The Importance of Being Earnest 赏析

OscarWilde(1854-1900)VictorianDramaTheageofpopulartheatreMostoftheplaysweremelodramas(情节剧).Powerfulactors(stars)oftenoverwhelmedtheworkswrittenforthem.Thenewaudienceswereupwardlymobileurbanmiddleclasses,themoneyedfactoryowners,andtheworkers.Theywantedescapistandsentimentalentertainmentthatwaseasytorespondtoanddidnotchallengetheirbasicvalues.RevivalsofoldplaysandadaptationsofShakespearewerealsocommonintheage.Gothicthrillerswereespeciallypopular,aswerehistoricalplaysandmelodramaticplaysfeaturingahelplessheroine.Technically,theaterschangedmoreduringtheperiodbetween1800and1900thaninanycomparableearlierperiod.Lightinginnovationshadamajoreffectbeginningintheseconddecadeofthecentury.Technicalinnovationsresultedinchangesinstylesofacting,stylesofplays,andtheircontent.RealisticdramaHenrikIbsenofNorwaybroughttoaclimaxtherealisticmovementofthe19thcentury.Hisplaysblendacomplexplot,adetailedsetting,andmiddle-classyetextraordinarycharactersinanorganicwhole.OscarWildeofferedanalternativetobothmelodramaandrealisticdramaneartheendofthecentury.Hewroteseveralcomicplaysthatsatirizeupper-classmannersandmorals.Thelatterpartofthecentury,too,sawthebeginningoftheindependenttheatermovement.TheAestheticMovement1.AmovementinartandliteratureTheAesthetes,agroupoftalentedartists,poets,writersandsomeactors,madearevulsiontowhattheysawasuglymachinemadeproductsoftheIndustrialRevolutionandtocertainartifactsseenattheGreatExhibitionof1851.TheAestheticismhaditsforerunnersinJohnKeatsandPercyByssheShelley,andamongthePre-RaphaelitessuchasDanteGabrielRossettiandEdwardBurneJones.TheaestheticwriterswerealsoinfluencedbyWalterPaterandhisessayspublishedin1867-1868,inwhichhestatedthatlifehadtobelivedintensely,followinganidealofbeauty.Aestheticwritersusedtheslogan,“ArtforArt’ssake”andassertedthattherewasnoconnectionbetweenartandmorality.2.“ArtforArt’ssake”TheybelievedthatArtdoesnothaveanydidacticpurpose,itneedonlybebeautiful.TheAesthetesdevelopedthecultofbeauty,whichtheyconsideredthebasicfactorinart.Themaincharacteristicsofthemovementwere:suggestionratherthanstatement,sensuality,massiveuseofsymbols,synaestheticeffects,thatiscorrespondencebetweenwords,colorsandmusic.OscarWildeHewasthemostfamousaestheteofalltimes.Henotonlywroteaboutaestheticismbutliveditaswell,exploringit’sdoctrinesandphilosophy.Mostofhisworkissupportiveofaestheticism,defendingthemovementfromtheharshcriticismofthephilistinebourgeoisie.1.LifeandCareerBorninDublin,thesonofafamousIrishsurgeonEducatedatTrinityCollege,DublinandattheUniversityofOxfordInOxfordWildecameintodirectcontactwiththeartandphilosophyofvariousstrandsofAestheticism.HewasdeeplyimpressedbytheEnglishwritersJohnRuskinandWalterPaterwhotaughtaboutthecentralimportanceofartinlife.Hebecameparticularlywellknownforhisroleintheaestheticanddecadentmovements.In1884,WildemarriedashyandrichIrishwoman,ConstanceLloyd.In1895,atthepeakofhiscareer,Wildewasconvictedofhomosexualpracticesandsentencedtotwoyearsofhardlaborinprison.PrisonhadruinedWilde’shealthandwhenhewasreleasedhewentintoexileinFrancewherehelivedunderthenameSebastianMelmoth.Hediedin1900.2.PointsofViewWildebelievedthatarthadnothingtodowithmorality,butshouldexistforitsownsake.Artists,hebelieved,shouldbelefttopursuetheirart,withouttheinvolvementofthestate.Privatepropertyshouldbeabolished,sinceownershiphinderedthedevelopmentandspiritofart.Heassertedthat“allartisquiteuseless”andthat“allartisimmoral”.Life,hewassaying,shouldconsistofmorethanadherencetodullandrestrictivenotionsofwhatwasusefulormoral.Itshouldaspiretothefreedomofartandthevarietyofexperienceitcontains.3.MajorWorksTheHappyPrinceandOtherTales(1888)ThePictureofDorianGray(1891)LadyWindermere'sFan(1892)AWomanofNoImportance(1893)AnIdealHusband(1895)TheImportanceofBeingEarnest(1895)TheBalladofReadingGaol(1898)TheImportanceofBeingEarnestOscarWilde(1854-1900)VictorianMelodrama(情节剧)Insuchplays,fallenwomenandabandonedchildrenofuncertainparentagefigureprominently,anddarksecretsfromthepastrisetothreatenthehappinessofseeminglyrespectable,well-meaningcharacters.InWilde’shands,theformofVictorianmelodramabecamesomethingelseentirely.Wildeintroducedanewcharactertothegenre,thefigureofthe“dandy”（花花公子）.Awitty,overdressed,self-styledphilosopherwhospeaksinepigramandparadox,ridiculesthecantandthehypocrisyofsociety,andpresentshimselfastrivial,shallow,andineffectual.Infact,thedandyintheseplaysalwaysprovestobeessentialtothehappyresolutionoftheplot.Thecharacterofthedandywasheavilyautobiographical.MajorCharactersJackWorthing,gentlemanoftheManorHouse;alsoknownasErnest“CelcilyCardew,Worthing'sprettyyoungwardMissPrism,Cecily'sgovernessAlgernonMoncrieff,Worthing'sfriendLadyAugustaBraknell,Algernon'sauntGwendolenFairfax,LadyBracknell'sdaughterACTOneGeneralComprehensionQuestions:Whereisthesceneinactone?Whoarepresentinthispart?Whataretherelationsbetweenthem?HowmanypartsdoesPart1ActIfallintoaccordingtotheplotdevelopment?Whatdoestheword“Bunburying”meaninthetext?Whatismostimpressivetoyouconcerningthispart?Under