keep in mind that she also makes a claim that Jack looks like an Ernest. Lady Bracknell comes into the room and notices Jack on one knee sitting opposite to Gwendolen, upset she sends Gwendolen to the carriage and tells Algernon to turn around. With a pen and a notebook she interrogates Jack, through this Algernon finds out where Jacks country houses is located. One question catches Jack a little upset and serious; Lady Bracknell asks him about his parents, when he answers that he doesn't  know who they are, Lady Bracknell says she cannot allow him to marry Gwendolen until he finds out. That's where act one ends.

 Act two introduces us to Cecily, Miss. Prism and Dr. Chasuble. While Miss. Prism and Dr. Chasuble are out on a walk, Algernon arrives, disguising himself as Jacks brother "Ernest". And (Throughout the play nothing made me think this guy had interest in women.) falls in love with Cecily. Cecily and Algernon are still in the house when Miss. Prism and Dr. Chasuble finally arrive from their walk to meet Jack, dressed in all black and with a sullen face, Jack announced his brother has died in Paris. Before anything could happen, Cecily happily runs out to Jack, saying that his brother, Ernest, has arrived. Jack becomes furious when he sees that the man masquerading as his "brother" is non other than Algernon.

 Act three takes place in the drawing room of the Manor house, where Miss. Prism is scolding Cecily for writing in her diary instead of studying economy and politics. (Kids and them damn phones.) Miss. Prism leaves and Algernon enters, since Jack has ordered him to leave, Algernon comes to say his goodbye to Cecily. Not only does he say his goodbye, he proposes to her. EH, WRONG! They've been engaged for four months already, Cecily states as she is showing her diary to him. He ("Ernest") had been writing her letters, declaring his love and sending gifts to her for a few months now. Algernon is taken aback and leaves.

Before that, I want to mention that Cecily had also made the claim that she would not love Algernon if not for his name ("Ernest"). Algernon tries to talk her into liking his actual name by saying it's aristocratic and rich. However, apparently it's every girls dream to love someone named Ernest and she persists. 

Gwendolen, now that her mother has found out about Jacks country house address, arrives and meets with Cecily in the drawing room. They chat, until one of them announces that she is to become wife of Ernest. The other calls this absurd and they become quite antagonistic against each other. Then Jack comes into the room and asks Gwendolen if he can kiss her, before she allows him she stops and asks him whether or not he is engaged to Cecily, he answers "no" and she turns her cheek so he can kiss her. Cecily as well clarifies that the man who kissed her is her guardian - John Worthing. Next comes Algernon ignoring everyone else marches into the room striding towards Cecily and asks to kiss her, she asks him if he's married to Gwendolen who's standing behind him. Algernon turns around, exclaims "Good Heavens! Gwendolen!" and says "no". And so Gwendolen clarifies that the man kissing her is her cousin - Algernon Moncrieff. The women become confused at the situation, realising that there is no Ernest to be married leave the room to leave the men to argue. (or make out. Curse me, for I know what comes next...)

 Act four. Cecily and Gwendolen are discussing before Jack and Algernon throttle in, whistling some gay tune.

I sort of blacked out most of the information during this part. Apart from the plot-twist, was more boring compared to the rest of the book.

it was previously stated that Jack was left in a bag at a train station as a baby. Through an occurrence of an event: they find out Jack is Lady Bracknells nephew and Algernons older brother, which would also make Jack the cousin of Gwendolen. Jack and Algernon were scheduled to be baptised under the name of Ernest, instead that was cancelled and Jack asks Lady Bracknell if he was ever baptised and under what name. She says that he was, but cannot remember the name of his father of which Jack was named after. Since this guy was some general they look through lists of people in books and records, and find out that Jack was named after Ernest John.

 And in a "My Little Pony" type way, Jack turns to the stage (or so I like to imagine) and says:

"..., I've now realised for the first time in my life the vital importance of being earnest."

 Whether or not jokes may be intended, the book in itself is just hilarious. (Come to agree or to disagree; my sense of comedy is my own.)
 Instead of making a ration reasoning of why his friend had died, Algernon says that Bunbury exploded.

Algernon (airily): Oh! I killed Bunbury this afternoon. I mean poor Bunbury died this afternoon...

Lady Bracknell: What did he die of?

Algernon: Bunbury? Oh, he was quite exploded.

Lady Bracknell: Exploded! Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage? ...

Or this one of Lady Bracknell commenting on Bunbury's state of health:

Lady Bracknell: ... I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or to die.

 It's a bland statement from the outside sure, but in the context that her nephew always has to see this random constantly sick dude that she'd be happier if he just plummeted to the ground and died is comedy of my taste.

 I wish to discuss it a little more however I have a shit ton of work I have to catch up with.

 Good play. Give it a read, perhaps you'll get some perspective on it. Maybe you won't find as much comedy as I, that's on you and your tastes.