Explore the ways Wilde presents the ideas of masks, deception and disguise in the
play
In ‘The Importance of being Earnest’, Oscar Wilde endeavours to show the theme of masks,
deception and disguise through his use of stage directions and language, that direct the characters
and drive the plot of the play. For example, he uses Jack and Algernon to show this, as the creation
of their alter-egos shows the idea of ‘dual’ characters, allows Wilde to question Victorian morals and
also perhaps simultaneously as a reflection of some of Wilde’s controversial and possibly
provocative lifestyle. In addition, Wilde uses both Gwendolen and Cecily to show this theme, as their
scene in Act II uses both language devices and stage craft to demonstrate their hidden meanings and
the masks of politeness the upper classes ore to maintain their social status. To somewhat a lesser
extent, Wilde uses Dr Chasuble and therefore also Miss Prism to demonstrate deception and masks
different characters wear.
Possibly the most obvious use of masks Wilde uses is with Algernon and Jack, and their creation of
the fictitious characters Bunbury and Earnest so as to escape various social and moral obligations.
With Jack, he devises a younger brother called Earnest, so as to escape his responsibilities in the
countryside, chiefly looking after his ward, Cecily. This allows him to go to London and enjoy a
hedonistic lifestyle and get into “the most dreadful scrapes” while there, and his reputation is
protected as the other characters believe he is a caring and long-suffering older brother. Jack says on
being a guardian, “one has to adopt a very high moral tone on all subjects”. However, this is ironic as
the audience can see that Jack isn’t as moral as he claims. He uses a mask to escape and impress
people, and through this Wilde questions the depths of Victorian morals. Jack is more similar to
Algernon than he would probably like, as the ‘conventional’ Jack disappears, giving way for a more
immoral one to emerge. Similarly, Algernon has a fictitious character, Bunbury, he uses as a
scapegoat when he wishes to get out of family gatherings and events. He also implies he can use
Bunbury when he’s married as a way of escaping his responsibilities. He says, “A man who marries
without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it”. This shows his disregard for typical Victorian
values, and how he, like Jack, is able to boost his reputation through deceit, as his family and peers
believe he is a caring man towards his ill friend. In another Wilde play, ‘An Ideal Husband’, Lady
Chiltern discovers her husband, Lord Robert, has been lying to her about his fortune. Likewise, in
‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, Dorian is presented as having a darker, more reckless and cruel ide,
which is not usually apparent; the other characters usually see the charming and beautiful side of
him. In these two examples of Wilde’s work, his fascination with ‘dual’ characters and the theme of
deceit and deception is apparent. This brings in to question whether perhaps Wilde himself felt like
he had to sides to him and his life, as a married man with two children, yet having a relationship with
play
In ‘The Importance of being Earnest’, Oscar Wilde endeavours to show the theme of masks,
deception and disguise through his use of stage directions and language, that direct the characters
and drive the plot of the play. For example, he uses Jack and Algernon to show this, as the creation
of their alter-egos shows the idea of ‘dual’ characters, allows Wilde to question Victorian morals and
also perhaps simultaneously as a reflection of some of Wilde’s controversial and possibly
provocative lifestyle. In addition, Wilde uses both Gwendolen and Cecily to show this theme, as their
scene in Act II uses both language devices and stage craft to demonstrate their hidden meanings and
the masks of politeness the upper classes ore to maintain their social status. To somewhat a lesser
extent, Wilde uses Dr Chasuble and therefore also Miss Prism to demonstrate deception and masks
different characters wear.
Possibly the most obvious use of masks Wilde uses is with Algernon and Jack, and their creation of
the fictitious characters Bunbury and Earnest so as to escape various social and moral obligations.
With Jack, he devises a younger brother called Earnest, so as to escape his responsibilities in the
countryside, chiefly looking after his ward, Cecily. This allows him to go to London and enjoy a
hedonistic lifestyle and get into “the most dreadful scrapes” while there, and his reputation is
protected as the other characters believe he is a caring and long-suffering older brother. Jack says on
being a guardian, “one has to adopt a very high moral tone on all subjects”. However, this is ironic as
the audience can see that Jack isn’t as moral as he claims. He uses a mask to escape and impress
people, and through this Wilde questions the depths of Victorian morals. Jack is more similar to
Algernon than he would probably like, as the ‘conventional’ Jack disappears, giving way for a more
immoral one to emerge. Similarly, Algernon has a fictitious character, Bunbury, he uses as a
scapegoat when he wishes to get out of family gatherings and events. He also implies he can use
Bunbury when he’s married as a way of escaping his responsibilities. He says, “A man who marries
without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it”. This shows his disregard for typical Victorian
values, and how he, like Jack, is able to boost his reputation through deceit, as his family and peers
believe he is a caring man towards his ill friend. In another Wilde play, ‘An Ideal Husband’, Lady
Chiltern discovers her husband, Lord Robert, has been lying to her about his fortune. Likewise, in
‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, Dorian is presented as having a darker, more reckless and cruel ide,
which is not usually apparent; the other characters usually see the charming and beautiful side of
him. In these two examples of Wilde’s work, his fascination with ‘dual’ characters and the theme of
deceit and deception is apparent. This brings in to question whether perhaps Wilde himself felt like
he had to sides to him and his life, as a married man with two children, yet having a relationship with
