The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictional alter-egos to escape tiresome social obligations. The play makes light of the institution of marriage and more generally other serious Victorian customs. As a result, reviewers of the time praised the play's humor, while bemoaning its evident lack of social messages. Most agreed however that it was the high point of Wilde's artistic career to date. Its high farce and Wilde's dazzlingly witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest his most enduringly popular play.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media
• Release date: Sep 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781974995349

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was a Dublin-born poet and playwright who studied at the Portora Royal School, before attending Trinity College and Magdalen College, Oxford. The son of two writers, Wilde grew up in an intellectual environment. As a young man, his poetry appeared in various periodicals including Dublin University Magazine. In 1881, he published his first book Poems, an expansive collection of his earlier works. His only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was released in 1890 followed by the acclaimed plays Lady Windermere’s Fan (1893) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

By

OSCAR WILDE

This edition published by Dreamscape Media LLC, 2017

www.dreamscapeab.com * [e-mail]

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About Oscar Wilde:

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was a prolific Irish writer of plays, fiction, essays and poetry. After writing in different genres throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as the circumstances of his imprisonment and early death.

Wilde's parents were successful Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. Their son became fluent in French and German early in life. At university, Wilde read the classics and he proved himself to be an outstanding classicist, first at Dublin, then at Oxford. He became known for his involvement in the rising philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London and into the fashionable cultural and social circles of the day.

As a spokesman for aestheticism, he tried his hand at various literary activities: he published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on the new English Renaissance in Art, and then returned to London, where he worked prolifically as a journalist. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress, and glittering conversation, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day. At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). The opportunity to construct aesthetic details precisely, and combine them with larger social themes, drew Wilde to write drama. He wrote Salome (1891) in French in Paris, but it was refused a license for England due to the absolute prohibition of biblical subjects on the English stage. Unperturbed, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late Victorian London.

At the height of his fame and success, while The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) was still being performed in London, Wilde had the Marquess of Queensberry prosecuted for criminal libel. The Marquess was the father of Wilde's lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. The libel trial unearthed evidence that caused Wilde to drop his charges and led to his own arrest and trial for gross indecency with men. After two more trials, he was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labor, the maximum penalty. In 1897, in prison, he wrote De Profundis, which was published in 1905, a long letter that discusses his spiritual journey through his trials, forming a dark counterpoint to his earlier philosophy of pleasure. Upon his release, he left immediately for France, never to return to Ireland or Britain. There he wrote his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), a long poem commemorating the harsh rhythms of prison life. He died destitute in Paris at the age of forty-six.

Source: Wikipedia

The Persons in the Play

John Worthing, J.P.

Algernon Moncrieff

Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.

Merriman, Butler

Lane, Manservant

Lady Bracknell

Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax

Cecily Cardew

Miss Prism, Governess

The Scenes of the Play

First Act: Algernon Moncrieff’s Flat in Half-Moon Street, W.

Second Act: The Garden at the Manor House, Woolton.

Third Act: Drawing-Room at the Manor House, Woolton.

TIME: The Present.

First Act

Algernon Moncrieff’s Flat in Half-Moon Street, W.

SCENE

Morning-room in Algernon’s flat in Half-Moon Street. The room is luxuriously and artistically furnished. The sound of a piano is heard in the adjoining room.

[Lane is arranging afternoon tea on the table, and after the music has ceased, Algernon enters.]

Algernon. Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?

Lane. I didn’t think it polite to listen, sir.

Algernon. I’m sorry for that, for your sake. I don’t play accurately—anyone can play accurately—but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life.

Lane. Yes, sir.

Algernon. And, speaking of the science of Life, have you got the cucumber sandwiches cut for Lady Bracknell?

Lane. Yes, sir. [Hands them on a salver.]

Algernon. [Inspects them, takes two, and sits down on the sofa.] Oh! . . . by the way, Lane, I see from your book that on Thursday night, when Lord Shoreman and Mr. Worthing were dining with me, eight bottles of champagne are entered as having been consumed.

Lane. Yes, sir; eight bottles and a pint.

Algernon. Why is it that at a bachelor’s establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne? I ask merely for information.

Lane. I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I have often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand.

Algernon. Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that?

Lane. I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it myself up to the present. I have only been married once. That was in consequence of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person.

Algernon. [Languidly.] I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane.

Lane. No, sir; it is not a very interesting subject. I never think of it myself.

Algernon. Very natural, I am sure. That will do, Lane, thank you.

Lane. Thank you, sir. [Lane goes out.]

Algernon. Lane’s views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really, if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.

[Enter Lane.]

Lane. Mr. Ernest Worthing.

[Enter Jack.]

[Lane goes out.]

Algernon. How are you, my dear Ernest? What brings you up to town?

Jack. Oh, pleasure, pleasure! What else should bring one anywhere? Eating as usual, I see, Algy!

Algernon. [Stiffly.] I believe it is customary in good society to take some slight refreshment at five o’clock. Where have you been since last Thursday?

Jack. [Sitting down on the sofa.] In the country.

Algernon. What on

Reviews for The Importance of Being Earnest

[mickyfine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've always enjoyed this play and couldn't turn down the opportunity to listen to this audio production with James Marsters (SPIKE!) in one of the lead roles. The play remains as funny and charming as ever, and while not all of the actors rocked the English accent as well as others, it was a delightful and fast listen. Highly recommended.

[solitaryfossil · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A cute little trifle, just a middle-of-the-road blip, though. At least now I can say I’ve been exposed to it, and exposure is good - unless you’re arrested for it, or die from it.

[cjyurkanin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Aha! So THIS is what Wodehouse was trying to do. Algernon > Jeeves

[rainpebble_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde; (4*)The Importance of Being Earnest seems to start as a play about truth but quickly becomes a play about the false through the classical "simply a misunderstanding". The two male leads, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, use imaginary friends they invent to avoid the boring and weekly family engagements. These imaginary friends lead to eventual confusion between them and the women they love. This misunderstanding is only half the fun though. Wilde mocks the ill portrayed English Aristocracy of the late 19th century; poking fun at not only their etiquette but also their stubborn and unpractical tendencies, their immoral behavior, and their exploitation of the lower classes. Very rarely do comedies strike to the heart of the matter and say something as meaningful as Oscar Wilde did with this great play of his.Wilde gives new meaning to the terminology irreverence and farce.His views on the virtues of having a satirically empty head as written by one understanding this is the funniest I have ever read. His characterization of the English upper class as both idle and clueless most likely came very close to the truth.But he wraps it all up happily (for most) and leaves us with a great laugh. Well done, Wilde!

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The short three act play of Oscar Wilde, known more for the title than by being read. I was motivated to read the play after watching a recent movie adaption (with Colin Firth as Ernest/Jack). A nice little farce with plenty of opportunity for Wilde to show-off with his bon mots and carefully cynical witticisms. But, good fun, and pleasing to see how closely the movie had stuck to the original intentions of Wilde's creation. Read January 2012.

[katieloucks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So funny! Did it as a high school play

[benkline · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very entertaining play by Wilde, with his typical wit and witticisms and oxymoronic statements.

[yazzyfuzz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A gem of a play. Wilde at his best. Has also been transferred very successfully to the screen.

[tanya8dogearedcopy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Even though I have seen and read the play a few times, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST bears up under repeated scrutiny. The performance by L.A. Theater Works (starring James Marsters) had me laughing aloud, delivering the lines with excellent comic timing and all the appropriate absurdity. As an audio-only performance, the listener might expect to feel cheated in not being able to see the actors, but it's a testament to Oscar Wilde's writing and the performers that nothing was lost in this rendition. My only quibble was the inclusion of an interview with the director afterward:It simply wasn't interesting.

[gregorio_roth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a blend of hilarity and double speak... quit the woodhousian affair.

[meditationesmartini · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dear, dear Oscar. I don't know a play that gets away with being less a story than a collection of quips and epigrams and skewerings of the attitudes held by heavily bearded and/or crinolined people in dark clothes as handily as this one does. NB, apparently contemporary with publication "Is he earnest?" was gay slang for "Is he gay?" (later replaced by "Is he musical?"), but Sir John Gielgud assures us that any queer readings are only in our sex-obsessed imaginations. Everybody, treat the serious trivially and the trivial seriously today.

[yougotamber · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fun play that made me laugh a few times.

[salisb27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A play about the importance of being earnest in life and in love. A humorous travesty on the social roles and standards of men and women in the Victorian Era.A great way to humorously introduce students to Victorian era standards and regulations for both men and women.

[yvonne.sevignykaiser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This comedy reminds me of a episode of Friends.

Making fun of human nature at it's most ridiculous moments. It is a play about nothing just everyday moments.

I absolutely loved this theatre version of the play done by the LA Theatre company. Funny, Funny, Funny

[gmillar_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

English language as art!

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can’t beat Oscar Wilde when it comes to witty dialogue. The playwright mastered the art form of clever repartee and The Importance of Being Earnest is the best example of that talent.Two bachelors, Jack and Algernon, both find themselves pretending to be someone they are not in order to get what they want. Their actions cause confusion and cat fights when two ladies, Gwendolen and Cecily find themselves falling for the fictional “Earnest.” Top it off with the indomitable Lady Bracknell, whose matchmaking skills rely heavily on evaluating someone’s social standing and you’ve got a recipe for hilarity. I’ve always loved this play and rereading it was a treat. I also had the chance to finally see it performed in May and I loved it. That version set the story in the 1990s instead of the 1890s, but the text was exactly the same, which reminded me that romantic comedies really haven’t changed too much. This play also contains many of Wilde’s most infamous lines. Here’s a few of my favorites:“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” “To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”“I'll bet you anything you like that half an hour after they have met, they will be calling each other sister.Women only do that when they have called each other a lot of other things first.”BOTTOM LINE: Read it! It’s a quick and delightful play.

[rontyler-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A cute little trifle, just a middle-of-the-road blip, though. At least now I can say I’ve been exposed to it, and exposure is good - unless you’re arrested for it, or die from it.

[ashishg_50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This merely 60 page comedy of errors had me chuckling quite a few times and was finished in one sitting. Book is full of quotable quotes which themselves are insight into timeless nature of humour (just like recently red Three Men in a Boat).

[sealford_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have long enjoyed the wittiness that I found peeking around the corner of each page of this marvelous book. At many times, I found myself laughing quite hard at things that seemed both innocent and obvious at the same time. A must read for any hardcore literature fan.

[librarygeek33 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The 2 narrators on this version were incredible, immediately switching voices without missing a beat. I don't know how they did it. The book was amusing in a stuffy English way. Silly can be fun.

[caropi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just love Oscar Wilde. He is fresh, he is ironic and he describes the english society of his time in a remarkable way. The importance of Being Earnest is a short play very easy to read that brings to the reader a great story that it can enjoy over and over again discovering the magic of his words at the time that we are transported in time...

[alexdaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ah where to begin? A lifetime of quotes. Oh to be Lady Bracknell in my dotage. "To lose one parents, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. " or "Hesitation of any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young, of physical weakness in the old." and finally "Three addresses always inspire confidence, even in tradesmen."

[afderrick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A splendidly funny book. If I wasn't at work while reading this (through e-mail from dailyreader.net) I would have found myself laughing quite loudly. The only thing I wish it had done better is not ended. I hope one day to get to see this on stage perhaps. Great play, funny stuff.

[bleached_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite plays. A wonderful comedy about society, appearance, and the importance of earnest.

[beequiet · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favourite plays, you can't beat Wilde for acerbic wit tied in with social commentary. I was in this play as the darling Miss Cecily Cardew, and remember the great problems we all had at first in managing to get through our lines without laughing!

[tadad_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There's not a lot of depth to this play. Though Wilde does take on the Victorian notions of responsibility, respectability and...well...earnestness, you won't find strikingly real characters that will stay with you, nor any deep and revelatory social messages. What you will find, however, is one of the best assemblies of laugh out oud moments in the English language. Lady Bracknell, alone, had me in stitches for the entire play with her observations on orphans ("To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness.") to her theories of education ("I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance.").The invented relatives, the mistaken identities, the long-lost foundling, the Tartar of an aunt who controls the purse strings—all of them are sewn together in a way that seems so familiar because they've been a part of our comedic vocabulary ever since Shakespeare. Yet, Wilde's gift is that they don't seem hackneyed nor trite. I think the only downside is that the lawsuits over the play stopped Wilde from writing any more, and that's a loss.

[john257hopper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I felt I needed a lighter read, and this was time for a re-read of this classic play that I have loved since childhood, one of my all time favourites. Huge portions of the dialogue are imprinted on my mind, and I can hear and see the actors in the 1952 film version as I am reading. Wonderful stuff (though I still get Jack and Algernon mixed up in my mind, probably as they are both trying to be earnest!)

[charlottejones952 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my first experience of an Oscar Wilde play and it definitely exceeded my expectations. This was well-written, witty and intelligent, with charming characters and a great plot. I will definitely be picking up more Wilde in the future.

[andibook-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Okay, so this was both shorter and dumber than I thought it would be, as well as being a play instead of prose. It starts with a conversation between two friends, both of whom are guilty of bunburying -- having two identities, one in the country and one in the city, as an excuse to get out of things they don’t want to do. And of course, romantic hijinks ensue.I’m actually very happy I read this after a few books like Pride and Prejudice… it’s an absurd take on all those little misunderstandings, complicated family relations, and forbidden love triangles.Recommendation: Fans of absurdities and romantic comedies.Feels: Lighthearted, trivial, exaggerated.Favorites: The word “bunburying,” and the cucumber sandwiches.

[kymberlee-6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So glad I had to read this for my AP British Literature class. This satire of Victorian England made me laugh more than most books and plays I have read. The humor is just unbeatable... I can't wait to read more from Oscar Wilde!