So let's talk about Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest (for a little bit anyway). This is the first school book that I'm reading that isn't incredibly boring or depressing. Every word that spouts out of the characters' mouths is so ridiculous that it's just hilarious. The comments made by high and mighty Lady Bracknell provide for a lot of the humor. My favorite quote from her is when she tells Jack "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both seems like carelessness." The way Wilde mocks high society through comments such as these is what makes this play so humorous. Or maybe it's just the fact that Lady Bracknell reminds me of Old Lady Grantham from Downton Abbey. The physical humor also stands out to me. When Algernon smacks Jack's hand away from the cucmber sandwiches and takes one for himself I couldn't help but laugh. (Okay I have to admit, when I described it, it didn't sound funny, but it was funny in my brain).
I don't know what makes me laugh. I do love witty humor though. I probably have a thing for extremely smart guys on TV (not like Big Bang Theory smart, more like Sherlock smart although I do like Big Bang Theory, but they're not smart-smart, they're more like so smart they end up sounding somewhat unintelligent). While we're on the topic of Sherlock, his constant flow of insults makes my heart so happy (that sounds wrong, but it's the truth). I guess they would be categorized as farce, who knows?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1665071/quotes |
I am crushed! Okay. We HAVE focused on tragic stories. But incredibly boring??? How could you! The high drama of life on the heath is RIVETING, d'ya hear? What it says about the human heart...soul...And when have you ever before read about rotten hippo meat? Really, Jessie, I beg you to reconsider!
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