Aestheticism in Velvet Goldmine and “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Bailey's weekly post, posted by Dr. Renzi on her behalf:

Aestheticism in Velvet Goldmine and “The Importance of Being Earnest”

            As we have discussed in multiple class meetings, aestheticism, or the devotion to beauty, is an important principle in the film Velvet Goldmine and the play “The Importance of Being Earnest.” This obsession with beauty resonates in scene II of “Earnest” when Algernon is discussing his manner of eating muffins. “Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs. One should always muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat muffins” (811-813). This scene places an emphasis on the aesthetic because it focuses on the outer  appearance while eating muffins. This scene also implies the showiness in the act of eating muffins. As Algernon states, there is only one way one should eat muffins.

            Another example of aesthetics in “Earnest” is found in scene I, when Algernon states that “All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his” (605-606). When Jack questions if this logic is clever, Algernon responds that “It is perfectly phrased!” (608) This interaction demonstrates how the aesthetics of a statement (i.e., how the statement looks) is held at a higher level of importance than the content.

            In Velvet Goldmine, aestheticism can be seen in many aspects of the glam rock lifestyle. Glam rock is all about the showmanship of costumes and makeup. After he meets Curt Wilde, Brian Slade’s performances are very costume-driven, and he wears heavy makeup and extravagant costumes. Another aesthetic vs. content example can be seen in the beginning of the film, when a reporter is interviewing Curt about bisexuality. Curt replies that the youth at the time didn’t fully understand the concept of bisexuality; they performed it, but they didn’t fully accept it. They were mostly concerned with the outward appearance of the act of bisexuality, instead of what it actually means to be bisexual.