What is the summary of the novel The Importance of Being Earnest?

Answer 1

The title has a double-meaning, as "earnest" means to be sincere, and also falsely claiming the name "Earnest". To whit, Jack is not being earnest about his name being Earnest. For different reasons, both meanings of the word "earnest" are important.

Answer 2

it's important because the name "Earnest" sounds like "Ernest", but "Earnest" means something or someone trustful, honest and serious and in fact, that's totally what we don't find. In this play, we find that the superficiality and hypocritical actittude is shown by the different characters from aristocracy and the general play is a Comedy, not anything serious as "earnest" can suggested us.

Answer 3

Earnest means serious or non-frivolous. Many of the characters in the play spend their time trying to convince each other, and themselves, that they are high-minded people with strong morals and are admired in society. But Oscar Wilde presents them all in such a way that their interests and ethical ideas will seem ridiculous and trivial to most of the audience.

Ernest is a man's name. Much of the action of the play turns on whether Jack Worthington's first name is Jack, or Ernest. Normally a man's first name is of no great importance in his life, but in the extremely silly world of this play - it is the most serious element of the plot. (Many people who know the play well never realise that we don't get a satisfactory answer to this crucial question).

So the pun is that the title of the play appears to mean: The Importance of being a Serious Person; but when we watch the play we realise that the real title is: The Importance of having Ernest for a First name.

It is an excessively silly play - this makes it great fun to watch. It is also a very serious play - which makes it difficult to forget.

Answer 4

Oscar wilde in his play "The importance of being Ernest" has tried to expose the Victorian era. Along with its absurtdities and improbabilities in its plot, Wilde is trying to present his pesona ridiculously, when actually he doesn't really ridicule them.In this Play he has explained the exaggerated lives, the people at the time led.He wrote about how young men then, loved to sit idle and wanted to have fun most of the time and live a life of extravagance.Algernon in this play, would be the most accurate picture of such a man.Wilde portrayed him as an aristocratic young man, who is facing financial crisis and creditors knocking at his door.Hence he invented an invalid friend in the country to use as an escapade from the town, creditors and relative.Similarly Jack Worthing created a foster brother to escape country to have fun in town. also. Wilde has put forward how people then felt tedious about their relatives.

"My dear boy, I love hearing my relations abused. It is the only thing that makes me put up with them at all. Relations are simply a tedious pack of people, who haven't the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die"

Though there is a serious note hidden behind the dialogue Wilde used but the way he presented to his audience with much satire that it generated laughter rather than accusations. Hence Oscar wilde Unlike his other serious writings made this play a comedy yet successfully tried to bring the real message in front of our eyes i.e the disparity between the lower and the upper class..fashionable and unfashionable sides.. hypocrisy and aristocratic power.

Likewise, Wilde also exposed to view the rebellious nature of daughters and how in that era girls wanted no control of parents. For instance, in the play when Lady Bracknell enters the room inquiring about the happening, Gwendolen asked her to retire and mentions that it is no place of her presence with she being betrothed to Ernest i.e Jack.Wilde successfully managed to mock the daughter mother relation of the time yet he made it all a comedy in order to lighten up the harshness making the audience titter along.

Another Main aspect that Oscar Wilde evoked in people's mind is the institution of marriage. For example how Gwendolen was pleased to know that Jack is an orphan and Cecily excited to learn about Algernon's wickedness.Moreover, Their shared desire to marry someone named Ernest demonstrates that their romantic dreams hinge upon titles and not character.While Lady Bracknell on the other hand held other priorities in a marriage.She didn't approve of Jack when she learnt about him being an orphan. She didn't even look upon Cecily for Algernon until she got to know she has a large personal fortune. Hence Wilde has throughout put forward the manipulative desires that revolved around marriage.

In short, Oscar wilde using his epigrams and witty maxims to expose the absurdities of the society while using paradox and turning it into a total comedy. He managed to established a cliche and alter it to make it illogical and somehow logical as well, eg. " in marriage three is company two is none". He echoes dialogue and actions using a fast paced, absurd ending in order the audience overlook its implausibility.

Answer 5

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is a satirical play by Oscar Wilde that explores themes of identity, social expectations, and hypocrisy. The story follows two friends, Jack and Algernon, who use the alter ego "Ernest" to escape their social responsibilities and pursue romantic interests. Through witty dialogue and farcical situations, Wilde critiques the superficiality of Victorian society and highlights the absurdities of societal norms.

Answer 6

im not sure