Home › The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Oscar Wilde

Names, reputation, and Victorian marriage

Regular price $10.08 USD
Regular price $16.80 USD Sale price $10.08 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Names, reputation, and Victorian marriage

Oscar Wilde builds this comedy around a fictitious brother whose name becomes a requirement for marriage. Jack’s carefully divided public and private identities collide when his friend Algernon adopts the same invented name and courts Cecily, while Jack’s beloved Gwendolyn also insists on marrying someone called Earnest. The resulting entanglements give the play a framework for satirizing Victorian social respectability and marriage. Its humor turns on the gap between the identities the characters present and the identities they conceal, with the name “Earnest” tying personal reputation to romantic expectation.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in Oscar Wilde’s plays and comic drama.
  • Those drawn to mistaken identities and social satire.
  • Readers exploring portrayals of Victorian courtship and marriage.

Themes

Social respectability and private identityMarriage and courtshipNames, reputation, and mistaken identity

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Jack Worthington is an upstanding gentleman in Victorian society. He just has one secret--he tells everyone that he has a brother named Earnest, when, in reality, Earnest is his alter ego. This allows him a certain duality; he can go out and party as Earnest, but have a sterling reputation as Jack. However, he must merge the two when Jack discovers that his lover, Gwendolyn, will only marry a man named Earnest. Meanwhile, Algernon, a family friend, discovers Jack's secret and (much to Jack's dismay) becomes increasingly interested in Jack's ward, Cecily. After inviting himself to Jack's home and introducing himself as Earnest, Algernon quickly gains the attention of Cecily. Believing that he was the fictious Earnest Worthington, Cecily considered herself already to be engaged to him, as it is also her dream to be married to a man named Earnest. Chaos unravels as the men then find themselves with two matters of grave importance: Gwendolyn and Cecily can not both marry Earnest Worthington, and Jack and Algernon can not let them know that Earnest never existed in the first place.

When first released, The Importance of Being Earnest was dubbed as a "trivial comedy for serious people". While Oscar Wilde'sThe Importance of Being Earnest is certain to bring a smile to its audience, it also serves as witty satire of Victorian London and marriage. The Importance of Being Earnest has been revered on stage and on film, as well as in print. Wilde captures the audience with a comedic plot, authentic characters and a promise not to take itself too seriously.

Enjoy The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde with new and modern fonts and an eye-catching cover. Though it has outlived the society it mocks, The Importance of Being Earnest continues to be comedic gold even in the 21st century.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews