Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes Oscar Wilde's play "The Importance of Being Earnest" as a condemning social comment on the upper crust of English society. The entire play portrays the trivia of society, in its superficiality and fantasies, to create an illusion of self-importance, purpose and sophistication. Analyzing each of the characters in turn, the paper concludes that they are all subject to their own illusions and hypocrisies, have an immense quantity of trivial habits, and lack a sense of purpose, thereby illustrating the fallacies of Victorian high society.

From the Paper:

"As can easily be observed, Wilde has given all of the characters in his play, whether they even make an appearance or not, a distinct stereotype of their role in society, yet, keeping with the theme of trivia and "bubbles of fancy", showed how purposeless and identical they all are. All of the characters are living a lie, which they have created for themselves to either thrust themselves into society, or to escape from those confines. And, resolutely, all of these lies are revealed in the end of the play. Algernon and Jack escaped from their constricted bindings by creating alter egos for the sake of Bunburying. On the other hand, Lady Bracknell forced her way into society by marrying Lord Bracknell, if only for money. Cecily and Gwendolen, although both content in their current cliques, desired something that was missing from their lives - a husband named Ernest. Dr. Chasuble and Miss Prism both suppressed their love for each other as the "practice of the Primitive Church was distinctly against matrimony." Despite the vastly contrasting scenes and positions held by each of the characters, they are all hiding their real identities in delicately constructed lies."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Wilde, Oscar. "The Importance of Being Earnest". Hicks Smith & Sons. Sydney, 1965.

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