The Importance of Being Earnest is a three-act comedy of manners. The fun begins precisely at the beginning of the play when Jack pays his friend Algernon a visit at his London flat but it barely ends at its ending at Jack s place at Hertfordshire. It is, indeed, the best dramatic example of the wit of Oscar Wilde which has also been dubbed as a satire on the late Victorian aristocratic life. It was first performed in London on 14 February 1895, incidentally the Valentine s Day- an ideal day to go with the themes of love, courtship and mariage in the play. Later, it was published in 1898.

About the Author

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish writer, playwright, poet and essayist. He spent most of his life in London where he was a most famous writer and socialite in the late Victorian Age. He also played a leading role in the Aesthetic and Decadent Movements of the nineteenth century. He wrote for both adults and children. His work exudes an incomparable biting wit. Today, he is best remembered for his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his plays including The Importance of Being Earnest and his short stories.