Essays on The Importance of being Earnest

The Importance of being Earnest
Original title The Importance of being Earnest
Author Oscar Wilde
Genre Comedy
Language English
Characters Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, Algernon Moncrieff
Published 14 February 1895
ISBN 978-0486264786
Book Summary
Essay Examples

Table of Contents

The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde that was first performed in 1895. The play is a satire of the Victorian era’s social conventions, specifically the stereotype of the earnest, moralistic gentleman.The play follows two young men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who create fictitious personas in order to escape the boredom of their lives. Jack pretends to be a man named Ernest in order to woo the beautiful Gwendolen Fairfax, while Algernon poses as Ernest in order to gain access to the country home of Jack’s beautiful ward, Cecily Cardew.As the two men’s lies begin to unravel, they must contend with the consequences of their actions, as well as the arrival of Gwendolen and Cecily, who are both eager to meet the man named Ernest.The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy that pokes fun at the Victorian era’s social conventions. Wilde cleverly uses irony and satire to highlight the absurdities of the era’s rigid morality. The play is also a commentary on the artificiality of the social elite, and the lengths to which people will go to gain acceptance into that world.The Importance of Being Earnest is one of Wilde’s most popular and well-loved works. The play’s witty dialogue and clever plot have delighted audiences for centuries, and it remains one of the most popular comedies in the English language.

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