Everything the characters say is either nonsense or completely backwards which is very funny for the reader. There are very few stage directions in The Importance of Being Earnest, but this play is all about what people are saying, rather than what they are doing. This play is rather short and I managed to read the entire play in about an hour. As you can imagine, numerous funny incidences occur as there is more than one man named ‘Ernest’ and people are not who they say they are. The problem is that the name Ernest is of great importance to Gwendolen, but of course, it isn’t his real name.Īlgernon usually resides in town but upon hearing that his friend John has a young ward by the name of Cecily in the country, he takes on the persona of John’s fake brother ‘Ernest’, and goes to visit John’s house in the country.

When John is in town, he goes by the name Ernest and claims to be in love with a young lady named Gwendolen, whom he wishes to marry. It follows the story of two men, John and Algernon who both have separate identities for when they are in town and when they are in the country. This play, written by Oscar Wilde, is incredibly funny farcical comedy that was written in the late 19th century.

I was under the impression that The Importance of Being Earnest was a serious piece of work for some reason but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Only a senile nursemaid and an old, discarded hand-bag can save the day! The Important of Being Earnest Characters When all four arrive at Jack’s country home on the same weekend the “rivals” to fight for Ernest’s undivided attention and the “Ernests” to claim their beloveds pandemonium breaks loose. Jack Worthing has wooed Gewndolen as Ernest while Algernon has also posed as Ernest to win the heart of Jack’s ward, Cecily. The rapid-fire wit and eccentric characters of The Importance of Being Earnest have made it a mainstay of the high school curriculum for decades.Ĭecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax are both in love with the same mythical suitor. Oscar Wilde’s madcap farce about mistaken identities, secret engagements, and lovers entanglements still delights readers more than a century after its 1895 publication and premiere performance. First published: 14th February 1895 The Importance of Being Earnest Summary

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