In 1897, New York Sun editor Francis P. Church helped lead the revival and rejuvenation of the Christmas spirit. By responding to the letter of a concerned young girl in Virginia with the famous line, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” Church’s words helped preserve the “enduring spirit of childhood” and also revealed a greater trend of the 19th and 20th centuries – the rising power of the press (Kovarik, p. 73). In his writings, Kovarik traces the history of the printing press from the early 19th century to the late 20th century. What quickly becomes apparent is the influence the press – and by extent media – holds over multiple aspects of every day. We know how important newspapers and mainstream (social) media are today in 2016, however based off Kovarik’s writings, I noticed that not much has changed since the 1800s. People still love a great story and states (i.e. nations around the world) still feel threatened or empowered by what journalists and media outlets publish. Although the efficiency and speed at which publishers can produce journals, newspapers, etc. has undoubtedly improved and continues to advance, as Kovarik describes, “muckraking, yellow journalism, crusading journalism, (and) objective journalism, etc.” existed in the past just as they do now (Ibid., p. 88).
Oscar Wilde, writer of The Importance of Being Earnest, “sought to separate theatrical art from modern life” (Zarrilli, p. 320). Wilde wanted theatre pieces to be “appreciated on their own terms” and distinguishable from “ugly social realities” (Ibid., 320). A controversial figure in his own right, although Wilde was no William Randolph Hearst or Joseph Pulitzer, he had vision, albeit a different one than the other two men (Kovarik, pp. 95, 89). Wilde however, sought to manifest his ideas through a different medium, using theatre plays as way to achieve the opposite of what the press sought to accomplish. Whereas Wilde hoped his plays could be enjoyed outside the realm of politics, corruption, and social anxieties, the press pushed these subjects into the lives of the masses, hoping to increase sales with both honest and misleading stories. In The Importance of Being Earnest, we follow the story of Jack and Algernon (among others) who rely on lies and dishonesty to achieve their goals. During the climax of the play, it is realized that Jack was actually named Ernest all along, and that his lies were not lies after all. Both Algernon and Jack marry whom they want (Gwendolen and Cecily, respectively) and the play concludes by showcasing the importance of being earnest.
Are Jack and Algernon truly earnest however, if their intents originated from insincere and dishonest actions? Is irony enough to save a liar? I believe Wilde was attempting to teach the public a lesson, and further prompt them to question the changing world around them. Like Jack and Algernon, are reporters of the press innocent when flawed articles are blamed on unreliable sources or misunderstandings? Where Kovarik’s writings and Wilde’s play intersect for me is the way in which they present honesty, sincerity, and what it actually means to be “earnest.” Both the press and the theatre are littered with stories of truth and lies, occasionally mixing the two for a good scoop or interesting showpiece. To what extent was Wilde aware of this when he wrote The Importance of Being Earnest? Could it be that Wilde saw how the press was constantly changing for the better and the worse, and that in seeing so was prompted to raise awareness of the changing meanings of honesty, truth, and sincerity amongst the public? The Importance of Being Earnest has been interpreted in countless ways, however these are the questions that came to mind as I read through Kovarik and Zarrilli’s writings.
– Grégoire Faucher