Master Harold VS The Importance of Being Earnest: Costuming

Costuming is a key dramatic convention in both "Master Harold"...and the boys and The Importance of Being Earnest (IOBE) because it builds up characterization and reveals subtle details of a character in relation to other characters and the setting.  In "Master Harold"...and the boys, Sam and Willie are described as wearing white waiter coats, indicating their occupation as waiters in the tea room. Their job is to serve customers, but since there are no customers in the tea room, they have to obey the orders given by Hally and his mother. Although  both Sam and Willie are wearing waiter coats, Willie has his sleeves rolled up as he is kneeling and cleaning the floor, indicating that he is doing most of the labor work while Sam is reading comics.  Through costuming, Fugard is subtly showing different levels of power among the black waiters. Hally's costume of a neglected and untidy school uniform shows that as a white person, he has the white privilege of access to education whereas Sam and Willie do not. However, Hally costume description of "neglected" and "untidy" demonstrates underlying references to his loneliness due to the abandonment of parental figures, especially a father-figure. These significance of costuming in the play is that their appearances reveal subtle characteristics that can be viewed in hind-sight.

In IOBE, costuming reveals the superficiality of the upper class Victorian society because they prioritize one's appearances over one's character.  This emphasis of appearances over character helps reinforce the Wilde's satirical portrayal of the characters in the play.  In the play, Algernon is described as dressing flamboyantly, reflecting the elaborate dress of the upper class Victorian society and thus showing that he is complying with Victorian standards of fashion. Lady Bracknell's costume is also in flamboyant dress, which is not surprising because she is Algernon's aunt and they both share the same social status. In contrast to Algernon and Lady Bracknell, Cecily is not of the upper class Victorian society because she lives in the country and is described as wearing a "simple dress". The simplicity of her dress indicates that she is different from the upper class and Lady Bracknell notably scans over her dress and insists that she should dress more extravagantly and change her hairstyle. Therefore, costuming in IOBE emphasizes the superficiality of the characters who are ultimately concerned over appearances rather than character.

The One Act Play

Stepping a step back from the complex power dynamics under the Apartheid system, I will take a closer look at the technical conventions of the play, specifically the one act structure. Usually a conventional play would have a three act structure; the exposition and rising action in the first act, additional conflicts in the second act, and the third act where the climax is peaked at the beginning of act three.  But why did Fugard decide to write a one act play? I think the answer lies in the purpose of the play, to display the complex power dynamics under the Apartheid system and revealing the glaring discrepancy between reality/Apartheid and dreams/intellectual assumptions.

Since this play is not dependent on rising action, conflicts, climax, and resolution which is integrated into the classical three act structure, Fugard uses distinct stage directions and monologues to carry the momentum of the play. One thing particular that I noticed with a one act play structure is that there's no definitive climax or highlighted event that anchors the purpose of the play. I would argue that the kite episode could act as the "climax" but the following rising tensions surrounding the kite episode, especially between Sam and Hally, could be viewed as more significant.

Moving back to the stage directions, it's certainly imperative that the stage directions have to be precise and leave little room for interpretation because it is the only concrete indication of their character. For example Willie is scrubbing the floors (signifying his submissiveness), Sam is often quiet and contemplative (signifying his cautiousness since he is inferior to Hally), and Hally's sudden fits of anger and rage (signifying White privilege and the power to lash out whenever he wishes without taking any responsibility for it).

Mel Gussow: "It operates on two levels...."

On the front of the play's cover: 

"It operates on two levels: as the story of a loving but lacerating relationship between a black man and a white boy; and… as a powerful political statement about apartheid." - Mel Gussow from The New Yorker

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Mel Gussow's review, located on the very top of the play's cover, has more or less communicated the powerful message behind the seemingly simple interplay of men from different races, social status, and age. All of the aforementioned three factors are heavily tied under the branch of the apartheid system, with the Dutch whites on top and the black Afrikaans subverted beneath them. Gussow clearly illustrates this power dynamic through the phrase "two levels" because the black men are introduced as "leaning" and "on his knees" as opposed to Hally who enters the scene most likely on his two legs and with his back standing upright. I also noticed how Gussow refers to the play as a "story" demonstrates casual and ordinary atmosphere where the men are arguing about reality while at the same time using ballroom dancing as an escape into "a world without collisions". Stating that this playwright is a "story", in my opinion, undermines the "powerful political statement about apartheid". However, I always find myself oscillating between whether Fugard intended to emphasize the damaging internalized racism in the apartheid system or if he wished to develop a play with apartheid lingering in the background but the spotlight is on romanticized ballroom dancing and escaping reality. Both viewpoints seem equally plausible, but after experiencing the heavy underlying tones within the somewhat delusional play, I think Fugard is leaning more towards emphasizing the ramifications of apartheid on both the the ones who dominate and the ones being blatantly oppressed.

Another interesting view is how Gussow chooses to describe the men's relationship as a "loving but lacerating relationship". Once again, I am torn between to what extent their relationship is "loving" or to what extent it is instead more "lacerating". According to Merriam Webster, lacerating is to cut or tear deeply or roughly or to cause sharp or mental pain. When looking up the definition of Gussow's choice of word to contrast the loving aspect of their friend, I realize that apartheid may also be what brings them closer together even though it's not necessary "love". Sam found the need to become the father-figure for Hally since his biological father was an alcoholic and a cripple and failed to raise his son into a man, Willie refers to him as "Master Harold" to maintain the master-servant relationship, both Sam and Willie are conscientious of the race issues in apartheid but at the same time has the need to protect Hally. In a way, the lacerating dilemmas due to social apartheid paves the road for this unique bond between Hally, 17-year old "Master Harold" and Sam and Willie, Hally's loyal servants.

Master Harold...and the boys: Why Romanticize Ballroom Dancing?

How does the ballroom dancing motif function in the play? What is its significance? What does it reveal about the characters?

We, as the audience, are introduced to ballroom dancing in the first few pages of the play, where Sam is guiding Willie in the art of ballroom dancing. Sam says, "Your shoulders, Willie..your shoulders! Don't look down! Look happy, Willie! Relax, Willie!" (4). Although on the surface it may seem that Sam emphasizing the technical components of ballroom dancing and maintaining a professional face, Sam is actually idealizing the art of ballroom dancing as a way to momentarily repress the internalized racism and unfair treatment received black Afrikaans in an apartheid system.  Sam and Willie are waiters in a deserted St. George's Park Tea Room on a wet and windy Port Elizabeth afternoon, reading white comic books and scrubbing floors--so ballroom dancing is a perfect escape.

Now, what makes ballroom dancing a perfect expressive art for idealistic visions? Historically speaking, ballroom dancing is enjoyed by the white upper class society and is a manifestation of elegance and propriety. Ballroom dancing thus essentially represents the highest tier of society and greatest form of upper class tastes, vanity, beauty, and leisure. These ideas surrounding ballroom dancing are mostly in contradiction with the waiters' lives; they are suppressed by the apartheid system and are required to obey all white people no matter their status, age, or gender. Furthermore, according to the Bantu Education Act of 1953, Africans in the European community do not belong to any level above certain forms of labor and are undeserving of human cultural absorption into the European community. Once again, ballroom dancing is ultimately representative of the European community and its ideals, so this motif of ballroom dancing in the play definitely seeks to highlight the need for an escape from the oppressive apartheid system.

However, when looking at ballroom dancing form the perspective of Hally (a 17 year old white boy who is friendly with the waiters since childhood), ballroom dancing is viewed as a miracle because of the lack of "collisions" and the dancers idealistically will never encounter accidents (essentially colliding and disrupting the whole magical beauty of ballroom dancing).

Sam: There's no collisions out there Hally. Nobody trips or stumbles or bumps into anybody else.That's what that moment is all about. To be one of those finalists on that dance floor is like...like being in a dream about a world in which accidents don't happen." (45)

 Hally comes from a socially disruptive family where his dad is a "cripple" and his mom is struggling with his dad's alcoholism, ultimately portraying an unhealthy and abusive family. Despite coming from a different background and being of a perceived superior race through the arbitrary system of apartheid, Hally also views ballroom dancing as an escape from his belief that  "[j]ust when you're enjoying yourself, someone or something will along and wreck everything" (47).

I think the use of ballroom dancing as a motif in this play ultimately ties the contrasting lives of the waiters and Hally together all into a dream which they escape from a world of collisions and accidents of various forms. The very nature of ballroom dancing exudes "primitive emotions" and allows for the characters to personally and emotionally engage in this dream where miracles do come true. It shows that despite how egregiously different their social backgrounds may be, this tendency to romanticize is certainly inherent in human nature. 

"Master Harold"...and the boys: Set Design

The first thing that I learned about the set of the play was that is was a wet and windy afternoon in Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth is a place where the Afrikaans were all forcibly pushed into, thus causing Port Elizabeth to be overcrowded and allowing diseases to transmit freely. Well before I go into why Port Elizabeth is significant, according to the background historical context, apartheid is THE root of all social problems in South Africa. Apartheid is why the Afrikaans are forcibly segregated from the Dutch, even though technically the Afrikaans are the ones who rightly belong to South Africa. Thus, it is evident that there is a twisted power dynamic through the intent of perpetuating institutionalized racism.

Now, putting all of the deep and evil propaganda aside, Fugard makes straightforward references to the furniture. There are tables and chairs, that have literally been cleared and are stacked on one side. However this seemingly simple and objective view suddenly makes an exception. There is one table that stands apart with a single chair. Now why is there a table that stands apart with a single chair when there are tables that have literally been cleared and are stacked on one side? Fugard doesn't give us the satisfaction of knowing why. It just is the way it is. I think Fugard is aware that some of us are questioning why there is a table and chair standing apart and perhaps he's trying to tell the audience that, as previously mentioned, it  just is the way it is. After the tables and chairs have been settled, utensils are then described in like a grocery list, in anticipation of a simple meal.

All of a sudden the serving counter comes into the picture.There are a few stale cakes under glass and not a very impressive display of sweets, cigarettes, and cool drinks, etc. How do I feel about this? Well Fugard is no longer being straightforward. The clarity was short-lived. My impression of the stale cakes which there are only a few of under glass....why are the cakes stale? Perhaps more attention needs to be given to the cake in order for the cakes to longer be stale. The "not-very-impressive-display-of-sweets" honestly does make me question why the sweets are not very impressive. Then there's basically lots of commercialized food and the prices of Tea, Coffee, Scones, Milkshakes--all flavors. So I'm guessing that this place is a cafe where people come for tea, coffee, scones, and milkshakes of all flavors. 

There are a few sad ferns in pots; a telephone; and old-style jukebox. These objects have nothing in common with each other. One is a plant, one is a calling machine, and the last one is musical instrument. The old-style-jukebox is probably mentioned last because it is the most important object. The jukebox will represent the profound artistic and cultural message in the play.

Even though the set design may seem unnecessary to look into, I am confident that there is a reason why Fugard chose the set design to be placed in this manner. However, the purpose or intent will most likely be unclear.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Wrapping it all up!

COMEDY OF MANNERS: taking a particular part of society and uses humor to parody or satirize the behavior and mannerisms of its members.

The most significant dramatic convention in the play is the use of humor to satirize Victorian society.  From the choices of food and the manner of eating food--whether it's cucumber sandwiches, butter and bread, or muffins; these upper class treats represent the shallowness of society.  It seems absurd to have arguments over food, such as how one should consume or refrain from food,  and whether bread and butter is more fashionable than cake, but to the characters, these are very serious issues. They all share the common character of hypocrisy, and as Lady Bracknell puts forth, it is the age of surfaces. It doesn't matter if you are "Ernest" or not earnest, as long as you appear to be socially fashionable and you convincingly tell lies, there is absolutely nothing wrong with not telling the truth.

"In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing." 

This emphasis of style over sincerity shows that sincerity does not exist in the upper class society which arguably is due to the  reinforcement of shallow ideals. It's preconceived in their minds that there are always hidden intentions and people never say what they mean because they never mean what they say.  It is respectable to pursue marriage, but they satirize marriage as a loveless relationship and that it is absurd to give up pleasure for marriage. When they claim to uphold Victorian morals as an upper class individual, they speak immorally of other people and perceive educated people as inferior because they are a threat to the "natural ignorance" of the upper class.

Their mentality is for the most part logically flawed, but at the same time this complete disjunction between appearance and reality clearly explains their surface-oriented society. The part that I enjoy most about the play is that this social critique is masked behind seemingly lighthearted upper class drama, when Wilde is clearly mocking such prevalent hypocrisy.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Act 3

Wow, I honestly didn't expect the twist at the very end of the play, but it was no surprise that both couples lived happily ever after. The dramatic revelation of Jack being Algernon's long lost brother and that he was "naturally" named after his father, Ernest, adds the finishing touches to the whole absurdity of the play. The ending exhibits situational irony because Jack had been hiding under the identity of "Ernest" and was determined to christen himself in order prove that he is worthy of being "Ernest" to Gwendolen....when he was actually telling the truth because his name was Ernest!

"On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I've now realized for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest" (180). 

I think the witty word play between "earnest" as in one who is sincere and being named "Ernest" is what drives the plot of the entire play. The duplicity in meanings allows for interchangeable dialogue that show both humor and a somewhat harsh critique on Victorian morals. From the very beginning, Jack's lies backfired on him with the cigarette case given by Cecily. It told the audience that he had a habit of telling lies and hiding behind fake identities for their own pleasure. After Gwendolen claimed that the name "Ernest" is what made her fall in love with him, Jack did seem to turn more "earnest". At first he wanted to completely get rid of his fake brother "Ernest" and  then once he found out that he needed to be named "Ernest", he decides to christen himself all for the sake of being "Ernest' for Gwendolen. 

The revelation of his name actually turning out to be "Ernest" at the very end sort of left me feeling like maybe he wasn't that bad of a liar after all...and perhaps he's more earnest than I thought he was at the beginning.