research paper on the importance of being earnest

• Search Menu
• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Archaeology
• Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
• Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
• Archaeology by Region
• Archaeology of Religion
• Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
• Biblical Archaeology
• Contemporary and Public Archaeology
• Environmental Archaeology
• Historical Archaeology
• History and Theory of Archaeology
• Industrial Archaeology
• Landscape Archaeology
• Mortuary Archaeology
• Prehistoric Archaeology
• Underwater Archaeology
• Urban Archaeology
• Zooarchaeology
• Browse content in Architecture
• Architectural Structure and Design
• History of Architecture
• Residential and Domestic Buildings
• Theory of Architecture
• Browse content in Art
• Art Subjects and Themes
• History of Art
• Industrial and Commercial Art
• Theory of Art
• Biographical Studies
• Byzantine Studies
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical History
• Classical Philosophy
• Classical Mythology
• Classical Literature
• Classical Reception
• Classical Art and Architecture
• Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
• Greek and Roman Epigraphy
• Greek and Roman Law
• Greek and Roman Papyrology
• Greek and Roman Archaeology
• Late Antiquity
• Religion in the Ancient World
• Digital Humanities
• Browse content in History
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• Historical Geography
• History by Period
• History of Emotions
• History of Agriculture
• History of Education
• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Industrial History
• Intellectual History
• International History
• Labour History
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Local and Family History
• Maritime History
• Military History
• National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
• Oral History
• Political History
• Public History
• Regional and National History
• Revolutions and Rebellions
• Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• Urban History
• World History
• Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
• Language Learning (Specific Skills)
• Language Teaching Theory and Methods
• Browse content in Linguistics
• Applied Linguistics
• Cognitive Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Forensic Linguistics
• Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
• Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
• History of English
• Language Acquisition
• Language Evolution
• Language Reference
• Language Variation
• Language Families
• Lexicography
• Linguistic Anthropology
• Linguistic Theories
• Linguistic Typology
• Phonetics and Phonology
• Psycholinguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Translation and Interpretation
• Writing Systems
• Browse content in Literature
• Bibliography
• Children's Literature Studies
• Literary Studies (Asian)
• Literary Studies (European)
• Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
• Literary Studies (Romanticism)
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies (Modernism)
• Literary Studies - World
• Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
• Literary Studies (19th Century)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (African American Literature)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
• Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
• Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
• Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
• Literary Studies (History of the Book)
• Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
• Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
• Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
• Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
• Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
• Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
• Literary Studies (War Literature)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Mythology and Folklore
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Browse content in Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Dance and Music
• Ethics in Music
• Ethnomusicology
• Gender and Sexuality in Music
• Medicine and Music
• Music Cultures
• Music and Religion
• Music and Media
• Music and Culture
• Music Education and Pedagogy
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Performance Practice and Studies
• Race and Ethnicity in Music
• Sound Studies
• Browse content in Performing Arts
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• Feminist Philosophy
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Non-Western Philosophy
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Perception
• Philosophy of Action
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Practical Ethics
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Browse content in Religion
• Biblical Studies
• Christianity
• East Asian Religions
• History of Religion
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Qumran Studies
• Religion and Education
• Religion and Health
• Religion and Politics
• Religion and Science
• Religion and Law
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Cookery, Food, and Drink
• Cultural Studies
• Customs and Traditions
• Ethical Issues and Debates
• Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
• Lifestyle, Home, and Garden
• Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
• Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
• Sports and Outdoor Recreation
• Technology and Society
• Travel and Holiday
• Visual Culture
• Browse content in Law
• Arbitration
• Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
• Commercial Law
• Company Law
• Browse content in Comparative Law
• Systems of Law
• Competition Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Government Powers
• Judicial Review
• Local Government Law
• Military and Defence Law
• Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
• Construction Law
• Contract Law
• Browse content in Criminal Law
• Criminal Procedure
• Criminal Evidence Law
• Sentencing and Punishment
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• Browse content in Financial Law
• Banking Law
• Insolvency Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
• Public International Law
• IT and Communications Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Politics
• Law and Society
• Browse content in Legal System and Practice
• Courts and Procedure
• Legal Skills and Practice
• Primary Sources of Law
• Regulation of Legal Profession
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Policing
• Criminal Investigation and Detection
• Police and Security Services
• Police Procedure and Law
• Police Regional Planning
• Browse content in Property Law
• Personal Property Law
• Study and Revision
• Terrorism and National Security Law
• Browse content in Trusts Law
• Wills and Probate or Succession
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• Browse content in Allied Health Professions
• Arts Therapies
• Clinical Science
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Operating Department Practice
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Browse content in Anaesthetics
• General Anaesthesia
• Neuroanaesthesia
• Browse content in Clinical Medicine
• Acute Medicine
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Clinical Genetics
• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology and Diabetes
• Gastroenterology
• Genito-urinary Medicine
• Geriatric Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Toxicology
• Medical Oncology
• Pain Medicine
• Palliative Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
• Rheumatology
• Sleep Medicine
• Sports and Exercise Medicine
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Community Medical Services
• Critical Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Forensic Medicine
• Haematology
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Medical Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Paediatric Dentistry
• Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
• Surgical Dentistry
• Browse content in Medical Skills
• Clinical Skills
• Communication Skills
• Nursing Skills
• Surgical Skills
• Medical Ethics
• Medical Statistics and Methodology
• Browse content in Neurology
• Clinical Neurophysiology
• Neuropathology
• Nursing Studies
• Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Gynaecology
• Occupational Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Otolaryngology (ENT)
• Browse content in Paediatrics
• Neonatology
• Browse content in Pathology
• Chemical Pathology
• Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
• Histopathology
• Medical Microbiology and Virology
• Patient Education and Information
• Browse content in Pharmacology
• Psychopharmacology
• Browse content in Popular Health
• Caring for Others
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Self-help and Personal Development
• Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Reproduction, Growth and Development
• Primary Care
• Professional Development in Medicine
• Browse content in Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Learning Disabilities
• Old Age Psychiatry
• Psychotherapy
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Radiology
• Clinical Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Oncology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Browse content in Surgery
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Paediatric Surgery
• Peri-operative Care
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Transplant Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Aquatic Biology
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology and Conservation
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Microbiology
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Natural History
• Plant Sciences and Forestry
• Research Methods in Life Sciences
• Structural Biology
• Systems Biology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Computational Chemistry
• Crystallography
• Environmental Chemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Materials Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Mineralogy and Gems
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
• Theoretical Chemistry
• Browse content in Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Architecture and Logic Design
• Game Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Mathematical Theory of Computation
• Programming Languages
• Software Engineering
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Virtual Reality
• Browse content in Computing
• Business Applications
• Computer Security
• Computer Games
• Computer Networking and Communications
• Digital Lifestyle
• Graphical and Digital Media Applications
• Operating Systems
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Atmospheric Sciences
• Environmental Geography
• Geology and the Lithosphere
• Maps and Map-making
• Meteorology and Climatology
• Oceanography and Hydrology
• Palaeontology
• Physical Geography and Topography
• Regional Geography
• Soil Science
• Urban Geography
• Browse content in Engineering and Technology
• Agriculture and Farming
• Biological Engineering
• Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
• Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Energy Technology
• Engineering (General)
• Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
• History of Engineering and Technology
• Mechanical Engineering and Materials
• Technology of Industrial Chemistry
• Transport Technology and Trades
• Browse content in Environmental Science
• Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
• Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Environmental Sustainability
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
• Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
• Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
• Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
• History of Science and Technology
• Browse content in Materials Science
• Ceramics and Glasses
• Composite Materials
• Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
• Nanotechnology
• Browse content in Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Biomathematics and Statistics
• History of Mathematics
• Mathematical Education
• Mathematical Finance
• Mathematical Analysis
• Numerical and Computational Mathematics
• Probability and Statistics
• Pure Mathematics
• Browse content in Neuroscience
• Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
• Development of the Nervous System
• Disorders of the Nervous System
• History of Neuroscience
• Invertebrate Neurobiology
• Molecular and Cellular Systems
• Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
• Neuroscientific Techniques
• Sensory and Motor Systems
• Browse content in Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Biological and Medical Physics
• Classical Mechanics
• Computational Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
• History of Physics
• Mathematical and Statistical Physics
• Measurement Science
• Nuclear Physics
• Particles and Fields
• Plasma Physics
• Quantum Physics
• Relativity and Gravitation
• Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
• Browse content in Psychology
• Affective Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Criminal and Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Health Psychology
• History and Systems in Psychology
• Music Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Organizational Psychology
• Psychological Assessment and Testing
• Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
• Psychology Professional Development and Training
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Anthropology of Religion
• Human Evolution
• Medical Anthropology
• Physical Anthropology
• Regional Anthropology
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Theory and Practice of Anthropology
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Business Strategy
• Business Ethics
• Business History
• Business and Government
• Business and Technology
• Business and the Environment
• Comparative Management
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Entrepreneurship
• Health Management
• Human Resource Management
• Industrial and Employment Relations
• Industry Studies
• Information and Communication Technologies
• International Business
• Knowledge Management
• Management and Management Techniques
• Operations Management
• Organizational Theory and Behaviour
• Pensions and Pension Management
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Strategic Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice
• Criminology
• Forms of Crime
• International and Comparative Criminology
• Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
• Development Studies
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Asian Economics
• Behavioural Finance
• Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic Systems
• Economic History
• Economic Methodology
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• Financial Institutions and Services
• General Economics and Teaching
• Health, Education, and Welfare
• History of Economic Thought
• International Economics
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Law and Economics
• Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
• Microeconomics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Welfare Economics
• Browse content in Education
• Adult Education and Continuous Learning
• Care and Counselling of Students
• Early Childhood and Elementary Education
• Educational Equipment and Technology
• Educational Strategies and Policy
• Higher and Further Education
• Organization and Management of Education
• Philosophy and Theory of Education
• Schools Studies
• Secondary Education
• Teaching of a Specific Subject
• Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
• Teaching Skills and Techniques
• Browse content in Environment
• Applied Ecology (Social Science)
• Climate Change
• Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environment)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
• Browse content in Human Geography
• Cultural Geography
• Economic Geography
• Political Geography
• Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Communication Studies
• Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
• Browse content in Politics
• African Politics
• Asian Politics
• Chinese Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Conflict Politics
• Elections and Electoral Studies
• Environmental Politics
• European Union
• Foreign Policy
• Gender and Politics
• Human Rights and Politics
• Indian Politics
• International Relations
• International Organization (Politics)
• International Political Economy
• Irish Politics
• Latin American Politics
• Middle Eastern Politics
• Political Methodology
• Political Communication
• Political Philosophy
• Political Sociology
• Political Behaviour
• Political Economy
• Political Institutions
• Political Theory
• Politics and Law
• Public Administration
• Public Policy
• Quantitative Political Methodology
• Regional Political Studies
• Russian Politics
• Security Studies
• State and Local Government
• UK Politics
• US Politics
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Asian Studies
• East Asian Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Native American Studies
• Scottish Studies
• Browse content in Research and Information
• Research Methods
• Browse content in Social Work
• Addictions and Substance Misuse
• Adoption and Fostering
• Care of the Elderly
• Child and Adolescent Social Work
• Couple and Family Social Work
• Developmental and Physical Disabilities Social Work
• Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
• Emergency Services
• Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
• International and Global Issues in Social Work
• Mental and Behavioural Health
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Social Policy and Advocacy
• Social Work and Crime and Justice
• Social Work Macro Practice
• Social Work Practice Settings
• Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
• Welfare and Benefit Systems
• Browse content in Sociology
• Childhood Studies
• Community Development
• Comparative and Historical Sociology
• Economic Sociology
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gerontology and Ageing
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Marriage and the Family
• Migration Studies
• Occupations, Professions, and Work
• Organizations
• Population and Demography
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Theory
• Social Movements and Social Change
• Social Research and Statistics
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Education
• Sport and Leisure
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Browse content in Warfare and Defence
• Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
• Land Forces and Warfare
• Military Administration
• Military Life and Institutions
• Naval Forces and Warfare
• Other Warfare and Defence Issues
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Weapons and Equipment

• < Previous chapter
• Next chapter >

6 The Importance of Being Earnest

• Published: July 1996
• Cite Icon Cite
• Permissions Icon Permissions

Of all Oscar Wilde's plays, The Importance of Being Earnest is the most frivolous, most capricious, and most uniquely Wildean. It is a farce, perfectly crafted and constantly amusing. Its action has been removed from reality to the comic world where the improbable always happens, and where even the manservant and the governess are unfailing epigrammatists. The dialogue is so perfectly orchestrated, so delightfully void of rational argument, as to be the dramatic equivalent of music. Wilde's farce offered impeccable credentials to its contemporary audience for, like its successful predecessor Lady Windermere's Fan , it was produced by George Alexander at the St. James's Theatre. Under Alexander's management, the St. James's had become one of the most fashionable theatres in the West End, its dramatic fare treading the careful line between the correct and the risky. The Importance of Being Earnest challenged society's values, reversed its conclusions, eschewed its responsibilities, and introduced the comic note of anarchy. Contemporary reviewers greeted The Importance of Being Earnest as comedy unadulterated by sense.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

• GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]
• Google Scholar Indexing

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code

Institutional access

• Sign in with a library card Sign in with username/password Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Sign in with a library card

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar wilde, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Introduction

The importance of being earnest: plot summary, the importance of being earnest: detailed summary & analysis, the importance of being earnest: themes, the importance of being earnest: quotes, the importance of being earnest: characters, the importance of being earnest: symbols, the importance of being earnest: literary devices, the importance of being earnest: quizzes, the importance of being earnest: theme wheel, brief biography of oscar wilde.

Historical Context of The Importance of Being Earnest

Other books related to the importance of being earnest.

• Full Title: The Importance of Being Earnest
• When Written: Summer 1894
• Where Written: Worthing, England
• When Published: First produced as a play on February 14, 1895; published in 1899
• Literary Period: Aestheticism; Victorian Era
• Genre: play; Victorian melodrama; comedy of manners; intellectual farce; satire
• Setting: The 1890s in London, England (Act I), and then Hertfordshire, a rural country outside of London (Acts II and III).
• Climax: Gwendolen and Cecily discover that neither Jack, nor Algernon holds the name of “Ernest.”
• Antagonist: Lady Bracknell

Extra Credit for The Importance of Being Earnest

Just dandy: Known for his long hair and the ever-present flower in his button-hole, Wilde popularized the figure of the “fop,” or “dandy,” a man devoted to his personal appearance, style, and dress.

The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest Research Paper

Introduction, works cited.

Victorian realism was a new invention for the 1800s. According to Nathalie Vanfasse, the term ‘realism’ wasn’t actually used until 1855 when George Henry Lewes employed it as a means of comparing the reliability of a particular piece of literature or other artistic endeavor to real life or to the natural state. Despite this, the pursuit of the real remained a driving force for many Victorian writers as they strove to position themselves as opposed to the excessive styles and narratives of previous forms of literature.

Oscar Wilde was no exception to the rule. In this play, humor is used as a means of highlighting the theme of deception as several of the characters pretend to be someone they aren’t and are only able to find happiness and fulfillment by being earnest, itself a play on the name.

The issue of manners becomes of chief concern as the playwrights each poke fun at the more absurd aspects of high society. The play is relatively short, dedicated to stripping the form of writing down to its barest parts and to present a true representation of how people actually thought and spoke in this time period. At the same time, the content of the play makes the same attempt at ‘being earnest’ in its story, reflecting not only the values of the Victorian society, but exposing the artificiality inherent in it. Thus, in both form and content, The Importance of Being Earnest proves itself true to the Victorian concepts of realism.

The form of the play expresses its realism in the brevity of the play and in the naturalness of the lines. Presented in three acts, the play skips along through its dialogue without any cumbersome soliloquies or lengthy set changes. Although scenes do shift from one location to another, the direction is purposely designed to allow for quick set changes and ease of use. Rather than allowing the play to get too bogged down in details, Wilde provides relatively few detailed stage directions, some of which seem fairly self-evident by the discussions taking place. An example of this type of direction occurs when Algernon and Ernest are together at the beginning of Act 1.

Algernon is telling Ernest not to eat the cucumber sandwiches and offers him bread and butter instead. Jack’s stage direction is “[Advancing to table and helping himself]”. However, others seem placed purposely to help aid in some sort of small deception, such as Algernon’s direction to “[Take plate from below]” just before offering Jack bread and butter sandwiches. This would seem to suggest that the other tray was hidden until this moment, giving the impression that the table is set only with cucumber sandwiches rather than offering more from the beginning.

Another way in which form adheres to the concept of realism is in the fast-flowing lines typically delivered with the sort of flippant disregard for formality characterized by earlier forms of literature. Rather than discussing things as if they had been agonizing over just the right words to say for days, the characters of the play interact as if they were truly to be found sitting around a parlor at tea-time. An example of this can be found in another short exchange that takes place between Algernon and Ernest in the first act.

Algernon tells his servant to bring in a cigarette case that Ernest had left the last time he visited and Ernest speaks up: “Do you mean to say you have had my cigarette case all this time? I wish to goodness you had let me know. I have been writing frantic letters to Scotland Yard about it. I was very nearly offering a large reward.” Algernon answers, “Well, I wish you would offer one. I happen to be more than usually hard up.” Jack responds, “There is no good offering a large reward now that the thing is found.” This is the type of conversation that might occur in any given day between any two people, not the stiff, formal language of, for instance, a Shakespearean production.

The content of the play also struggles against the conventions of society for a more natural expression. Both Ernest and Algernon are constrained by the rigid conventions of the Victorian upper class, but each has developed an alter ego under which they are provided more ‘breathing space.’ “You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often as you like.

I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose” (Wilde, I, i) Algernon tells Ernest, known as Jack when residing in the country, during the opening scene of the play, making it obvious that each are playing a similar game of deception for a similar reason. Although this deception allows them the freedom they’ve been missing, when they each fall in love with a woman who believes them to be someone else, they find their game is not so easy to maintain.

Jack falls in love with Gwendolyn Fairfax, Algernon’s cousin, and Algernon falls in love with Cecily Cardew, Jack’s ward, but neither woman will marry their respective beaux unless their names are Earnest, highlighting the frivolity of society and its effects upon social conventions. Algernon immediately makes arrangements to be rechristened, while Jack, through an amazing coincidence, both finds his family and learns his name really is Earnest during a rare act of honesty.

As the play unfolds, the conventions of society are brought even more into question. Both Jack and Algernon fool each other in their development of their alter egos, at least for a short while, but the deception of the nurse maid who lost an infant in a bathroom is exposed as being the longest held and the most serious accusation of emptiness in social graces.

The exposure of Ms. Prism leads to the final revelation of Jack’s true identity and paves the way for his future life of truth in a severely pared down world. “Twenty-eight years ago, Prism, you left Lord Bracknell’s house, Number 104, Upper Grosvenor Street, in charge of a perambulator that contained a baby of the male sex. You never returned. … Where is that baby?” (Wilde, Act III, Scene II), Lady Bracknell demands of Ms. Prism.

Although Prism has no idea what happened to the baby she accidentally took instead of her novel, illustrating the degree of empty-headedness that has infected society, a focus upon reality for a moment reveals Jack’s true identity with very little effort expended. Another reproof is given on society in general in the fact that both Gwendolyn and Cecily insist that they will only marry a man whose name is Ernest, indicating that the name is more important that the nature and again illustrating the various ways in which formality has interfered with a perception of the truth.

Perhaps the greatest deception in the content of the play is the deception Jack Worthing pulls on himself. While Jack believes himself to be out deceiving the world, he learns in the end that he has never lied at all about who he is as he was christened both Earnest and John after his father before him and that he really does have a disreputable younger brother in the figure of Algernon: “Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother!” (Wilde, Act III, Scene II).

In the end, the play itself becomes its own deception. Each character represents a paradox that existed within Victorian society, developed as a result of their dissociation from the natural world and the increasingly complex rules of manners and customs that must be adhered to regardless of personal preference, practicality or common sense.

Throughout The Importance of Being Earnest, one can trace the tendency of those in high society to adopt masks or alternate personas as a means of escaping the rigid structures of their societies in both form and content. The main focus of the play remains keyed into the idea of removing the masks of genteel society to get at the true nature of the individual. This is demonstrated within the content of the play through the revelation that everyone had been telling some form of the truth despite their efforts to hide it. In addition, the play, through the various twists and turns it introduces, ends up demonstrating in its form the very things discussed in the content.

The Importance of Being Earnest ends up being earnestly concerned with the frivolity of manners and lack of substance in human relationships while remaining truly entertaining, light-hearted and brief and still conveying a deeper meaning and ‘importance,’ thus delivering on the promise made in the title. While The Importance of Being Earnest exposes the values of manners and behaving in socially acceptable ways if one wishes to be included, it also illustrates the constraints these constructs place on the individual to hide their uniqueness behind a mask of a different shape or form.

Vanfasse, Nathalie. “Grotesque but not Impossible’: Dickens’s Novels and Mid-Victorian Realism.” EREA. Vol. 2, N. 1, 2004.

Wilde, O. “The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People”. Masterplots. Ed. S. Bromige. Salem Press, Inc., 1996.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, September 11). The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-realism-of-the-importance-of-being-earnest/

"The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest." IvyPanda , 11 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-realism-of-the-importance-of-being-earnest/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest'. 11 September.

IvyPanda . 2021. "The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest." September 11, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-realism-of-the-importance-of-being-earnest/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest." September 11, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-realism-of-the-importance-of-being-earnest/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Realism of The Importance of Being Earnest." September 11, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-realism-of-the-importance-of-being-earnest/.

• Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest
• Oscar Wilde’s "The Importance of Being Earnest"
• The Play “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde
• Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”: Function of Conflict
• Representation of Food in the Importance of Being Earnest
• "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde: Critical Analysis
• Marriage in the Importance of Being Earnest: Analysis
• Moral Paradox in Wilde’s “Importance of Being Earnest”
• Jack Worthing, as the Image of Englishman of Victorian Epoch, in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
• The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde
• Pilgrim’s Progress: Allegory Internalized
• “Paradise Lost” John Milton One of the Most Distinguished Samples of Literature Epos
• The Treatment of Childhood in Victorian Literature
• Act 1 Scene III of “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” Analysis
• Elements of Literature Used in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

The Importance of Being Earnest—Oscar Wilde

Related Papers

prasetio wijaksono

Maroof Ahmed

Caroline Lee

This paper attempts to present how reality and fiction intersect in Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest to challenge, if not subvert, social obligations and perception of identity in Victorian society. In so doing, the paper critically attempts to touch upon the concepts of duality and appearance as they possess the utmost importance for the Victorian sense of morality. The article also strives to show how Wilde undermines the basis of the truthful representation of gender identity instead of the Victorian perception of the term. In the play, as the paper argues, Wilde hints at the idea that there is a difference if we can call it a duality of identity between the appearance and what is hidden beneath. In the case of the fictional characters, they wear fake identities or imagine a view of identity to suit the public's expectations, challenging the perception of stable autonomous identity that the Victorian believed. However, the inner and outer worlds of the characters are pretty different from inside and outside, so that they constantly +vacillate in-between these identities. The paper concludes that, as Wilde hints, it is impossible to define a person fully when they display various identities simultaneously as in the modern sense.

Unveiling Layers of Wilde's Masterpiece: A Feminist, Marxist, and Psychoanalytic Analysis of "The Importance of Being Earnest”

Rashmi Muniprema

Oscar Wilde's enduring comedic masterpiece, "The Importance of Being Earnest," initially perceived as a lighthearted farce, conceals profound layers of meaning and social commentary. This essay employs three prominent literary theories-Feminism, Marxism, and Psychoanalysis-to unravel the complexities within Wilde's work. From a Feminist perspective, the play critiques Victorian gender norms, revealing how women like Gwendolen and Cecily navigate societal constraints while exhibiting moments of agency. The Marxist lens exposes the superficiality of upper-class values, illustrating the characters' obsession with titles and lineage, and highlighting class-based exploitation. Psychoanalytic scrutiny unveils repressed desires and motivations, particularly seen in Algernon's adoption of the "Ernest" persona and the women's fixation on the name, reflecting a yearning for unconventional love. Despite societal limitations, Wilde's characters challenge norms, presenting opportunities for feminist analysis. The Marxist critique lays bare the materialistic nature of Victorian upperclass marriage, while the psychoanalytic lens delves into characters' hidden desires, providing a comprehensive understanding of societal dynamics. In conclusion, "The Importance of Being Earnest" transcends its era as a timeless masterpiece. This essay demonstrates how literature serves as a rich source for commentary on gender, class, and human psychology, inviting readers to reflect on the profound truths embedded in seemingly trivial comedies.

Xavier Giudicelli

Sanne Meijer

Facta Universitatis (Series Linguistics and …

Magdalena Nigoevic

IJHCS IJHCS

This article is based on the assumption that the analysis of literary discourse from pragmatic perspectives takes into consideration the specificity of the literary work. The literary work under focus is Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. The present research applies two pragmatic theories, namely speech act theory and implicature to the play and raises the question of how Wilde’s purpose is pragmatically achieved. It argues that the play is characterized by the frequent violation of the Maxim of Relation. It also shows that the violation of this maxim results in four recurrent pragmatic strategies and that these strategies interrelate with four main themes of the play. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used: The utterances marked by the violation of the relation maxim are analyzed in relation to their context and then they are classified into strategies and themes. Consequently, it is shown that whenever one of the four strategies is used, its use aims to deal with a specific theme. This research has found that, not only does the interrelationship strategy/theme contribute to Wilde’s purpose behind writing The Importance of Being Earnest but it also accounts for the specificity of this play. It accounts for its unity because the unifying interrelationship is between irrelevance as the main strategy and seriousness as the main theme. Key words: speech act, relation maxim, irrelevance, seriousness

This essay discusses how Wilde addresses the very nature of being. In repressive Victorian society, he chronicles the emergence of a self that is hidden and double and thus must exist at the margin, if not in the shadows. The result in Wilde’s private life is an identity in flux that reveals him as an identity migrant, who at one moment is the Victorian father and husband, and at another, the homosexual lover of Lord Alfred Douglas.

RELATED PAPERS

Geophysical Research Letters

Mamoru Yamamoto

First MSG RAO …

Richard C Willson

Cadernos de Linguagem e Sociedade

Joan Arimanwa

Journal of Energy Chemistry

Zhidong Huang

Michelle Pena

Cell transplantation

evan snyder

Arnold Danzig

ACS Chemical Biology

Karen Noguera

BMC Infectious Diseases

Kaung Myat Thu

Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management

Sharon Chepkoech

Jurnal riset rekayasa sipil

Rintis Hadiani

Nives Nadoh

Ecology Letters

Daniela Cusack

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

William Butler

Fundberichte aus Österreich. Bundesdenkmalamt. Wien

Hermann Maurer

Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases

Alimamy Koroma

Levyy Aldyy

Kyaw Zayar Htet

Melanoma Research

Julian Little

Hypertension

Bruce Hollis

Proceedings of The 4th International Conference on Academic Research in Science, Technology and Engineering

Abubaker Fatatit

Fatih Yıldız

January-June

Al-Qudwah; Jurnal Studi Al-Qur'an dan Hadis

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Importance of Being Earnest — Morality and Honesty in The Importance of Being Earnest

Morality and Honesty in The Importance of Being Earnest

• Categories: The Importance of Being Earnest

About this sample

Words: 603 |

Published: Feb 12, 2024

Words: 603 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

• Nelson, Bob. The Importance of Being Earnest: A Study Guide.
• Roditi, Edouard. Oscar Wilde. Norfolk: New Directions, 1947.
• Bentley, Eric. The Playwright as Thinker. Harvest Books, 1987.
• Forster, Richard. "Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance of Being Earnest." October , vol. 1956, College English.
• Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest. Prestwick House Inc, 2005.
• Reinert, Otto. "Satiric Strategy in The Importance of Being Earnest." October , vol. 1956, College English.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1.5 pages / 763 words

3.5 pages / 1580 words

7 pages / 3216 words

3.5 pages / 1480 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on The Importance of Being Earnest

"The Importance of Being Earnest," written by Oscar Wilde, is a comedic play that satirizes various aspects of Victorian society, including the institution of marriage. The play revolves around the lives of two men, Jack [...]

“We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces” (2257). So the character of Lady Bracknell observes at the conclusion of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. The play as a whole is one firmly preoccupied with the [...]

The interpretation that “we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality” greatly applies to the Importance of Being Earnest. The Importance of [...]

Richard Foster states that The Importance of Being Earnest has a “multivalent nature” and thus implies that a farce or comedy of manners are not particularly urbane genres and are therefore ‘unsuitable’ for The Importance [...]

Oscar Wilde frames “The Importance of Being Earnest” around the paradoxical epigram, a skewering metaphor for the play’s central theme of division of truth and identity that hints at a homosexual subtext. Other targets of [...]

As the years pass, certain literary works prove themselves timeless, transcending their original contexts to offer insight and commentary that remains relevant across generations. Among these enduring pieces, "The Importance of [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde

Welcome to our The Importance of Being Earnest essay sample! Here, you’ll find the analysis of the story’s main themes and comedy elements. Get ideas for your essay on The Importance of Being Earnest with our essay sample.

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Thesis Statement

The importance of being earnest essay introduction, morality and marriage, why a comedy, the importance of being earnest essay conclusion, works cited.

Oscar Wilde had written during the Victorian time which was an era that laid much emphasis on moral values. It can be contended that The Importance of Being Earnest is in essence a play on morality since the major argument surfacing after its reading relates to honesty as being the best policy.

Although the learning from the play strengthens the values as prevailing during the period, there is quite a lot in the play that is not as per convention. The primary reason for Wilde’s success was that he was able to narrate an appealing story that further strengthened the prevailing social values. This he was able to do by making use of the untraditional relationships and images.

The Importance of Being Earnest was the last play written by Oscar Wilde and it undoubtedly became the most celebrated. George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells considered the play amongst the funniest that were ever written and to this day the play continues to absorb and entertain theatre lovers through out the world.

The play makes fun of the literary world, the aristocratic society and the customs and mannerisms of the British, while at the same time questions the concept of identity. The plans of the different characters in the play are seen to be going topsy-turvy due to the occurrence of unexpected developments. Wilde has skilfully taken up the issues of romantic gamesmanship, social ambitions and class pretensions through wit sharpened dialogues.

A major reason for the play’s success is the large number of spicy epigrams used by Wilde. Although some of the succinct and inconsistent statements relate to contemporary happenings, most of them are general manifestations of beauty, classes, women and men.

Most of the statements are being quoted to this day and keep on delighting the audience with their mix of absurdities and sophistication. Other than revealing the beauty, the play is a masterpiece in depicting Victorian styles as prevalent during the time, especially in relation to morality and marriage.

For long, marriage had been a significant issue and Wilde had depicted its scheming use as a social instrument of progression. Other than Miss Prism, all the ladies in the play are seen as having hidden motives in regard to romance. Wilde has convincingly criticized the superficial ways of politeness as practiced by society and has outlined the nature of the shallow masks that were worn by aristocratic Victorians.

A major source of humour in the play is the confused source of values as displayed by the characters. In this regard, Wilde had commented about the play as being “exquisitely trivial, a delicate bubble of fancy, and it has its philosophy that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality,” (Oscar Wilde, 2005).

Wilde had impressed upon his actors to speak out their words very seriously so that the audience did not think that they were joking. Although in essence the play is a comedy that relates to protocol, it has openly used ridiculous means to minimize its significance. Fortunately the audience is ever willing to ignore the inconsistency and indiscretions in the play.

Within the structure of the play one can feel the allusions of homosexuality implied in the male characters. It is known that while he was writing this play, Wilde was leading a twin life of a married man as also of a homosexual.

The original audiences of the play were utterly shocked at the reference of such a culture in the play and unfortunately for Wilde, the success of the play was not carried too further as his well known trial began after the opening night of the play and his career began to get loose.

There are two major issues forming the critique of The Importance of Being Earnest. Firstly, although the play was very well received by audiences when it opened for the first time, critics during the time openly questioned the moral aspects pertinent in the play.

The play was attacked by George Bernard Shaw for its “real degeneracy” (Bob Nelson, 1993), and described the playwright’s word play as being rather hateful and sinister. The second issue relates to the dramatic framework of the play in exhibiting aspects of parody, comedy of manners and mockery. Critics have been unable to come to a conclusion in regard to what category the play belongs to.

Critics are divided on the issue of morality in The Importance of Being Earnest. According to Edouard Roditi, who wrote the book Oscar Wilde, the playwright’s comedy did not rise higher than “the incomplete or the trivial” (Edouard Roditi, 1947).

Roditi felt that the play did not have ethical perspectives since no character saw through other characters nor criticized their values. Eric Bentley also felt the same way and concluded that “because of its ridiculous action, the play fails to break… into bitter criticism of serious issues” (Eric Bentley, 1987).

Otto Reinert has opined that Wilde’s comedy has had the effect of “an exposure both of hypocrisy and of the unnatural convention that necessitates hypocrisy” (Otto Reinert, 1956). Consequently there was a superficial cover up of the white lies that maintained politeness in the so called polite society, which alone was able to give the plot a moral meaning.

This is exemplified by the instance in the play when Algernon is criticized by Lady Bracknell for having taken care of his make believe friend, Bunberry who was supposed to make a decision whether he was going to die or live. In criticizing him she voices her conservative belief that “illness in others is always faked [and]… consequently sympathy with invalids is faked also” (Oscar Wilde, 2005)

Although Lady Bracknell is portrayed as respecting convention she is believed to have had no illusions about “the reality her professed convention is supposed to conceal” (Otto Reinert, 1956). She presumes that both Bunberry and Algeron are “bubburying” and she behaves in a way that “exposes the polite cynicism that negates all values save personal convenience and salon decorum” (Otto Reinert, 1956).

The lady’s behaviour is in the nature of exposing the polite cynicism in negating all desired values except salon decorum and personal convenience. Lady Bracknell is not protected from her own shortcomings in being extra earnest.

She disapproves of marriages amongst mercenaries and admits that when she had married Lord Bracknell she did not have any fortune, which implied that she was opposed to marrying for money, and that she was not in possession of much wealth at the time she married a wealthy man.

According to Reinert, “this position is neither cynical nor funny. It represents… [a] compromise between practical hardheadedness and conventional morality” (Otto Reinert, 1956).

In all, the play has not endorsed social dishonesty and for some time it makes a mockery of respectability. The use of paradoxical morality by Wilde has served as an evaluation of the “the problem of manners.”

This is so because Algeron, in trying to escape the pretence of conventions, becomes a hypocrite himself when he pretends to be a person that he actually is not. Wilde has conveyed that the so called Victorian morality forced people to lead a life of double standards, one that was frolicsome and another that was respectable, none of them being solemn.

A critical issue in the play relates to the categorization of the play. It has been described as a “farce that represents the reality that Victorian convention pretends to ignore” (Otto Reinert, 1956). The characters have not been ironic enough by way of saying something but meaning something else.

In fact they really mean what ever they state, which is evident from the fact that Algernon does not wish to attend lady Bracknell’s dinner party since she will invariably make him sit near Mary Farquhar who is in the habit of flirting while sitting with her own husband.

Reinert has written in this regard that, “Algernon is indignant with a woman who spoils the fun of extramarital flirtation and who parades her virtue. He is shocked at convention. And his tone implies that he is elevating break of convention into a moral norm,” (Otto Reinert, 1956). This makes things conventional out of unconventional situations.

Wilde’s comedy is seen as working through a caricature in transforming the techniques of comedy, plot situations and the characters.

The play has been defended against the charge that it was just a mockery because mockery “depends for its effects upon extremely simplified characters tangling themselves up in incongruous situations, as in Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors or Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer.

Instead, the comedy of Earnest subsists, for the most part, not in action or situation but in dialogue, which is too witty and intellectual to be described simply as a farce,”(Forster, 1956).

Instead of being a comedy of manners or a mockery, Forster believed that Wilde used characters and familiar plot devices satirizing the Victorian community. The relationship that Jack has with Gwendolen symbolizes the problems faced by lovers in being forced to stay away from getting married due to class differences.

Wilde found a novel solution by establishing Jack’s patrimony in being the child at the railway station. A common feature of romantic literature pertains to falling in love at first sight which too is demonstrated by Wilde in total contrast when Cecily falls in love with Algernon, not at first sight but simply because she is under the impression that his name is Everest.

Although Algernon is depicted as being cynical, but there is evidence in indicating that such cynicism is shallow since after he met Cecily, “Algernon is engaged to be married and reconciled to getting christened,” (Forster, 1956).

In appearing to be innocent and protected, Cecily conveys that it would become a hypocritical situation if Algernon tries to be good while trying to project himself as being fiendish. According to Forster, “The moral of Wilde’s parody: the rake is a fake, girlish innocence is the bait of a monstrous mantrap, the wages of sin in matrimony,” (Forster, 1956).

In essence the dramatic troubles as identified by some critics in the play, are seen as being its strengths. Forster emphasizes that the whole point of the play lies in the machinations of its plot and the convenience outlined behind the numerous coincidences that are neatly placed in its resolutions.

Bob Nelson, The Importance of Being Earnest , A study Guide.

Edouard Roditi, Oscar Wilde, 1947, Norfolk: New Directions

Eric Bentley, The Playwright as Thinker, 1987, Harvest Books Foster, Richard. “Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance Of Being Earnest.” October, 1956, College English

Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 2005, Prestwick House Inc

Reinert, Otto. “Satiric Strategy in The Importance Of Being Earnest.” October, 1956, College English

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2020, January 8). “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. https://studycorgi.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-wilde/

"“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde." StudyCorgi , 8 Jan. 2020, studycorgi.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-wilde/.

StudyCorgi . (2020) '“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde'. 8 January.

1. StudyCorgi . "“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde." January 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-wilde/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde." January 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-wilde/.

StudyCorgi . 2020. "“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde." January 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-by-oscar-wilde/.

This paper, ““The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: June 12, 2022 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Book Citations / Learn how to cite “The importance of being earnest” by Oscar Wilde

Learn how to cite “The importance of being earnest” by Oscar Wilde

Learn how to create in-text citations and a full citation/reference/note for The importance of being earnest by Oscar Wilde using the examples below. The importance of being earnest  is cited in 14 different citation styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, APA, ACS, and many others.

If you are looking for additional help, try the EasyBib citation generator .

Popular Citation Styles

Here are The importance of being earnest citations for five popular citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago (notes-bibliography), Chicago (author-date), and Harvard style.

Additional Styles

Here are The importance of being earnest citations for 14 popular citation styles including Turabian style, the American Medical Association (AMA) style, the Council of Science Editors (CSE) style, IEEE, and more.

Find citation guides for additional books linked here .

Popular Book Citations

• Declaration of Independence
• Heart of Darkness
• The Great Gatsby
• The Federalist Papers
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Catcher in the Rye
• Fahrenheit 451
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Yellow Wallpaper
• Nineteen Eighty-Four
• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• ESV Study Bible
• The Bhagavad Gita
• There There
• Animal Farm
• A Raisin in the Sun
• Letter from Birmingham Jail
• View Other Book Citations

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Citation Basics

Harvard Referencing

Plagiarism Basics

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

The Importance of Being Earnest - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedic play by Oscar Wilde that satirizes the Victorian social norms and aristocratic pretenses. Essays on this play might explore Wilde’s witty dialogue, the social commentary embedded within the humor, or the characters’ quest for personal freedom amidst societal expectations. Other angles might include examining the play’s influence on later literary works, or dissecting the relevance of its satire in today’s social scenario. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to The Importance of Being Earnest you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

The Importance of being Earnest Analysis

The Importance of Being Earnest was a play first performed in London 1895, written by Oscar Wilde. If one takes this play face value this play is just a humorous play, but it has a darker meaning. It is truly mocking the Victorian Society of the time. This play is a horatian satire, which are happy and joyful, but seeks to correct foolishness with laughter. But all the while also attacks the characteristics of Victorian time. Oscar Wilde wrote this […]

Title: the Importance of being Earnest

Characteristics of the Genre: “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a mix of genres: satire and comedy of manners. Comedy of manners is shown in the play through the flamboyant characters, Algernon and Jack, and their witty conversations with each other. The satirical dialogue in the play has elements of sexual jokes and puns, this is significant as it conveys the purpose of the play which is to mock the ways of the Victorian society and people’s mindset towards marriage. […]

The Hidden Truth of Victorian Marriage between the Lines of Oscar Wilde’s Poetry

During the Victorian era, Victorian girls were well trained and groomed by their mothers to become the perfect wives and mothers. Relationships between a man and female, in this era, often led to marriage. Before marriage, physical contact between a woman and man was looked down upon. Individuals, within the Victorian era, married within their same level of class and the woman become the devoted housewife. In the Victorian weddings, a white dress indicated leisure and innocence of pre-marriage sexual […]

We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs.

Marriage in the Importance of being Earnest

The importance of being earnest employs satire in mocking the Victorian age mindset of, love and social norms of marriage. This comic play ironically expounds on the theme of manners by portraying social conventions in making its audience laugh. Triviality is another theme the play is trying to bring out. Oscar Wilde through that play shows how trivial matters are given more attention by people instead of earnest matters through the relationships and marriages in the play. The importance of […]

“The Importance of being Earnest” : Centuries & Marriage

Throughout the years marriage has evolved in many ways. Women now have more rights and privileges, love plays a major role in the matrimonies that take place, an engagement is entered into and neither person has to approach it like it is a business deal, and people do not have guidelines or rules to follow. Courtship was cruel to both men and women, it did not allow them to get to know other people. Now, couples can test compatibility before […]

Idea of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s Book

"In the book, The Importance of being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, mentions the ideals of marriage between the characters and their situations. The Importance of Being Earnest focuses on two main couples, Jack (Ernest) and Gwendolen and Algernon and Cecily. However, Lady Bracknell, Gwendolens mother, plays a key role in the plot of satire that is being used regarding marriage ideals, as her ideals sum the ridiculous standards of the Victorian Age. Oscar Wilde uses satire to ridicule the cultural […]

Gender Roles and Love in “The Importance of being Earnest”

“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a trivial comedy for serious people written by Oscar Wilde. Wilde expresses comedy through purposely criticizing the aristocratic. In “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Oscar Wilde treats humorously serious issues and conflicts, such as class structure, marriage and courtship, as if they are a joke to the Victorian Society. In the Victorian Society and even in today’s society, the world is extremely stereotypical against gender. Wilde views the females in the play stereotypically. For […]

Deception and Irony in “The Importance of being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde

To be earnest usually means to be sincere and honest. As it is mentioned in the title, the first impression that the reader gets is that the main figures are implementing these ideas. But why then are they exactly the opposite and act in such mischievous and misbehaviour ways? And here comes the irony which follows along through the whole piece. The figures create false deceitful images which lead to ""comedy of manners"". Are they used for good or bad? […]

Algernon sees marriage as an undesirable burden in life. He is doubtful about the true happiness and love that can come with marriage and therefore has his concerns about living the rest of his life in an unhealthy relationship. In Act I, as Algernon is talking to his butler Lane, Lane says “I often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first rate brand,” and Algernon responds by saying “is marriage so demoralizing as that?” (Wilde, […]

The Era of Class and Play of Satire

The victorian Era is remembered as an era of class, structure, and matrimony. It is a time in which men and women had certain duties society had expected them to follow. The years between 1835 and 1900, the Victorian Era, was a time of great change. The society of England represented various classes, rules, and lifestyles. Furthermore, both men and women had their own ettiquetes. Although a respectable era, it is brought up in several plays and novels of literature […]

Character’s Personas in a Play Jack Worthing

In the play, Jack Worthing, a member of England’s upper class, has two different personas. In the town, he goes by Ernest, but in the country, where he is placed in a position of guardianship, he goes by his given name, Jack. In Act 1, he admits to a fellow Bunburyist, Algernon, that “in order to get up to town [he] pretend[s] to have a younger brother of the name Ernest, who lives in the Albany, and gets into the […]

Entertainment and Criticisms of the Victorian Era

At first glance, Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest, appears to be a witty comedic work. When one takes a closer look, however, it becomes apparent that Wilde was issuing a variety of criticisms about the Victorian period. The characters are perceived as having power and wealth, and the very idea having said power causes the characters to behave in a way that they believe to be worthy of that power. They will stop at nothing to keep up this […]

Trivialization in the Victorian Era

Oscar Wilde trivializes serious aspects of life and makes it look like they are of lesser importance. In the fictional play, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, published in 1898, author Oscar Wilde, characters are used to make fun at the upper class and criticize their ways of life to make them look like they are of lesser importance. Oscar Wilde uses characters such as Algernon, Lady Bracknell, and Cecily to trivialize society and show how aspects of life such as […]

The Irony of being Earnest

When Oscar Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, opened in London, England, in 1895, its author was in vogue and quite prominent in the literary and social columns. “To some readers it may also have suggested - or confirmed - the impression that there was a less positive side to Wilde's notoriety” (Jackson 161). While his use of the descriptive word "earnest" in the title denotes a certain element of sincerity and honesty, Wilde cleverly employs this as a […]

Jack Worthingis a Fashionable Young Man

"Jack Worthingis a fashionable young man who lives in the country with his ward, Cecily Cardew. He has invented a rakish brother named Ernest whose supposed exploits give Jack an excuse to travel to London periodically to rescue him. Jack is in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, the cousin of his friend Algernon Moncrieff. Gwendolen, who thinks Jack’s name is Ernest, returns his love, but her mother, Lady Bracknell, objects to their marriage because Jack is an orphan who was found […]

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

The importance of being Earnest relates to the notion that The plotline of an absurdist drama, if any exists, generally ends up where it started— nothing has been accomplished and characters are the same at the end of the play as they were at the start in the same way that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead does. While the importance of being Earnests plotline ends off where it begun with only slight changes, Earnest still being Earnest yet not fooling […]

Hypocrisy in Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde Works

"The topic I will be covering for this paper is the similarities and differences in regards to hypocrisy displayed in Charles dickens novel, “Hard times,” and Oscar Wilde’s play, “The importance of being Earnest.” Each author portrayed the impact hypocrisy could have on those involved, both indirectly and directly and the consequences of it. After reading “Hard times,” I felt that Charles Dickens view may have been more realistic and geared towards reality. Not only were the events in his […]

History : the Victorian Era

The Victorian era takes place during the reign of Queen Victoria. Looking up to her majesty and her morals, the British population at the time was greatly concerned with the expectancy to adhere to her personality traits. These traits include the following; strong ethics, responsibility, abstaining from indulgence, self-discipline, and most importantly, the aspect of honesty. Oscar Wildes’ play, “The Importance of Being Earnest” is written after the reign of Queen Victoria, during the modern era. Many people of this […]

Additional Example Essays

• Victorian gender roles in The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Comparison Of Introverts VS Extroverts
• The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis
• Colonism in Things Fall Apart
• The short story "The Cask of Amontillado"
• Beowulf and Grendel Comparison
• The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
• Junk Food Should be Taxed
• The Girl (Jig) Character Analysis in Hills Like White Elephants
• The Cask of Amontillado: Montresor
• Dramatic Irony in Tell-Tale Heart: Unveiling Suspense in Horror Stories
• Things Fall Apart Tragic Hero

How to Write an Essay About The Importance Of Being Earnest

Understanding 'the importance of being earnest'.

Before writing an essay about Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' it is crucial to understand the play's context, themes, and characters. This comedic play, first performed in 1895, is known for its satire of Victorian social norms and commentary on the triviality with which society treats serious institutions like marriage. Begin your essay by outlining the plot, which revolves around the protagonists Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who adopt fictitious identities to escape societal obligations. Discuss the main characters, including Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew, and the role they play in the narrative. Address the historical and cultural context of Victorian England, which is pivotal for understanding the play's themes, including the critique of social conventions and the concept of 'double lives.'

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on 'The Importance of Being Earnest' should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about the play. For instance, you might analyze the play's treatment of hypocrisy and deception, explore its satirical take on Victorian society, or discuss the use of irony and wit in character development and dialogue. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your analysis.

Gathering Textual Evidence

To support your thesis, it's essential to gather evidence from the text. This involves close reading to find relevant quotes, dialogues, and scenes that support your argument. For example, if discussing the theme of deception, identify key moments in the play that highlight the characters' use of deceit and the resulting comedic situations. Use these examples to build your argument and provide depth to your analysis.

Analyzing Wilde's Techniques and Themes

Analyze how Oscar Wilde uses literary techniques to develop the play's themes and characters. Discuss his use of wit and irony, the play’s structure, and Wilde's unique style of dialogue. For example, explore how the concept of 'bunburying' serves as a tool to critique societal norms and expectations. This analysis should demonstrate a deep understanding of the text and how Wilde communicates his critique of society.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing your main arguments and restating your thesis in light of the discussion. Your conclusion should tie together your insights into 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' emphasizing the significance of your findings. Reflect on the broader implications of the play, such as its enduring relevance and its place in the canon of English literature.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and refine it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by textual evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from teachers or peers to help improve your essay. A well-written essay on 'The Importance of Being Earnest' will not only demonstrate your understanding of the play but also your ability to engage critically with literary texts.

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

The Importance of Being Earnest

Affiliations.

• 1 S. El-Dalati is a fellow, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• 2 D. Cronin is assistant professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• PMID: 32271233
• DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003372

Attempting to effect change in modern medicine, particularly as trainees or junior faculty, is often an overwhelming undertaking. While early-career physicians are in close contact with patients, they often lack the credibility or access to resources that are necessary to implement new ideas at large institutions. Although there may be scientific evidence to support new models of care, existing cultural patterns of practice can foster resistance to these interventions. The authors describe their own experience as residents reforming the management of endocarditis patients at an academic medical center, emphasizing the important role that residents can play in changing medical practice. Starting with a devastating patient case, the authors share their story of creating a multidisciplinary endocarditis team while navigating the many obstacles, some unseen, that can derail innovative ideas. Ultimately, through a combination of new perspectives, data-driven analysis, determination, and-most importantly-hope, the authors were able to dramatically improve outcomes for patients. Moving forward, their experience can serve as a model for young physicians and inspire them to effect change in their own institutions.

Copyright © 2020 by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Publication types

• Case Reports
• Academic Medical Centers
• Attitude of Health Personnel*
• Endocarditis / therapy*
• Interdisciplinary Communication*
• Middle Aged
• Patient Care Team / organization & administration*
• Physicians / psychology*
• Therapies, Investigational / psychology*
• Treatment Outcome