The importance of being earnest

by Oscar Wilde

No cover — Oscar Wilde: The importance of being earnest (Italian language, 1992)

Italian language

Published Sept. 5, 1992

ISBN:: 978-88-7754-679-1

(87 reviews)

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporary reviews praised the play's humour and the culmination of Wilde's artistic career, while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play. The successful opening night marked the climax of Wilde's career but also heralded his downfall. The Marquess of Queensberry, whose son Lord Alfred Douglas was Wilde's lover, planned to present the writer with a bouquet of rotten vegetables and disrupt the show. Wilde was tipped off and Queensberry was refused admission. Their feud came to a climax in court when Wilde sued for libel. The proceedings provided enough evidence for his arrest, trial and conviction on charges of gross indecency. Wilde's homosexuality was revealed to the Victorian public and he was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour. Despite the play's early success, Wilde's notoriety caused the play to be closed after 86 performances. After his release from prison, he published the play from exile in Paris, but he wrote no more comic or dramatic works. The Importance of Being Earnest has been revived many times since its premiere. It has been adapted for the cinema on three occasions. In The Importance of Being Earnest (1952), Dame Edith Evans reprised her celebrated interpretation of Lady Bracknell; The Importance of Being Earnest (1992) by Kurt Baker used an all-black cast; and Oliver Parker's The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) incorporated some of Wilde's original material cut during the preparation of the first stage production.

13 editions

Marte reviewed A importância de ser prudente by Oscar Wilde (L&PM Pocket, #1139)

Oh to read a Trivial Comedy for Serious People

4 stars

Ganhei esse livro de uma mulher gaúcha que morou comigo em São Paulo em 2015. Dividíamos o quarto da pensão, e ela era pelo menos 25 anos mais velha do que eu. Ela meio que me adotou como filha postiça dela na época, já que seus filhos mesmo tinham ficado temporariamente no RS. Além disso, ela trabalhava na Livraria Cultura, então estava sempre com livros. Quando deixei a pensão, ela me deu esse livro e deixou uma dedicatória muito fofa, dedicada "à quiçá futura professora de químca". Olha só, eu realmente me formei professora de química. Saudades dela, gostaria de saber como está, mas nunca mais tive contato. Sou ruim com essas coisas.

Bom, voltando para o livro, A importância de ser prudente é uma peça de teatro bastante afiada, dedicada a tirar sarro da burguesia britânica do final do século XIX. Nisso, Oscar Wilde é excelente. Tenho vontade de ler mais coisas do autor. A leitura é tranquila, mas azeda com o humor sarcástico que se tornou marca de Wilde. Uma pena que logo após o lançamento dessa peça, Wilde tenha sido preso por manter relações sexuais com outros homens, o que invariavelmente contribuiu para sua morte poucos anos depois.

ManyRoads reviewed The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Review of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Not a highly entertaining read, although there are a few humorous parts. Because this is a script for a play, the reading is quite a bit different from that of a novel. It also is worth noting that the copy I downloaded from Standard eBooks had a few formatting difficulties.

Vilhelm R reviewed The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Review of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Such an eternal pleasure, filled to the brim with wit and funny truths.

macmurray225 reviewed The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Review of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Obviously not a very profound work, but absolutely hilarious. The whole thing is basically an 80-page pun on Ernest/earnest, which I much appreciated, sprinkled with satire and almost scandalously blunt. I have so much respect for Wilde now!