The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory

Sometimes, there’s more to Lit than meets the eye.

Ernest and Bunbury

The two imaginary people created by Jack and Algernon might symbolize the empty promises or deceit of the Victorian era. Not only is the character Ernest anything but earnest for the majority of th...

The handbag in the cloakroom at Victoria Station, the Brighton line

The circumstances of Jack’s abandonment symbolize both his ambiguous social status during the play, and the possibility of his upward social mobility. Interestingly, the scene has both aristo...

Diaries and Miss Prism's Three-Volume Novel

You might wonder what the heck do Cecily’s and Gwendolen’s diaries have in common with Miss Prism’s three-volume novel – other than the writing part. Well, the writing part...

Food

Every instance where food is mentioned – from the Algernon’s opening discussion of wine with his servant, Lane, to the girls’ insults over tea and the guys’ climactic fight...
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