EXPLORING THEMES

Guide a classroom discussion on the themes of The Importance of Being Earnest, some of which are listed below. Then, use the attached lesson plan to explore these themes in more depth.

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Identity & Double Lives 

• Many characters create false identities to escape social expectations. 

• Jack and Algernon invent alternate personas (“Ernest” and “Bunbury”) to live more freely. 

• The play suggests that Victorian society encourages dishonesty by valuing appearances over truth. 

Marriage as a Social Transaction 

• Marriage is treated as a business arrangement rather than a romantic choice. 

• Lady Bracknell evaluates potential spouses based on wealth, status, and family connections. 

• Wilde mocks a society where love matters less than money and respectability. 

Appearance vs. Reality 

• The play constantly contrasts how things look with how they actually are. 

• Characters who appear serious and moral are often deceptive, while frivolous characters may be more honest. 

• Wilde suggests that surface appearances are unreliable—and often absurd. 

The Absurdity of Social Rules 

• Victorian manners and traditions are portrayed as rigid and illogical. 

• Characters follow rules simply because “society” expects them to, not because they make sense. 

• The play exposes how blindly following social conventions leads to hypocrisy and comedy. 

The Meaning of “Earnestness” 

• The word “earnest” symbolizes seriousness, honesty, and moral behavior. 

• Ironically, the characters most obsessed with being “earnest” are the least sincere. 

• Wilde uses humor to question whether society truly values honesty—or just the appearance of it.