The Importance Of Being Earnest

Subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” Wilde’s play is a brilliantly satirical comedy of manners, sending up the absurdity of Victorian social mores and cleverly critiquing the conventions of love and marriage. The tale of two gentlemen who adopt fictitious identities in order to woo the objects of their affections is Wilde’s most beloved work, considered to be one of the wittiest plays ever written in English. The glowing critical reception in London on opening night at the St. James Theater in 1895 marked the high point of Wilde’s career as a writer.

Jack Worthing gets antsy living at his country estate. As an excuse, he spins tales of his rowdy brother Earnest living in London. When Jack rushes to the city to confront his "brother," he's free to become Earnest and live a different lifestyle. In London, his best friend, Algernon, begins to suspect Earnest is leading a double life. Earnest confesses that his real name is Jack and admits the ruse has become tricky as two women have become enchanted with the idea of marrying Earnest. On a whim, Algernon also pretends to be Earnest and encounters the two women as they meet at the estate. With two Earnests who aren't really earnest and two women in love with little more than a name, this play is a classic comedy of errors. This is an unabridged version of Oscar Wilde's English play, first published in 1899.

A universal favorite, The Importance of Being Earnest displays Oscar Wilde’s wit and theatrical genius at their brilliant best. Subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” this hilarious attack on Victorian manners and morals turns a pompous world on its head, lets duplicity lead to happiness, and makes riposte the highest form of art. Written, according to Wilde, “by a butterfly for butterflies,” it is a dazzling masterpiece of comic entertainment. Although it was originally written in four acts, The Importance of Being Earnest is usually performed in a three-act version. This authoritative edition features an appendix that restores valuable lines that appeared in the original. Also included in this special collection are Wilde’s first comedy success, Lady Windermere’s Fan, and his richly sensual melodrama, Salomé, which he called “that terrible coloured little tragedy I once in some strange mood wrote”—and which shocked and enraged the censors of his time. Includes an Introduction by Sylvan Barnet and an Afterword by Elise Bruhl and Michael Gamer

All four of Wilde's famous plays in one bargain-priced volume.

Portia and her cousin Julian discover adventure in a hidden colony of forgotten summer houses on the shores of a swampy lake.

Lady Windermere's Fan, Oscar Wilde's brilliant comedy of manners, is a witty and scathing examination of the hypocrisy and pretensions of high society. Set in Victorian London, the play follows the trials and tribulations of the young and beautiful Lady Windermere, whose world is turned upside down when she discovers her husband may be having an affair with the enigmatic Mrs. Erlynne. As rumors swirl and secrets are revealed, Lady Windermere and her circle of friends find themselves caught in a web of scandal, gossip, and deception. Throughout the play, Wilde's razor-sharp dialogue and keen observations of society expose the flaws and contradictions that lie beneath the polished veneer of the aristocracy. Rich with memorable characters, sparkling repartee, and a healthy dose of satirical wit, Lady Windermere's Fan is a timeless exploration of love, betrayal, and redemption. Immerse yourself in the glamorous world of Oscar Wilde's classic play, and experience the enduring charm and scintillating social commentary that have made it a beloved favorite of audiences for generations.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personæ to escape burdensome social obligations. The major themes are the triviality of marriage, and the satire of Victorian ways.

"Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the world's great comedies, an amazing success given that the play seems particularly concerned with subtle details of manners and mores set in a quite specific era, and in a most distinct milieu. Since the first production was staged in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest has been one of the most frequently performed plays in the modern English language repertory." "Peter Raby provides a resourceful and entertaining analysis of Wilde's celebrated play in The Importance of Being Earnest: A Reader's Companion. Far and away the most elaborate and informed study of the play, Raby hits all the requisite elements: genesis, structure and style, characters, and Wilde's historical and societal importance, among other aspects. He thoroughly explores the impact of the play on London's social values, providing frequent notes about Wilde and his times. His discussion of the origins and social context of the play is especially rewarding, including such tidbits as Wilde's financial pressures, characters' vocabulary and speech habits, and the way in which a response to a cucumber sandwich is a telling social gesture. So too does he make the reader aware of those attributes that render Wilde's writing so delightful: the quick elegance of his language, his masterful use of symmetry, his visual awareness and acute powers of description. Raby's keen interpretation and perception provide not just insight into a radiant work, but understanding of how a play aimed entirely at the money-making medium of the London stage managed to achieve - and maintain - such a high level of artistic accomplishment."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved