The Importance of Being Earnest
Book description
Ever since the first night at the St James' Theatre on 14 February 1895, "The Importance of Being Earnest" has been recognised as one of the world's finest comic dramas. Now Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell leads an outstanding cast in this superb new production of Wilde's masterpiece, mounted to…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Importance of Being Earnest as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Jack pretends to be his brother, Earnest, blaming the made-up man for all mishandled affairs. But when Jack's friend "becomes" the infamous Earnest and begins to woo Jack's ward Cecily, all sorts of craziness ensues. This classic play is perhaps the best example of wacky characters creating mayhem in a world where even bad things turn out to be only silly mishaps.
From Elizabeth's list on historical novels that are light and silly.
“A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.” It’s actually quite exciting to me how well Oscar Wilde’s comedy holds up today. Known as one of the greatest wits of his generation, Wilde was a master of many narrative forms including gothic horror (The Picture of Dorian Gray), and children’s literature (The Selfish Giant), but in Earnest, he creates one of the greatest comedy of manners ever put to paper. In this play, two young, roguish gentlemen conspire to effectively court the ladies of their interests. What makes the piece so timeless and relevant today, is the…
From Alex's list on century old humor that remains funny today.
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