The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People) Oscar Wilde said "We should treat all the trivial things of life seriously and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality." This essay investigates how far "The Importance of Being Earnest" reflects this view on life. ... Earnest of the title is an adjective describing seriousness. Jack and Algernon are characters who lie in order to be Ernest, but in doing so they are not being earnest. ... Cecily sums up the main theme in the play when she says to Algernon: "I hope that you have not been leadi...

• Word Count: 2564
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School