Book Review: The Importance of Being Earnest

Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?

I think I said last time that the next play I read better be a happy one. So naturally I went for Oscar Wilde – and Oscar Wilde is an absolute delight. From the moment I read ‘The Canterville Ghost’ he quickly became one of my favourite comedic writers. The man is so wonderfully witty – he could give Shakespeare a run for his money, and that’s saying something.

The play makes a small mockery of the English middle to upper classes – that faction of society who were well-to-do and had money and more time on their hands than was possible. The ‘idle rich’, I believe is the phrase. John Worth and Algernon are two of these such people. Clever, witty, rich, and utterly bored with life, so naturally they delve into light sports of deception. Algernon pretends he has an invalid friend in the country whom he uses to get out of unpleasant social obligations. John lives in the country but goes by the name of ‘Earnest’ to those who know him – especially Gwendolen (Algernon’s cousin) whom he wishes to marry because Gwendolen will only marry a man called ‘Earnest’. The thing is Algernon says no because he wants to know who ‘dear little Cecily is?’ it turns out it is John’s ward – and a very beautiful heiress.

Wilde’s wit is what makes the play – it is a character in and of itself. Sure, the male leads Algernon and Jack are wonderful. But they play their wit off each other and are not necessarily witty themselves. Lady Bracknell is probably the funniest character of the lot; she naturally gets the best and most famous line “A handbag?!” and the stern consternation is what makes the line and the scene all the more delightful.  

The play’s conclusion is a series of happy coincidences and ‘laugh out loud’ moments too. The fact that John’s name is ‘Earnest’ and that the deceit devised by himself was the truth was a perfect moment. ‘Earnest’ performs as a masterful foil and a delightful double entendre.

It is the best satire of ‘cleverness’; Oscar Wilde is perhaps too clever for his own good and decides to make fun of himself in the process. He is a master of language and its construction – perhaps it is Wilde being Irish that gives him such an unfiltered view of the British upper social classes.

At its inaugural performance at St James’s Theatre – it was an instant hit but only ran for 86 performances. The Importance of Being Earnest marked the climax and the downfall of Oscar Wilde’s career as he was placed on trial and imprisoned for homosexuality after a long and bitter feud with the Marquess of Queensbury. A less delightful end to a marvellous writer.