The Importance of being Earnest was a story that I actually didn’t mind reading. It became confusing at times, but after the discussion in class I was able to understand the parts that I found rather difficult. I also came to the conclusion that the women in the story are crazy. Anyone who chooses to marry a man simply because of his name is an idiot.

Wilde’s discussion of identity should be taken seriously. For something to be humorous, I believe that it should make a person laugh. This story was entertaining, but not humorous. Presently we all struggle with societal pressures being school, work, family, friends, etc. In order for an individual to survive we must make time for ourselves to unwind and loosen up. In the short story, The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde represents this in a way that is different from how we may handle this situation. He represents Jack as a man that is upright, moral, and respectable. However, he has a make believe brother, Ernest, who he actually pretends to be in many parts of the story. He is a man that acts completely opposite of Jack. Algernon also pretends to have an imaginary friend, Bunbury. Both of these men pretend to have other people in their lives that are imaginary because it gives them a reason to escape from the real world. For someone to be earnest they are serious and diligent in their intent to do something. Wilde used this word for a reason, because Jack was earnest in living two separate lives for the soul purpose of being able to escape reality whenever possible. I feel that Wilde uses the two separate identities of both Algernon and Jack to show the reader how an individual can act pristine in reality to meet social standards, but also needs time apart from that to relax from the overwhelming pressures of society.

The Taming of the Shrew is very hard to follow and understand when, to me, seems likes its written in broken English. Aware of the fact that this piece was written by Shakespeare, it is easy to understand why it is written in such a way. After reading the first 3 acts I now know that I’d rather be gouging my eyes out with spoons than reading the rest of Shakespeares work. (No offense Prof. Harbottle)

"Am I a lord and have I such a lady?

Or do I dream? Or have I dreamed till now?

I do not sleep: I see, I hear, I speak,

I smell sweet savors and I feel soft things.

Upon my life, I am a lord indeed

And not a tinker nor Christopher Sly.

Well, bring our lady hither to our sight

'And once again a pot o' th' smallest ale."

This passage, Induction 2: lines 68-75, is where Sly finally falls to the Lord’s evil trickery and thinks that he is a Lord rather than a drunken homeless man after being picked up on the street by the Lord himself. Also, this passage shows that Sly finally realizes that he has a wife. To further the Lords misleading actions, the Lord tells the Page to dress in women’s clothing and act as Sly’s long lost wife. The humor that arises is illustrated when Sly believes not only that this person is his wife, but when he thinks this man dressed in women’s clothing is a woman. Furthermore, humor arises again when Sly wants to take his “wife” to bed with him. However, the Page denies his request because he is a man.