THE AGRARIAN REVOLUTION

 

THE AGRARIAN REVOLUTION

Agrarian Revolution implies the great changes that took place in the agricultural methods of England in the second half of the seventeenth century.

Causes of the revolution

i) Open-field system was followed in the early days. There were no fences. It caused disputes among the farmers.

ii) The owners possessed small strips of land. The small size of the holding made scientific methods of cultivation impossible

iii) The three field system was followed in earlier ages. In this system, land was divided into three parts. Every year one of the three fields was to be out of cultivation. 

In the eighteenth century population was increasing and so more food was needed. But the yield was insufficient. Owing to the scarcity of food materials there was a rise in price.

Remarkable Changes

 To solve the problem, a number of land Enclosure Acts were passed in the reign of George II and George III. George tried to help farmers. He established a model farm at Windsor. For his genuine interest in the welfare of the farmers, people called him as ‘Farmer George’.

 Charles Townshend replaced the three field system by the four-field rotation system. In this system, crops were grown in rotation in the order of turnips, barley, cloves and rye-grass and wheat. This system helped the farmers in all the ways. As Townshend stressed the usefulness of turnip, farmers called him as ‘Turnip Townshend’.

Jethro Tull was the inventor of a drill for sowing seeds. Tull’s drill made channels, sowed seeds into them and covered them at the same time. Arthur Young’s books taught innovative agricultural methods. He also set up a Board of Agricultural to give practical lessons in farming technology to farmers

Robert Bakewell of Leicestershire was the first to turn his attention to the production of meat. Through his experiment he succeeded in producing a new breed of sheep which fattened quickly and weighted heavy.  Other contributors in this field were George Culley, Charles Colling and John Ellman.

The harm done by the Agrarian Revolution was that the enclosure of fields resulted in the eviction of small farmers. They were forced sell their small strips to the wealthy land lords. There was an exodus of small owners into cities to get jobs.

The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde

 

The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar Wilde

The play "The Importance of Being Earnest" is written by Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde is one of the most prominent short story writers, a novelist, and a famous dramatist in the Victorian age. This short comedy play is written in 1895. This is one of the most prominent plays by Oscar Wilde. It has three acts. The play criticizes the Victorian moral and social values. This play revolves around the two main characters named Jack (Earnest) and Algernon.

Jack Worthing  is a pillar of the community in Hertfordshire. He is guardian to  Cecily Cardew, the pretty, eighteen-year-old granddaughter of the late Thomas Cardew, who found and adopted Jack when he was a baby. In Hertfordshire, Jack has responsibilities: he is a major landowner and justice of the peace, with tenants, farmers, and a number of servants and other employees all dependent on him. To escape from this atmosphere of restraint he invents an imaginary brother named Ernest. To lead a scandalous life in pursuit of pleasure, Jack allows him to disappear in the name of Ernest for days in London

In London, Jack falls in love with Gwendolen Fairfax. Gwendolen is the cousin of Jack’s friend Algernon and the daughter of Lady Bracknell. When Jack explains that he plans to propose marriage to Gwendolen. Algernon shows his refusal to sanction this marriage until the solution of Cecily’s mystery. Algernon has knowledge of Cecily due to an inscription on the cigarette case of Worthing. Worthing reveals the truth about him to Algernon. Gwendolen loves Jack particularly with his name Ernest of which she is very fond. Lady Bracknell does not approve of Jack due to his unknown parentage.

Jack returns to his country and informs Dr.Chasuble that his brother Ernest has died of severe chill. He also requests Chasuable to re-christen him that evening. At the same time Cecily informs them that Ernest has just come there. Algernon introduces himself as Ernest to the people. Jack is shocked at the trick played by Algernon. Algernon loves Cecily, whose desire is to love a man with the name of Ernest.

Confusion arises when Gwendolen arrives there. She tells Cecily that she loves Ernest and is shocked to learn that Cecily also loves him. The two ladies spar at each other. Later the two ladies realize that a trick has been played upon them by the two men.Meanwhile, both Jack and Algernon want their names to be Ernest. For this purpose, they consort with Dr. Chasuble.  Lady Bracknell visits the Manor House and urgesGwendolen to return home with her. She also disapproves of Algernon’s love for Cecily. When Jack says that Cecily is in possession of a fabulous fortune, Lady Bracknell changes her mind and allows Algernon to love Cecily.

The turning point in ‘The importance of Being Earnest summary’ came with Miss Prism. Miss Prism is the tutor of Cecily.  Lady Bracknell  identifies  Miss Prism as the former governess of her sister who left her sister’s baby in a handbag and forgetfully left it in a cloak room. The child thus lost is Jack. Thus Jack is discovered to be Lady Bracknell’s nephew and Algernon’s elder brother.

The problem caused by Cecily and Gwendolen’s infatuation with the name Ernest is still unresolved. Fortunately Jack finds out from an old military directory that his father’s Christian name was Ernest, so the sons can freely call themselves Ernest now. All the problems now being solved, the lovers Cecily and Algernon, Gwendolen and Jack, and Miss Prism and Dr.Chasuble are paired off. Jack puns on the words Ernest-Earnest that he has for the first time in his life realized the need for being earnest. He is at last, Ernest and earnest. The play ends with happy note.