Modernizing this wonderful play--possible?

SummerSolstice · 11-02-2006, 01:22 PM

I'm in a class on the impact of humor in society, and we've got a final creative project due in a few weeks. It's pretty wide open, but it's encouraged that they relate to one of the plays we've studied--among them, 'The Importance of Being Earnest'! Of COURSE, I postively love this play, and I got an interesting idea... what if I tried 'modernizing' a scene, or maybe an abridgement of the entire play?

I fully realize how challenging this could be, since so much of the humor and plot relies on the age and locale. That's kind of why it's tempting! I'm not sure, though, whether I might be in way over my head. Does anybody here have thoughts on whether this is even possible, and if it is, some hints on how to go about it?

Virgil · 11-02-2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SummerSolstice

I'm in a class on the impact of humor in society, and we've got a final creative project due in a few weeks. It's pretty wide open, but it's encouraged that they relate to one of the plays we've studied--among them, 'The Importance of Being Earnest'! Of COURSE, I postively love this play, and I got an interesting idea... what if I tried 'modernizing' a scene, or maybe an abridgement of the entire play?

I fully realize how challenging this could be, since so much of the humor and plot relies on the age and locale. That's kind of why it's tempting! I'm not sure, though, whether I might be in way over my head. Does anybody here have thoughts on whether this is even possible, and if it is, some hints on how to go about it?

It's been a bit since I read it, but how would you modernize it? It's already somewhat modern, at least in the sense that it's not set in a very specific time and place. At least based on my memory. How would you make it different to be modern?

SummerSolstice · 11-02-2006, 01:39 PM

It's pretty specific, seeing as it's a social satire about Victorian England.

Going out a-visiting, country vs. city, etc. would be pretty easy to translate, but issues such as mercenary marriages, 'arranged' marriages, class structures, Cecily not coming of age until she was 35 (!)... It'd be a booger of a project.

Virgil · 11-02-2006, 02:09 PM

Good luck.

RobinHood3000 · 11-02-2006, 04:03 PM

I think it'd be doable, though how faithful it'd be to the original is questionable. If done well, I think it'd be a marvelous product. And as Virgil says, best of luck.

SummerSolstice · 11-05-2006, 10:47 PM

It's going good so far, though I've only gotten into the conceptual working-out stuff, but a couple things are posing problems. The biggest one is: what is Miss Prism's role?? Governesses are all but extinct these days, especially for eighteen-year-old girls. Perhaps Cecily goes to college, but has a private tutor as well? That doesn't make any sense, though... can somebody help me??

RobinHood3000 · 11-05-2006, 10:55 PM

Baby-sitter? Maid? Private tutor would work as well, but they rarely receive caretaking responsibilities...what about a wet-nurse turned tutor?

SummerSolstice · 11-06-2006, 10:11 PM

Hm... perhaps, since Jack is a bachelor and often out of town, it would be a nameless combination of the three. Cecily probably won't appreciate the suggestion that she needs a baby-sitter, though. ^_^

A few plot points and character attributes were proving difficult, until I realized I couldn't just translate the situation, I had to translate the object of the satire, as well. A modern Gwendolyn might not need her mother's consent to get married; she does need her mother to pay for the wedding!!

RobinHood3000 · 11-06-2006, 10:40 PM

Ahh, clever -- I'm impressed!

SummerSolstice · 11-07-2006, 02:36 PM

Heehee, thanks.

I just realized a **BIG** problem, though... *gulp* What on Earth am I going to do about Jack marrying his cousin?

Oy, vey... And then Algernon virtually marries his, too, with Cecily. Adopted cousin, yeah, but even so...

RobinHood3000 · 11-07-2006, 05:59 PM

...adopted? You could alter the "aunt" thing to a very close family friend, or a foster caretaker.

SummerSolstice · 12-04-2006, 01:00 PM

Boy, oh boy. This thing is due on Thursday and it's still half written. No sweat, I can do it... sleep is for wussies. How did finals creep up so fast?

Anyway, the real reason I'm digging this out again is because in the Wikipedia article it says that Cecily's inheritance of 130,000 pounds in 1895 is roughly equivalent of 10,000,000 pounds or 18,000,000 dollars in 2005. I worked out the math--the very confusing math--myself before I found this and got something wildly different, and Wikipedia isn't necessarily the go-to source of unquestionable facts. Can anybody verify this sum for me?

kilted exile · 12-04-2006, 01:15 PM

Do you have the equation?

SummerSolstice · 12-04-2006, 01:18 PM

No, I don't... otherwise I'd just give it to my little brother, who can run mathematical circles around me. I just tried to find the conversions online... I didn't know whether maybe somebody else had a better source.

RobinHood3000 · 12-05-2006, 06:34 AM

Are you sure it matters? In today's world, outrageously huge sums of money get rained on people every day.

11-02-2006, 01:22 PM	#1
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	Modernizing this wonderful play--possible? I'm in a class on the impact of humor in society, and we've got a final creative project due in a few weeks. It's pretty wide open, but it's encouraged that they relate to one of the plays we've studied--among them, 'The Importance of Being Earnest'! Of COURSE, I postively love this play, and I got an interesting idea... what if I tried 'modernizing' a scene, or maybe an abridgement of the entire play? I fully realize how challenging this could be, since so much of the humor and plot relies on the age and locale. That's kind of why it's tempting! I'm not sure, though, whether I might be in way over my head. Does anybody here have thoughts on whether this is even possible, and if it is, some hints on how to go about it? __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

11-02-2006, 01:39 PM	#3
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	It's pretty specific, seeing as it's a social satire about Victorian England. Going out a-visiting, country vs. city, etc. would be pretty easy to translate, but issues such as mercenary marriages, 'arranged' marriages, class structures, Cecily not coming of age until she was 35 (!)... It'd be a booger of a project. __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

11-02-2006, 02:09 PM	#4
Virgil Vincit Qui Se Vincit Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New York Posts: 18,246 Blog Entries: 93	Good luck. __________________ LET THERE BE LIGHT "That day I shall always recollect with grief; with reverence also, for the gods so willed it." - Virgil, The Aeneid (V, 49) Distracted from distraction by distraction

11-02-2006, 04:03 PM	#5
RobinHood3000 The Other Mal Reynolds Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Serenity Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 26	I think it'd be doable, though how faithful it'd be to the original is questionable. If done well, I think it'd be a marvelous product. And as Virgil says, best of luck. __________________ "Now I did a job. I ain't got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regards to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job. And then I get paid." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

11-05-2006, 10:47 PM	#6
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	It's going good so far, though I've only gotten into the conceptual working-out stuff, but a couple things are posing problems. The biggest one is: what is Miss Prism's role?? Governesses are all but extinct these days, especially for eighteen-year-old girls. Perhaps Cecily goes to college, but has a private tutor as well? That doesn't make any sense, though... can somebody help me?? __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

11-05-2006, 10:55 PM	#7
RobinHood3000 The Other Mal Reynolds Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Serenity Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 26	Baby-sitter? Maid? Private tutor would work as well, but they rarely receive caretaking responsibilities...what about a wet-nurse turned tutor? __________________ "Now I did a job. I ain't got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regards to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job. And then I get paid." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

11-06-2006, 10:11 PM	#8
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	Hm... perhaps, since Jack is a bachelor and often out of town, it would be a nameless combination of the three. Cecily probably won't appreciate the suggestion that she needs a baby-sitter, though. ^_^ A few plot points and character attributes were proving difficult, until I realized I couldn't just translate the situation, I had to translate the object of the satire, as well. A modern Gwendolyn might not need her mother's consent to get married; she does need her mother to pay for the wedding!! __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

11-06-2006, 10:40 PM	#9
RobinHood3000 The Other Mal Reynolds Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Serenity Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 26	Ahh, clever -- I'm impressed! __________________ "Now I did a job. I ain't got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regards to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job. And then I get paid." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

11-07-2006, 02:36 PM	#10
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	Heehee, thanks. I just realized a BIG problem, though... gulp What on Earth am I going to do about Jack marrying his cousin? Oy, vey... And then Algernon virtually marries his, too, with Cecily. Adopted cousin, yeah, but even so... __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

11-07-2006, 05:59 PM	#11
RobinHood3000 The Other Mal Reynolds Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Serenity Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 26	...adopted? You could alter the "aunt" thing to a very close family friend, or a foster caretaker. __________________ "Now I did a job. I ain't got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regards to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job. And then I get paid." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

12-04-2006, 01:00 PM	#12
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	Boy, oh boy. This thing is due on Thursday and it's still half written. No sweat, I can do it... sleep is for wussies. How did finals creep up so fast? Anyway, the real reason I'm digging this out again is because in the Wikipedia article it says that Cecily's inheritance of 130,000 pounds in 1895 is roughly equivalent of 10,000,000 pounds or 18,000,000 dollars in 2005. I worked out the math--the very confusing math--myself before I found this and got something wildly different, and Wikipedia isn't necessarily the go-to source of unquestionable facts. Can anybody verify this sum for me? __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

12-04-2006, 01:15 PM	#13
kilted exile big bowl of mush Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: body: shores of lake huron.........mind: with my faerie princess Posts: 3,699 Blog Entries: 96	Do you have the equation? __________________ Seen loved ones born, seen loved ones dying Rocked with laughter, I've shook with crying Been down and out, been high and mighty Been a peacemaker, been a fighter ~Dick Gaughan

12-04-2006, 01:18 PM	#14
SummerSolstice Teller of Tales Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 165	No, I don't... otherwise I'd just give it to my little brother, who can run mathematical circles around me. I just tried to find the conversions online... I didn't know whether maybe somebody else had a better source. __________________ The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story. - The Tale of Despereaux

12-05-2006, 06:34 AM	#15
RobinHood3000 The Other Mal Reynolds Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Serenity Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 26	Are you sure it matters? In today's world, outrageously huge sums of money get rained on people every day. __________________ "Now I did a job. I ain't got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regards to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job. And then I get paid." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

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