The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde wrote a play titled The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People. It is a farcical farce that was first presented on February 14, 1895, at the St James's Theatre in London. The characters maintain false personae to avoid onerous social duties. The play's main themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage and the consequent parody of Victorian customs, and it operates within the social traditions of late Victorian London. While some reviews from the time commended the play's humour and its significance as the pinnacle of Wilde's artistic career, others expressed concern about its lack of overt social commentary. The Importance of Being Earnest is by far Wilde's most enduringly well-liked play thanks to its high humour and witty banter.