First published in 1898, The Importance of Being Furnest is a play written by Oscar Wilde that takes place during the Victorian Era. It is a classic comedy of manners, in which two flippant young men in order to impress their respective beloveds, pretend that their names are ""Earnest."" The title of the play is described as a pun, since the word ""Earnest"" can be understood in two different ways. Firstly, ""earnest ""can be understood in the sense of serious or honest. However, Ernest is also the name of the alter egos ...
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First published in 1898, The Importance of Being Furnest is a play written by Oscar Wilde that takes place during the Victorian Era. It is a classic comedy of manners, in which two flippant young men in order to impress their respective beloveds, pretend that their names are ""Earnest."" The title of the play is described as a pun, since the word ""Earnest"" can be understood in two different ways. Firstly, ""earnest ""can be understood in the sense of serious or honest. However, Ernest is also the name of the alter egos that the protagonists use to escape social and moral obligations. Apart from this, there are many other incidents that exhibit that the play was written for the purpose of social satire. Through farcical comedy, the dramatist has exposed the reality of the upper-clases Victorian society and has shown their snobbery. Oscar Wilde has freely used techniques like epigrams, humor, paradoxes in an interesting manner that can never be said directly to the people. Ile has conveyed his message to his own people and showed them the mirror.
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This is one of those all-important plays that depart a good message, but also make you laugh in the process. The characters and themes in this play are wonderful and colorful. The biting wit of the dialog makes this play a winner in my mind. I love everything about this play, and while I haven't seen the movie at all, I hope that it would be something like this when I actually do see it.
canadianchicklitlover
Apr 19, 2007
Excellent Play - A MUST READ!
In my 10+ years of live theater exploration, no play has stuck in my mind as much as Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. I'll admit to having seen a movie version prior to reading the play, and even that the movie was the REASON I later picked up the play, since then, I have re-read it several times. Even after seeing one interpretation of it, I was very able to establish my own ideas on the play, both in regards to meaning, and in production ideas. The Importance of Being Earnest was my first Wilde play, and while I have read others since then, and would call myself an avid Oscar Wilde fan, The Importance of Being Earnest is my absolute favourite. The rich setting can be imagined, the wittyness of the dialogue, and in fact of entire plays, and Wilde's inherant social comedy are important factors of all Wilde plays, and this one is no different. People of all ages can appreciate the humour and wit present in the play - in fact, I would say anyone from ages 10-100 can appreciate this play for the wonderful work of literature it is!
