The Importance of Being Earnest

These notes are old and were written while reading — they don’t necessarily reflect my current views.

Wilde told Robert Ross that the play’s theme was “That we should treat all trivial things in life very seriously, and all serious things of life with a sincere and studied triviality.”

The name Earnest is perceived as being of high impotence in society, which mocks the value that is placed n trying to appear earnest instead of being it.

Societal norms are constantly mocked and ridiculed. It’s marvellous.

Lady Bracknell symbolises society.