The Importance of Being Earnest: A Satirical Comedy
Classified in English
Written at on 
English with a size of 2.96 KB.
It is a trivial comedy for serious people. Wilde was at his peak of his success when he wrote this play. This comedy manners also parodies social classes in a witty and intellectual way. It was written in Worthing, England in 1894. It moves between the urban city vibe of London and a more natural country atmosphere of Hertfordshire during the mid-1890s. Wilde uses both locations to mock late Victorian high society and its social customs.
The Plot
The plot is not explained by a narrator, it is resolved around two friends named John and Algernon. John attempts to avoid his social obligations and because he is bored by pretending to be a made-up person called Ernest. In love with the woman called Gwendolen, John as Ernest proposed to her, but the marriage is forbidden due to his low birth and contacts. Algernon as Ernest then proposes to a girl called Cecily, who Jack is legally bound to protect. After several confusing situations, the truth is revealed, the two men are brothers and John's birth name is Ernest. This means that the two couples can be together if Algernon changes his name into Ernest.
Character Analysis
John is more serious about keeping up his air of respectability. He also acts as a protective older sibling, but he's angry when things don't go his way.
Algernon Moncrieff takes few things seriously and is more interested in having fun. He demonstrates this by taking on the persona of Ernest and trying to get Cecily to fall in love with him. He is always making witty and funny comments and he wasn't very interested in marriage before he fell in love with Cecily (cynical). He was the most representative character of Oscar Wilde. He represents the importance of manners, clothes, and behavior. He didn't like that society.
Themes
Due to all these lies, people think that they are doing their duty. DOUBLE HYPOCRISY.
Lady Bracknell is a good example of hypocrisy. She married her husband for money. She represents all the bad things about aristocracy. She had a mercenary view of marriage.
Dr. Chasuble and Ms. Prism wrote a book.
Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew have diaries and want to marry a man called Ernest. But they have differences. Gwendolen is bossy and believes she's more cultured because she lives in the city. Cecily is clever, simple, and innocent. She also demonstrates that she can hold her own against Gwendolen. Later on, they will be sisters-in-law.
How lying to get out of one's duties can quickly get out of control and how truth and honesty went out. Reputation and social classes affect relationships and marriage. But not love.
UPPER CLASSES, LOVE, HYPOCRISY, HONESTY, MARRIAGE, FICTION/REALISM, MORALITY (in the play is a joke)
Wilde is making fun of the obsession and faults of the Victorian Era upper classes.
It is considered a well-done play and thanks to its humor and dialogue, it's one of his funniest literary achievements.