I read Oscar Wilde's comedy for the first time during an English lesson . It was "The Importance of being Earnest". I enjoyed the conversation between John Worthing who is the main character and Lady Bracknell who is his girlfriend's mother. It made me laugh a little. He asks her to permit their marriage.

"Do you smoke?"
"Well, yes, I must admit I smoke."
"I am glad to hear it. .......... How old are you?"
"Twenty-nine."
"A very good age to be married at. I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing. Which do you know?
"I know nothing, Lady Bracknell"
"I am pleased to hear it. .......... What is your income?"
"Between seven and eight thousand a year."
The conversation is proceeding thus. Lady Bracknell fires many questions at him. Initially, she appears to like him. However, once he answers, "I have lost both my parents." to her question, "Are your parents living?, her attitude is changing and their conversation becomes more interesting. The response of Lady Bracknell is merciless, "Both? To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune--to lose both seems like careless." Moreover, soon after she finds out that John doesn't know who he actually is, she stops their conversation and leaves there saying that she'll never permit his marriage to her daughter, Gwendolen. When he was a baby, he was found in a black bag which somebody had left in the cloak room of the Brighton Line in Victoria station. I understand her reaction. Probably it's reasonable, but the point I was interested in was the detail description, for example, "a black leather handbag"! Moreover, his name, Worthing, was derived from a first-class ticket for Worthing which Mr Thomas Cardew, a kind old gentleman, had in his pocket. Mr Thomas was given the bag by mistake and found John. Ha ha ha! I was enchanted by Wild's scenario.
Besides, his girlfriend, Gwendolen, says that she loves him because she likes his name, "Earnest". Her words made him upset because his true name is John although he introduces himself by a false name, Earnest, in London. While Gwendolen says that the name Earnest has its own music. John said, "I think there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack^*, for instance, a charming name.". However, Gwendolen disagreeed and said that Jack isn't thrilling.
It's sheer nonsense! I thought that it was his fault. He used a false name, bacause he wanted to play with some women!
However, for me, more interestingly, my English teacher is John!

Now, on this page, I'll write the outline of some of Wilde's scenarios. If you are interested, please read some of them.

^*Jack is one of nicknames of John.

A Woman of No Importance
An American girl , Hester, is invited to a county house in England, owned by Lady Hunstanton. Other guests include Lady Caroline and her henpecked husband, Sir John. The beautiful Lady Stufield who doesn't think anything, cunning Mrs Allonby and so on. Then, young Gerald arrives! Hester likes him. He has good news and said, "Lord Illingworth has just offered to make me his secretary." Actually, he lost his father when he was a very small child, so he thought that he shouldn't deisire anything in his future. However, a chance comes! He is quite excited. Lady Hunstanton conglaturates him, but Hester says that she doesn't think it has any meaning.
Moreover, Hester says that all the guests think the upper class in England are the best, but she points out how ridicurous it is. She continues to give her opinion. Everybody is really surprised with her thinking.
Then, Mrs Arbuthnot comes to celebrate her son, Gerald. She appears in public after a very long time. Soon after she sees Lord Illingworth, she begins to disagree that her son become his secretary. Why?
Thus, I think you are unable to stop reading this story.

My favourite line　Nothing should be out of the reach of hope. Life is a hope.--spoken by Hester
A line which I thought is correct.　The soul is born old but grows young. That is the comedy of life. And the body is born young and grows old. That is Life's tragedy.
Point　Again, in this story, the name of the man who always has to obbey his wife miserably is John. Wilde must have had a friend whose name was John. Probably, Wilde thought that he is really stupid.

An Ideal Husband
Nobody doubts that Sir Robert Chiltern is a young, successful politician. He is the very ideal husband! His wife, Gertrude, admires and respects him. However, one day, notorious Mrs Cheveley comes to their home party and has a talk with him behind closed doors. Moreover, incredibly after she left, Robert says he'll support the Argentine Canal plan which he disagreed before because it wouldn't serve the national interest.
Why? Actually, Sir Robert has done one wrong deel before. He was born to a poor family, so he thought that he couldn't promote his status. However, when he was in his twenties, Baron Arnheim asked Robert to tell him some super secret governmental information in advance. At that time, he worked as Lord Radley's secretary, so he could know such confidential information. He accepted the proposal. In return, he received some money. His present position and estate is based on the reward. When Baron Arnheim died, Robert was relieved because he thought that his secret would never be revealed. However, Mrs Cheveley appeared and said she knew everything. She gloated saying that if she reveals his secret, he would lose everything such as his future. What she wants isn't money, but the anxiety of Robert and his wife whom she has hated since she was young. She enjoys seeing them being twisted around her little finger.
Thus, the story was a little complicated and you'll probably think it isn't interesting at all, but actually, it includes a love story between Lord Goring, Robert's close friend, and Mabel, Robert's younger sister. Their conversation is quick and is full of humour.
"Good morning, Miss Mabel", Lord Goring says, but Mabel ignores him as if she doesn't see him. He repeats, "Good morning." and his tone becomes stronger after he repeats. Finally, Mabel responds after so many "Good morning".
"Oh, are you here? Of course you understand that after your breaking your appointment I am never going to speak to you again."
"Oh, please don't say such a thing. You are the one person in London Ireally like to have to listen to me."
"I never believe a single word that either you or I say to each other."
They seem to be frisky and enjoy exchanging words to each other. The audience is attracted by their cheerful conversation.
Moreover, I enjoyed Mrs Cheveley's part. She is the perfect evil woman, but gradually her face becomes pale because she is caught in a dilemma by Lord Goring.

Lady Windermere's Fan
Lady Windermere is spending a happy life, but on her birthday, Duchess of Berwick visits and says that her husband, Lord Windermere, is having affair with somewhwat old but beautiful Mrs Erlynne. At first, Lady Windermere doesn't believe it. However, when her husband comes home, he says that he wants to invite Mrs Erlynne on her birthday party. She refuses, but he insists strongly, so Lady Windermere begins to doubt him.
At the party, when Lady Windermere sees her husband talking to Mrs Erlynne happily, she is in a fit of anger and visits Lord Darlington who seems to like her.
However, Mrs Erlynne is her mother. Lady Windermere thinks that her mother died when she was a young child, but actually she is alive! Lord Windermere knows it. Her mother ran away with her boyfriend and left her, so she can't say she is her mother. However, Mrs Erlynne came back to London out of her single-minded desire to see her daughter. Mrs Erlynne is drawn everybody's attention to let her daughter go at Lord Darlington's house as if she pretends to visit him. She has to leave London again.
Because of that, again, her reputation is completely ruined in London society, but her daughter thanks her and begins to trust her.
Does the story made you cry a little?
I don't understand why she can't say that she is her mother maybe because I don't belong to an upper-class family. But probably, I can understand a little.
A lines which made me laugh 1　Men become old, but never become good.
A lines which made me laugh 2　Whenever people agree with me, I always feel I must be wrong..

At Tite Street, London. there is a house which Oscar Wilde used to live.

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I really love London!

(2003.11.19)