Importance of Being Earnest, The

Author: Wilde, Oscar

Mass Market Paperback: 158 pages

Publisher: Avon

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. It is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways.

Some contemporary reviews praised the play's humour and the culmination of Wilde's artistic career, while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.