1. Agenda: Review Walden The Art of Skimming Intro to Importance of Being Earnest Begin reading! (CD) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

2. Homework WCPs will present next Friday instead of tomorrow Rough draft of philosophies due on Monday.

3. Yesterday: Walden Ideas Student’s WordsThoreau’s Words Living to glorify and enjoy God is not what life is about Loneliness is an illusion. Money/wealth is not necessary. “for most men… have hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” “how far apart, think you, dwell the two most distant inhabitants of yonder star, the breadth of whose disk cannot be appreciated by our instruments?” “Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul.”

4. Yesterday: Walden Ideas Student’s WordsThoreau’s Words We think of success as a specific route, but everyone has their own aspirations. The beauty of nature can be divine in its own sense. “If man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”

5. What do you make of this? “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them..”

6. And this? “Humility like darkness reveals the heavenly lights.”

7. Other Big Ideas By living your dreams, you can transform your life and values. Most people are okay with living an inferior life, hurried and worried about senseless details. That is not life to him. News is a foolish distraction from real life. Other people’s thoughts are worthless Material things are only distractions. They don’t go near the essence of life! If you reject social norms, then the pressure of the norms will dissolve.

8. Could he have come to the same conclusions living in town?

9. The Art of Skimming! Look for these topics regarding the Victorian era in England: Prudery Morals Beliefs Dress Social Class – particularly upper class Education Gentry London vs. the countryside Any reasons to criticize?

10. The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People By Oscar Wilde

11. Oscar Wilde: Master Epigrammist Epigram – a short, witty, often paradoxical saying designed to surprise the audience. “It is better to be beautiful than good. But... it is better to be good than to be ugly.” “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

14. Epigrams An epigrammist is a master of discourses, or dialogue. He used word structures to cite or rework established knowledge. When audience members understand an epigram, they find pleasure from being in on the joke and share the authority of the epigrammist. Having to explain an epigram deflates its impact. Some say that epigrams have “no creative importance,” but some say epigrams are an authoritative voice of truth wrapped in a witty, memorable case. Francesca Coppa, a literary critic, wrote, “one can find the epigram in Wilde’s work not only with a microscope, but with a telescope” (57). The whole play can be viewed as one big epigram.

15. Collaborative Epigrams With a partner you will create two lists of epigrams in a three-word trade-off. You will both start an epigram and pass them back and forth. Choose a serious topic or a trivial topic. Write three words. Pass. Write three words. Pass. Both partners are writing at all times. Start a new one if you finish one. They may be downright hysterical, truthful, or senseless. Either way, just do your best and go with the collaborative spirit. Follow the writing.

16. The Power of the Epigram The epigram was his most powerful tool of satire. He speaks unpleasant truths in a pleasant manner. Much of the humor is derived from the rigid social rules of the era. When audience members laugh at his jokes, they are laughing at themselves and their society.

17. Social Basics for the Young Lady Upon being introduced to a gentleman, a lady will never offer her hand. She should bow politely and say, “I am happy to make your acquaintance.” When bowing on the street, it is appropriate to incline the head gracefully, but not the body. A lady never looks back after anyone in the street, or turns to stare at them in the theater, concert hall, church, or opera. In crossing the street, a lady raises her dress a little above the ankle, holding together the folds of her gown and drawing them toward the right. Raising the dress with both hands exposes too much ankle and is most vulgar. * From Youth’s Educator for Home and Society of 1896

18. Social Basics for the Young Man A gentleman will always tip his hat to greet a lady. When walking in the street, the gentleman always walks on the outside to protect his lady from the dangers of the road. If a gentleman is smoking and a lady passes by, he should remove the cigar from his mouth. A gentleman should always rise when a lady enters or leaves a room. During the daytime, a gentleman never offers a lady his arm unless to protect her in a large crowd. In the evening, it is appropriate for her to take his arm. A gentleman should never place his arm on the back of a chair occupied by a lady.

19. Overall Very prude Very rigid, following every rule there was to follow Very religious Very concerned with social status

20. Manners in Modern Times What rules of decorum exist today?

21. Oscar Wilde Born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) Married Constance Lloyd in 1884. He had two sons with her: Vyvyan and Cyril. Successful playwright by 1892 Aestheticism –exaggerated devotion to art and beauty. Conflicted with strict Victorian morality. Dandy -a man excessively concerned with clothes and appearance Homosexuality – illegal. Spent time in hard labor prison. Looking back on his own life, he wrote, “I had a genius, a distinguished name, high social position, brilliancy, intellectual daring: I altered the minds of men and the colours of things: there was nothing I said or did that did not make people wonder.”

22. The Importance of Being Earnest 1895- regarded as one of the finest satirical plays in English earnest –serious and sincere “The play centers on two couples who have fallen in love and want to marry. Before the lovers can reach their goal, however, they must transverse through a Wildean world of inversions, ambiguities, absurdity, social masks, double identities, digressions, and irreverence.” Language is the centerpiece of the play. Wilde labored over every single word. This play is Wilde’s plea for people to be themselves and do what they want.

23. The Characters John Worthing – Jack, Earnest Algernon Moncrieff – his friend. They are both dandies. Lane – Algernon’s manservant Lady Bracknell – Algy’s aunt Gwendolen Fairfax – her daughter, and Algy’s cousin Cecily Cardew – Jack’s ward Miss Prism – Cecily’s governess Rev. Chasuble – rector at Jack’s country home Merriman –Jack’s butler

24. The British Accent The Brits speak in many more tones than we do. The “R” Car is cah The “T” bottle is boTTle The “A” ask is aask Upper Class – very posh! Watch “It’s Good to be Bad” Jaguar Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bls1KKDwmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bls1KKDwmo

26. Let us begin reading! The plays stay in the desks