The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde

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About this eBook

Author Wilde, Oscar, 1854-1900
Title The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People
Note Reading ease score: 77.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Credits David Price
Summary "The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People" by Oscar Wilde is a play written in the late 19th century. This witty farce revolves around the theme of mistaken identities and the absurdities of Victorian society, focusing on the lives of two friends, John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who both assume fictitious personas to escape their societal obligations. The opening of the play establishes Algernon Moncrieff's opulent flat, where he converses with his manservant Lane about the complexity of life and marriage. John Worthing, or "Ernest" in town, visits Algernon, expressing his purpose of proposing to Gwendolen Fairfax, Algernon's cousin. Through clever dialogue, the two men discuss their escapades and the concept of "Bunburying," a euphemism for creating a fictional identity to avoid responsibilities. This sets the stage for comedic misunderstandings and romantic entanglements that unfold as they both navigate their relationships with the women in their lives, Gwendolen and Cecily Cardew. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Comedies
Subject England -- Drama
Subject Identity (Psychology) -- Drama
Subject Foundlings -- Drama
Category Text
EBook-No. 844
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Feb 13, 2021
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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