The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest ( German title: Being Earnest or Bunbury ) is a comedy in three acts by Oscar Wilde, premiered on February 14, 1895 in London's St. James Theatre in a production directed by George Alexander. Moreover there exists a four-act draft version that was never played on Wild life time, which of the first German translation of the substance but is based.
The original title of the piece (in German most likely with " The importance of Being Earnest " translate ) is based on a pun: Earnest means " sincere ", which in the German translation of " serious," "serious" / is only rendered insufficient, at the same time is " Ernest " the first name of one of the emerging figures.
The comedy is one of the successful salon pieces Wilde in which he witty and ironic, the men and women of the upper class attacked, without questioning their parasitic life into question. Wilde himself considered Bunbury as his best comedy.
Content
The two English gentlemen Algernon and Jack are playboys and enter in their free time pleasure out. In order to combine this passion with their social status, both have invented an excuse: Algernon invents a sick friend called Bunbury, in order to go from time to time on the land can, and Jack pretends itself around his dissolute brother Ernest ( in German having to worry translation Ernst), to come from time to time in the city can.
Jack, who always pretends to be his brother Ernest in town, falls in love with Algernon's cousin Gwendolen and makes her to marry him. These calls it her goal in life to marry anyone named Ernest. Algernon visits the country home of Jack under the false claim to be Jack's brother Ernest. He falls in love with Jack's ward, Cecily. She also holds the name Ernest for a strictly necessary condition for her future husband. Algernon's Aunt Augusta is absolutely against a marriage between her daughter and Jack, after learning that Jack is an orphan and was found as a baby in the London Victoria Station in a travel bag. However, a wedding of her nephew Algernon with Cecily she agrees, after hearing of their assets quite handsome. But Jack wants to give his consent only if he can marry Gwendolen in return.
It turns out that Cecily's governess Miss Prism left behind many years ago the brother of Algernon in a purse accidentally at the station. It is finally clear that the foundling Jack was this baby and it is therefore at Algernon's elder brother. Next, it turns out that Jack was named to reality after his biological father Ernest John. Jack has all the time, without knowing it, but told the truth.
Explanation: Jack is in English, a slang form of John. Thus, from Jack Ernest John, the " true John " - a play on words.
Films (selection)
- 2002: Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Oliver Parker
Furthermore, there's a musical version for the stage called " My friend Bunbury ", which was premiered in 1964 in the GDR.
A comic version with the Disney characters Donald Duck and his friends is included in The Jolly Paperback, Volume 209 (1995).
German Alternative title
The mostly known as Bunbury in German-speaking piece exists in numerous German translations, transfers or versions which differ in the titling part:
- / To be It is important to Ernst seriously - Bunbury
- Bunbury - Being Earnest important
- Be serious! A trivial comedy for serious people
- Importance of Being Earnest
- Ernst and his deeper meaning
- Bunbury or seriously you have to be
- Bunbury or The Importance of Being Ernst
- Bunbury or the art to be serious
- Bunbury or how important it is to be serious
- Life is serious. Bunbury ( Elfriede Jelinek translation by Karin Rausch )
- No wedding without serious