An Analysis of the Union of Seriousness and Triviality in the Importance of Being Earnest from Paradox
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DOI: 10.23977/ieesasm.2019.578
Corresponding Author
Juan Wang
ABSTRACT
Wilde subtitled the importance of being earnest “a trivial comedy for serious people” and describe is as “exquisitely trivial, a delicate bubble of fancy.” Wilde once remarked to a reporter, but “it has its philosophy.” The philosophy is “that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality.” Wilde’s characters embody paradoxes as they reflect the philosophy of the play. This thesis examines the union of seriousness and triviality from cleanth brooks’s theory of paradox and the paradox’s function in the importance of being earnest. This paper mainly focuses on the analysis characters in the play.
KEYWORDS
The Importance of Being Earnest, Paradox, Seriousness, Triviality