The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

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by Oscar Wilde



The road to matrimony for two young upper-class Englishmen contains a few potholes in the form of mistaken identities and family secrets. 



This one is going to have to go on the list of works that are widely held in high regard but which don’t particularly speak to me.

 


I can appreciate it as a quick read with some witty lines in it but little more.

 


The reliance on deception, the silly coincidences, and the contrivance that wraps everything up with a neat bow make it read like a template for the modern sitcom.

 


As I listened to an audio version (shout out to B.J. Harrison’s excellent Classic Tales podcast), I couldn’t help but be reminded of the type of upper-class British twit immortalized by Monty Python.

 


However, since plays are meant to be seen rather than read (or heard), perhaps I should reserve judgment until I see a good production of it. 


Oscar Wilde

"It Matters to Be Consistent" (French)

"The Importance of Being Called Earnest" (Spanish)


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