The Importance of Being Earnest Writeup

     In many works of literature, a physical journey from one place to another will often serve a role central to the development of the story and the work as a whole. Usually this is achieved by developing a character (or characters) over the course of this journey through overcoming obstacles, achieving goals, or other similar experiences that by the end of a work have caused a total transformation of the main characters. In The Importance of Being Ernest a physical journey is clearly evident, as are the achievement of goals and overcoming of obstacles; so it is expected that the development of the main characters would be equally evident. This development however, doesn't really exist, and the unbelievable lack of change in the main characters after such a journey serves, in conjunction with the evident satire and irony, to highlight the pettiness of the Victorian era.
     The first act of The Importance of Being Ernest takes place at Algernon's flat in town. This segment of the play establishes that just about every character is extremely shallow and flawed in their ability to be serious. Algernon thinks little of bunburying, the topic of marriage (generally a very serious and exciting subject) is mentioned occasionally but pushed to the side by Jack in favor of cucumber sandwiches, and both Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen appear to be cookie-cutter representations of characters. The only quality about them that seems to be well developed is their ability to be polite. Naturally these huge gaps in character allow potential for immense personal growth in the coming acts, Gwendolen herself even suggests this, saying: "Oh! I hope I am not that. It would leave no room for developments, and I intend to develop in many directions."
     Act two moves the setting to Jack's garden at the manor house in the country. With the shallowness of the characters established and the main conflict brought to light in the first act, this change of setting in the journey is where most of the development of the characters would normally take place; except it doesn't. Algernon goes bunburying as Ernest and tries to seduce Cecily, and becomes involved in a conflict with Jack as Cecily becomes involved in conflict with Gwendolen. These conflicts would ordinarily be very serious, and in many other mediums this situation would allow the characters to recognize certain aspects of their personality and behavior and change them, but in The Importance of Being Ernest the growth of character that would normally occur as a result of these conflicts is stunted by the focus on trivial matters such as the proper way to eat muffins, and the hereditary nature of severe chills.
     Act three takes place in the manor house morning room, and serves as the conclusion to the play, as well as a conclusion to the journey. At this point in the journey, the goal should be in sight and the character (or characters) should have a better understanding of themselves and the world around them; a visible change and improvement in character should be seen from where they were in the beginning of the journey. Here, in this last act, it is easy to see that no such change has taken place, and that each character is just as petty and undeveloped as they were in the beginning of the play. Algernon and Jack have almost completely forgotten about their differences and are just as lighthearted and laid-back as they were at the beginning of the play; every character continues to utilize pithy, almost meaningless aphorisms; and no character has recognized the silly pointless nature of their conflicts. This conclusion is the complete opposite of what the conclusion of a journey usually signifies, and it serves to emphasize how shallow the people of the Victorian era and their manners were, as well as how unaware of it they seemed.
     Where a physical journey usually results in a significant change in the attitudes and behaviors of the main characters, the distinct absence of development or personal growth in the characters of The Importance of Being Earnest at the conclusion of a physical journey serves to emphasize how appallingly shallow and not-at-all-earnest the people of the Victorian era behaved.