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

Oscar Wilde

Summary

he Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, 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.
The successful opening night marked the climax of Wilde's career but also heralded his downfall. The Marquess of Queensberry, whose son Lord Alfred Douglas was Wilde's lover, planned to present the writer with a bouquet of rotten vegetables and disrupt the show.

Wilde was tipped off and Queensberry was refused admission. Their feud came to a climax in court when Wilde sued for libel. The proceedings provided enough evidence for his arrest, trial and conviction on charges of gross indecency. Wilde's homosexuality was revealed to the Victorian public and he was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour.

Despite the play's early success, Wilde's notoriety caused the play to be closed after 86 performances. After his release from prison, he published the play from exile in Paris, but he wrote no more comic or dramatic works.

Available since: 06/02/2022.

Other books that might interest you

Milk and Cookies

Emma Rosen

Mummy takes Tilly (and some freshly baked cookies) to meet Uncle James and Auntie Grace's new baby. When Tilly first sees baby Ben she wonders why he’s snuggled up so closely to Auntie Grace. Luckily, her aunt knows all sorts of funny facts about how different kinds of animals give their babies milk, which helps Tilly understand what breastfeeding is. 
This is a heartwarming story for little ones to share with their families and it makes space for deeper conversations about what happens when a new baby comes along. 
Narrated by the author

Show book

Cuenta conmigo Count With Me

Kim Mitzo Thompson, Karen Mitzo...

A los niños les encantará esta divertida historia mientras aprenden a contar del 1 al 10 visitando animales en el zoológico. Disfrutarán escuchando esta adorable historia que presenta efectos de sonido y voces profesionales para ayudar a los niños a desarrollar vocabulario y mejorar sus habilidades auditivas. La historia se presenta primero en español y luego en inglés, lo que lo convierte en un recurso maravilloso para que los niños aprendan un idioma diferente. Las oraciones simples, la enunciación clara y las palabras repetitivas alentarán a los niños a enamorarse de contar historias y aprender un nuevo idioma. 
 
Kids will love this playful story as they learn counting from 1-10 by visiting animals at the zoo. They will enjoy listening to this adorable story that features sound effects and professional voices to help children develop vocabulary and improve listening skills.  The story is first presented in Spanish and then in English making this a wonderful resource for children learning a different language.  Simple sentences, clear enunciation, and repetitive words will encourage children to fall in love with storytelling and learning a new language.

Show book

Phalaina

Alice Briere-Haquet

LONDON, 1881. 
 
There’s something a little eerie about Manon—she’s not like the other girls at the orphanage. Maybe it’s her red eyes. Maybe it’s her silence. Maybe it’s the series of violent deaths that seem to follow her. 
 
What we do know: Someone is hot on her tail. And there’s a lot of money at stake in finding out where exactly she comes from—and what exactly she is.  
 
Alongside Manon’s story are letters to Charles Darwin from Professor Humphrey, a scientist who has recently died under mysterious circumstances. Is it true that natural selection left humans at the top of the pyramid of life after all? Or, in the  
process of evolution, was there something elemental that humans lost, something that connected us to the rest of life on earth? Who and what else is out there? 
 
In order to stay alive, Manon must untangle the mystery of her origins, and perhaps the origins of humanity as well.  
 
From French writer Alice Brière-Haquet and translated by PEN-award winning translator Emma Ramadan comes Phalaina—the historical sci-fi thriller you won’t soon forget.

Show book

When Sonya did not want to sleep...

Katja Runow

Good evening, little one! Night will come soon, and you probably already want to sleep... Or perhaps you don't? Like Sonya the owl in this story? Listen to what happened to Sonya, and how it all ended.

Show book

Into the Wind

William Loizeaux

An award-winning character-driven story about the unlikely friendship between a 10-year-old boy and an elderly woman. The old woman badgers the boy into taking her sailing, but when the weather turns bad, it becomes a wild sail. It becomes the last trip before she goes into the hospital where she dies: but not before the two of them share memories of their last sail together. Hazel helps build the boy’s confidence during a tough time in his home life. Both moving and joyful, Into the Wind is a poignant story about loss and love in a boy’s life, and the surprising and sustaining bonds that can grow between the old and young.

Show book

Pioneer Plowmaker - A Story...

David R. Collins

In the 1800s, the moist soil of the Midwest would stick to plow blades, stopping the farmers as they plowed. Young blacksmith John Deere knew about the problem, so he designed and built a self-scouring plow. With this small start, he founded the famous farm implement company Deere & Company and started down the road to success.

Show book