The Importance of Being Earnest

5b, Oscar Wilde. FIRST EDITION.Rebound by Chelsea Bindery. London; 1898. Notes The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) is Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated play and a masterpiece of comedic theatre. Subtitled A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, the play satirizes Victorian society's rigid social norms, obsession with appearances, and moral pretensions through witty dialogue, mistaken identities, and absurd situations. Centered around two men who adopt the name "Ernest" to escape social obligations and pursue romance, the play cleverly mocks courtship, marriage, and class. Its brilliant wordplay, paradoxes, and epigrams exemplify Wilde’s unique style, while its farcical plot and sharp social critique have secured its place as a timeless classic in English drama. Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Irish playwright, poet, and wit renowned for his sharp intellect, flamboyant style, and piercing critiques of Victorian society. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and Oxford, he became a leading fig