What is in a Name?

The movie “The Importance of Being Earnest” depicts two men who both use the name “Ernest” in order to get what they want. Mr. Worthing uses it as a pseudonym in order to have fun in the city. Algy Moncrieff uses the name in order to get closer to Cecily and retire in the country. Both men make up people in order to avoid their everyday business. Jack wants to get out of the country and makes up a brother, Ernest/Algy, that he must visit in the city. Algy makes up an invalid Bunbury that he must visit in the country in order to get away from his responsibilities in the city.

The humor in the film is mainly shown through the criticism of the upper class. Lady Bracknell interviews Jack Worthing in order to determine his “worth” so that he can marry her daughter, Gwendolen. However, she makes all of these ridiculous statements that shows the snobbery and ridiculousness of the upper class in England during the 20^th century. She is glad that Mr. Worthing is a smoker, for at least it is a hobby. She also is extremely happy that he claims to know nothing, for she feels that ignorance is exceptional and that education is worthless. It is sad when intelligence is worth nothing. The Upper Class in England was characterized by the lack of a profession. Those that even had professions were looked upon as lower-class. Lord and Counts did not have any real education as well. Many young men went to Oxford, but mostly to look presentable and “sow their wild oats”.  Upper Class men had hobbies, like hunting and having mistresses.  However, it seems that a mother should want an educated man who actually has some sort of hobby or is actually a nice man.

There is also an absurdity in the importance that Gwendolen and Cecily place in the name “Ernest”. Gwendolen tells Jack that her most ardent desire was to love someone whose name was Ernest. It is absolutely insane that the name of a person makes them a better or worse person. Gwendolen is so enamored by the name Ernest that she tattoos it on her body. Cecily herself tells Algy that her greatest desire was to marry someone whose name was Ernest.

There is also a criticism of women in this film. It does not matter who the women want to marry; it only matters who the mothers want their children to marry. Both women do not seem to care about the personality of their “loves”, but care only for their names and. They also don’t seem to do anything important. Cecily sits around writing in her diary and makes up girlish fantasies. They also hate each other when they are jealous of each other, but love each other when they are no longer competition and are angry at their prospective lovers. Both of them are extremely silly with no real strength of character and they act like spoiled children.