the importance of being earnest essay prompts

Essay Topics for Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (for English 1112, Lakehead University (Canada)

Philip v. allingham , contributing editor, victorian web.

[ Victorian Web Home —> Authors —> Aesthetes and Decadents —> Oscar Wilde —> Works —> Leading Questions ]

Instructions : Employ one of the critical quotations as the basis for your term paper of 1,500 to 3,000 words.

1. Robert Boyle describes Wilde's last play as a humorous "treatment of decay and death," and of "human suffering," in which Wilde finally abandons the effort to balance "conventional moral norms with the realities of human behavior" (325). Responding to these remarks, develop an essay topic about an underlying, serious theme in The Importance Of Being Earnest . Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

2. According to Karl Beckson , "Central to Wilde's life and art was the idea of the dandy as the embodiment of the heroic ideal as well as of the aesthetic temperament hostile to bourgeois sentiment and morality" (205). Which of the characters in the play embodies this aesthetic principle, and how? From your consideration of these characters' utterances and actions develop an appropriate essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

3. William Keach contends that Lady Bracknell's "cross-examination of Jack lays the groundwork for much of the rest of the plot" (184), and that the underlying tension of the play depends upon "the contrast of city and country so important to the double lives being led" (183). Explain these two points, then develop one of them into a suitable essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

4. Otto Reinert claims that "Wilde's basic formula for satire is [his characters'] assumption of a code of behavior that represents the reality that Victorian convention pretends to ignore" (15). Reinert argues that in this play Wilde is principally concerned with the difference between conventional and actual manners and morality. Discuss these points, then refine this "formula for satire" into an essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

5. Richard Foster believes that the terms "farce" and "comedy of manners" are unsuitable for this Wilde play because it is far more subtle, complicated, and artistic than such labels imply.

Farce . . .depends for its effects upon extremely simplified characters tangling themselves up in incongruous situations, and upon a knowing audience gleefully anticipating their falling victim, in their ignorance, to some enormous but harmless confusion of fact or identity." Furthermore, "A comedy of manners is fundamentally realistic: it requires the audience to accept the world presented on the stage as a real world, a possible world." [19]

Foster contends that the play is in fact an elaborate lampoon.

Apply the terms "farce," "comedy of manners," and "lampoon" to The Importance of Being Earnest , then develop an essay topic that utilizes these terms. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

6. Pointing out that inverted relationships are the norm in this play, Robert J. Jordan , rejects the proposition that The Importance of Being Earnest is a satire or a social criticism; rather, "at the most important level it seems to be a fantasy in which unattainable human ideals are allowed to realize themselves." Elegance, symmetry, taste, indifference to conventional morality, and a total lack of sexual corruption (for which Wilde substitutes "food-lust") are achieved in this make-believe world.

Apply the term "fantasy" to Wilde's play, demonstrating how it achieves some of Foster's ideal elements listed above, then develop a suitable essay topic. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

7. Wilde suggests that his Victorian contemporaries should treat trivial matters with greater respect and pay less attention to what society then regarded as serious. Discuss how Wilde expresses this philosophy and comment on the effectiveness with which he has communicated his 'message' with reference to ONE of the following in the play: death, politics, money, property, food, or marriage. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

8. Using three examples drawn from the play, show how Algernon uses Wilde's aesthetic principles to transform his life into a work of art. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

9. How does Wilde portray food as both a weapon and a means of demonstrating one's power? Discuss three examples from the play to demonstrate how Wilde uses food. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

10. Describe how this play mayor may not fit the criteria associated with the genre of the lampoon. Define the term "lampoon" and apply this definition to the play: what is Wilde lampooning? What is his intention in lampooning it? What are his techniques, and do these produce appropriate attitudes in the audience? Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

11. Define the term "fantasy," then demonstrate how Wilde treats ONE of the following fantastically (as opposed to realistically): Victorian society's class structure, food and the Victorian conventions surrounding it, the resolution of the plot. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

12. Using appropriate quotations and paraphrases from at least one major scene in the play, show how Wilde treats humorously serious issues and conflicts that existed within Victorian society. You might wish to demonstrate how the play deals with one of the following matters: marriage and courtship, sexual double standards, the class structure, money and property, and attitudes towards illness and death. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

13. In French, the title of the play is Ernest ou l'Importance d'être Constant . Explain how this title sheds additional light on the key issues of self-awareness, self-knowledge, and being "earnest" versus being "constant." Consider the implications of the French title for all the major characters. Please confirm by e-mail the precise wording of your topic.

Beckson , Karl. "Oscar Wilde." Modern British Dramatists, 1900-1945. Part 2: M-Z. Dictionary of Literary Biography . Vol. 10. Pp. 204-218.

Boyle , Robert. "Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)." British Novelists, 1890-1929: Traditionalists. Dictionary of Literary Biography . Vol. 34. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Pp. 315-331.

Foster , Richard. "Wilde as Parodist: A Second Look at The Importance Of Being Earnest ." College English 18, 1 (Oct., 1956): 18-23.

Jordan , Robert J. "Satire and Fantasy in Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest ." Ariel 1, 3 (July 1970).

Keach , William. Teacher's Manual: Adventures in English Literature . New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1980. Pp. 183-7.

Reinert , Otto. "Satiric Strategy in The Importance Of Being Earnest ." College English 18, 1 (Oct., 1956): 14- 18.

Related Materials

• Writing and Discussion Questions
• Introduction to the play

a. Parenthetical citation rather than foot- or end-notes will be considered acceptable; for a play longer than a single act, please provide act number in roman numerals followed by page number in arabic numerals.

b. Double space all text; if you are doing your essay by hand, you may single space quotations of forty words or longer, but integrate shorter quotations; for example:

Lady Bracknell is unrealistically, almost contemptuously honest when she reveals her ignorance of the German language. Objecting to French songs on the grounds of possible impropriety of subject-matter, she remarks, "But German sounds a thoroughly respectable language, and indeed, I believe is so" (I: 128, emphasis added).

A Note on Essay Topics

Topics may call for comparison between two like things, such as the humour in a modern television sit-com (situational comedy) and The Importance Of Being Earnest .

Contrast , on the other hand, implies that the writer is out to demonstrate differences between things usually thought to be similar. For example, one might contrast the duplicity of Jack and Algernon here with that of Dr. Jekyll in Stevenson's novella.

Other possibilities are explanation and analysis, for example: "Why We Laugh WITH and Not AT Lady Bracknell."

Last modified 13 March 2006

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Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest': Study Prompts

Subject: English

Age range: 14 - 18

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

7 September 2015

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The Importance of Being Earnest

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Throughout the play, Wilde explores the themes of Social and Familial Obligations and The British Aristocracy and Class Anxiety . How do the characters of the play display different attitudes or perspectives toward these themes? Consider the following points as you reflect on the text to answer the question:

• To what class do the main characters of the play belong?
• How do the main characters interact with one another? 
• What conflicts arise between the characters during the play? 

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to consider symbols and motifs used throughout the play such as tea snacks, Cecily’s diary, and the three-volume novel. How are these motifs representative of the Victorian Era, and how do they contribute to the satirical tone of the play? Students might compare modern culture and even brainstorm what elements of modern culture would serve as equivalent symbols and motifs today.

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The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Importance of Being Earnest.

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The Importance of Being Earnest Essays

Breuer's and craft's readings of wilde: antinomy in the importance of being earnest anonymous college, the importance of being earnest.

The frequent use of antinomy in Oscar Wilde’s play, The Importance of Being Earnest , has often been interpreted as a literary device that serves as a “jubilant celebration of male homosexual desire,” as analyzed by Christopher Craft.[1] Other...

Maxims and Masks: The Epigram in "The Importance of Being Earnest" Theoderek Wayne

Oscar Wilde frames "The Importance of Being Earnest" around the paradoxical epigram, a skewering metaphor for the play's central theme of division of truth and identity that hints at a homosexual subtext. Other targets of Wilde's absurd yet...

Paradox through Pacing in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" Nathaniel Popper

In the closing lines of the first act of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," Algernon remarks, "I love scrapes. They are the only things that are never serious," to which Jack responds, "Oh, that's nonsense Algy. You never talk about...

Sincere Triviality: The Comedy of Oscar Wilde Natasha Rosow

Oscar Wilde creates a successful, complex comedy by maintaining consistent conflict and contradiction in the action, dialogue, and characters of The Importance of Being Ernest. Dramatic or comedic action is essentially exaggerated conflict. Wilde...

Structural Stereotypes of the Characters in The Importance of Being Earnest Dawn Burgess

Names play a pivotal role in Oscar Wilde's drama "The Importance of Being Earnest." The naming of the characters is deliberate and well thought-out. Their name alludes to the pigeonhole for each of their characters. A name is a typecast and in...

The Institution of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” Diana Waugh

Oscar Wilde vigorously attacks the institution of heterosexual marriage in his play “The Importance of Being Earnest” by employing light comedy in order to portray characters that are shallow, immature, and oblivious about the commitment into...

An Age of Surfaces: Oscar Wilde's Society Above and Below the Surface Emily R. Stein

“We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces” (2257). So the character of Lady Bracknell observes at the conclusion of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. The play as a whole is one firmly preoccupied with the idea of surfaces and...

Trollope's and Wilde's Depictions of Victorian Society Anonymous

Through the scope of a satirical lens, both Anthony Trollope’s novel Barchester Towers and Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest take turns examining the carefully structured norms of courtship and marriage in Victorian England....

Deceiving Appearances in The Importance of Being Earnest and Arms and The Man Anonymous 12th Grade

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw are both satirical plays meant to criticize Victorian society and war, respectively. While both plays were written by Irish authors familiar with London and...

Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Masking Unpleasant Emotions Through Food Anonymous 12th Grade

In Oscar Wilde’s, The Importance of Being Earnest , satire is used to emphasize the triviality and absurdity of certain conventions within Victorian society. The play’s main characters epitomize Victorian high society; thus, the criticism that...

Triviality in The Importance of Being Earnest Anonymous College

The interpretation that “we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality” greatly applies to the Importance of Being Earnest. The Importance of Being Earnest is a...

Beyond Farce Anonymous 12th Grade

Richard Foster states that The Importance of Being Earnest has a “multivalent nature”[1] and thus implies that a farce or comedy of manners are not particularly urbane genres and are therefore ‘unsuitable’ for The Importance of Being Earnest ....

The Importance of Being Frugal: Oscar Wilde’s Condemnation of Upper Class Society Anonymous College

Honesty is an important trait that is conveyed throughout society. It is the foundation for a long-lasting and meaningful relationship, and it is expected to be practiced in almost every social interaction. Much like today, the Victorian Era...

The Comic Aspects of Algernon in 'The Importance of Being Earnest’ Anonymous 12th Grade

Algernon is a comic to a contemporary audience because of his dandyism, his enjoyment of self-gratification, his inverted morals and his double life. Wilde presents Algernon as a dandy figure who is more concerned with style over substance;...

Ordinary People Create Drama: A Comparison of All My Sons and The Importance of Being Earnest Anonymous 12th Grade

Traditionally, drama has been an outlet for the extraordinary; only fairly recently with more modernist plays have the focus been shifted onto more ordinary lives. Greek tragedy follows the fall of a noble protagonist; by comparison, domestic...

Feminism in Wilde's World: Empowered Women in 'The Importance of Being Earnest' Amanda Abere College

Throughout history, women were perceived as inferior to men socially, economically, and intellectually. In modern society, the majority of people would call out this statement for its blatant misogyny and inequality. However, such a claim would...

Drama as an Instrument of Social Critique Anonymous College

Social critique has long been at the heart of drama, whether through satire, allegory or more direct devices, enabling dramatists to comment on the state of the world as they see it, to pose their own idealized version of society or to put forward...

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest and The Satire on The Establishment of Social Elite in Early Modern England Anonymous College

Composed by Oscar Wilde to be first played at the St. James Theatre of London in the year of 1895, The Importance of Being Ernest has since named itself one notable satire among the blooming era of comedies that dwell on the hypocrisy of the upper...

The Importance of Being Earnest

Introduction to the importance of being earnest, summary of the importance of being earnest, major themes in the importance of being earnest, major characters of the importance of being earnest, writing style of the importance of being earnest, analysis of the literary devices in the importance of being earnest, related posts:, post navigation.

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The Art of Deception: Fact v. Fiction

As a leader of the Aesthetic movement, Wilde was especially interested in the relationship between life and art, pondering the eternal question, “Does art imitate life, or life imitate art?” Wilde explores this relationship in The Importance of Being Earnest through the conflict that arises when fact collides with fiction. The conflict between fact and fiction is driven by Algernon and Jack’s lies about their respective identities, specifically the fictional personas they create in order…

The Pursuit of Marriage

The pursuit of marriage is a driving force behind much of the play’s action. Similar to many Victorian novels of the period, the play reads as a marriage plot, documenting the errors in social etiquette and romantic upheavals that come about as Jack and Algernon stumble towards the altar. Jack pursues Gwendolen’s hand, while Algernon pursues Cecily . Because Jack and Algernon are willing to go to such outlandish lengths to appease Gwendolen and Cecily’s…

Cash, Class, and Character

The Victorian society in which Wilde lived was concerned with wealth, family status, and moral character, especially when it came to marriage. Lady Bracknell’s interrogation of Jack’s proposal to marry Gwendolen demonstrates the three “Cs”—cash, class, and character. First she asks him about his finances and then his family relations, a measure of his class. That Jack has none—no family relations, or family name, reflects poorly on his character. Upon finding that Jack has no…

Name and Identity

Through Jack’s search for his origins and family name, Wilde satirizes the Victorian Era’s intense scrutiny of cash, class, and character. Wilde subversively prods this question through the name of “ Ernest ,” a Christian name, or given name, as opposed to a family name. The name of “Ernest” comes to symbolize different things for different people. For Gwendolen and Cecily it “inspires absolute confidence” but also symbolizes the ideal husband/ lover. For Jack, “Ernest”…

Hypocrisy, Folly, and Victorian Morality

A witty wordsmith, Wilde exposes the hypocrisy of the Victorians’ strict social mores through puns, paradoxes, epigrams, and inversions in the characters’ actions and dialogue. For instance the characters often say and do the opposite of what they mean, or intend. Gwendolen flips “style” and “sincerity” when she says, “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” One would expect that “sincerity” should take precedence over “style” in “matters of grave…

Men and Women in Love

In the game of love that Wilde plays throughout The Importance of Being Earnest , Jack and Algernon , who strive for love, are pitted against the fickleness of the women they desire. Even though Wilde assigns stereotypical gender roles to each sex—Jack and Algernon are suave dandies , while Cecily and Gwendolen are vapid beauties—when it comes to marriage and love, he places women in a position of power because they are able to…

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Essays on The Importance of Being Earnest

Choosing an essay topic for The Importance of Being Earnest can be an exciting yet daunting task. This timeless play by Oscar Wilde is filled with witty dialogue, social satire, and a myriad of themes that can be explored in depth. Whether you are a student looking for a compelling topic for an academic essay or a literature enthusiast wanting to delve deeper into the play, there are numerous options to consider. In this article, we will explore the importance of choosing the right essay topic for The Importance of Being Earnest, and provide a list of potential topics that are both engaging and thought-provoking.

When choosing an essay topic for The Importance of Being Earnest, it is crucial to consider the themes and motifs that are prevalent throughout the play. Some of the most prominent themes in the play include the nature of identity, social class, marriage, and the importance of earnestness. These themes provide a rich foundation for exploring various topics and delving into the complexities of the play.

Theme of Identity

One potential essay topic could focus on the theme of identity in The Importance of Being Earnest. Throughout the play, the characters grapple with issues of mistaken identity, false personas, and the concept of being true to oneself. An essay could explore how Wilde uses the theme of identity to comment on the societal expectations and constraints placed on individuals during the Victorian era. Additionally, the essay could delve into how the characters' struggles with identity contribute to the comedic elements of the play and ultimately serve as a critique of societal norms.

Theme of Social Class

Another compelling essay topic could center around the theme of social class in The Importance of Being Earnest. The play is rife with commentary on the rigid social hierarchy of the time, and the characters' obsession with maintaining appearances and status. An essay could analyze how Wilde satirizes the upper-class society of the Victorian era and challenges the notion of societal privilege. Furthermore, the essay could explore how the characters' preoccupation with social class shapes their motivations and actions throughout the play.

Theme of Marriage

Marriage is another central theme in The Importance of Being Earnest, making it an excellent topic for an essay. The play presents a satirical take on the institution of marriage, highlighting the absurdity of societal expectations and the farcical nature of courtship. An essay could examine how Wilde uses the theme of marriage to critique the superficiality and materialism inherent in Victorian relationships. Additionally, the essay could explore how the characters' attitudes towards marriage reflect the larger societal attitudes of the time.

Importance of Earnestness

The importance of earnestness is a recurring motif in The Importance of Being Earnest, and it can serve as a compelling essay topic. The concept of earnestness is central to the play, as the characters navigate the complexities of honesty, sincerity, and moral integrity. An essay could delve into how Wilde uses the motif of earnestness to comment on the superficiality and hypocrisy of the Victorian era, and how the characters' struggles with earnestness drive the plot forward.

In addition to these thematic topics, there are numerous other avenues to explore when choosing an essay topic for The Importance of Being Earnest. For example, one could analyze the play's use of language and wit, or examine the role of gender and femininity in the Victorian era. Furthermore, the play's historical context and reception could provide fertile ground for research and analysis.

When crafting an essay on The Importance of Being Earnest, it is important to consider the audience and purpose of the essay. For academic essays, it is crucial to conduct thorough research and provide a well-structured argument supported by evidence from the text. On the other hand, essays aimed at a more general audience could focus on exploring the play's enduring relevance and impact on popular culture.

The Importance of Being Earnest offers a wealth of compelling essay topics that can be explored from a variety of angles. Whether focusing on themes such as identity, social class, marriage, or the importance of earnestness, there are numerous avenues to delve into the complexities of the play. Ultimately, the key to choosing the right essay topic lies in selecting a subject that is both engaging and thought-provoking, and that allows for a meaningful exploration of the play's themes and motifs. With careful consideration and thorough research, crafting an essay on The Importance of Being Earnest can be a rewarding and intellectually stimulating endeavor.

Situational Irony in "The Importance of Being Earnest"

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Dramatic Irony in "The Importance of Being Earnest"

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"Trifles" and "The Importance of Being Earnest": The Institution of Marriage

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The Theme of Triviality as Brought Out in "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Ernest as a modernist in the importance of being earnest, the importance of being earnest: the society above and below the surface, the link between emotions and food in the importance of being earnest, algernon's comic aspect as illustrated in "the importance of being earnest", benefits of frugality: a condemnation of the upper-class society by oscar wilde, "the importance of being earnest": movie vs play, "the importance of being earnest": relevance in moder society, marriage as depicted in the play "the importance of being earnest", morality and honesty in the importance of being earnest.

February 14, 1895

Oscar Wilde

London and an estate in Hertfordshire

Jack Worthing (Ernest), Algernon Moncrieff, Gwendolen Fairfax, Lady Bracknell, Cecily Cardew, Miss Prism, The Reverend Canon Chasuble, Lane, Merriman

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The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Topics: Top 115

Oct 25, 2022

Oct 25, 2022 | Topics

It can be hard to develop the Importance of Being Earnest Essay topics, especially if you have never written one. This is why we have come up with a list of ideas for you to use when writing your essay.

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is a book that covers issues such as societal problems, religion, and love. Recently university students have been writing about this masterpiece by Oscar Wilde in essays. However, there are still plenty of essay topics for them to write on society’s importance.

Table of Contents

Simple Essay Topics on The Importance of Being Earnest

• Discuss the theme of class differences in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest
• Analyze how Lady Bracknell represents traditional values
• Examine how Algernon Moncrieff’s character changes during his time away from London
• Life is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy to those who feel. Discuss the above statement.
• Discuss how Wilde uses dialogue to reveal the hidden feelings of his characters in `The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Why do you think that Oscar Wilde wrote The Importance of Being Earnest?
• What are the similarities and differences between the play and the novel?
• How would you describe one of the main characters in The Importance of Being Earnest? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.
• Why do you think that this play is considered a comedy?
• Analyze one of Oscar Wilde’s characters from a psychological perspective, considering their gender, age, and personality type(s).
• How does the setting of the upper-class Victorian age in London in the first half of Act I help set the mood?
• How does the character of Cecily and Gwendolen differ in this play?
• Does Lord Bracknell become a feminized figure to foreshadow the future endings of Jack and Algernon?

Easy Essay Topics on The Importance of Being Earnest

• “To what extent does the play reflect Victorian Era in England?”
• “How are the characters in the play similar to people today?”
• “Is it possible to be totally sincere with another person, or is it necessary that there be some element of pretense?”
• What makes Wilde’s plays so successful?
• What were the social implications of Victorian comedies like The Importance of Being Earnest?
• Why was Wilde considered a great writer, and what is his legacy?
• What is the significance of the name Lady Bracknell?
• What does Lady Bracknell mean when she says, “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”
• How does Algernon manage to become Jack’s guardian?
• Why do you think Wilde chose Earnest as the title of his play?
• What does the classification of the play as a “comedy of manners” refer to? Could this play operate in a non-hierarchical, classless society?

Interesting Essay Topics on The Importance of Being Earnest

• The Importance of Being Earnest: a comedy about the importance of being earnest
• The popularity of The Importance of Being Earnest and its characters
• Who is the most important character in The Importance of Being Earnest?
• What are some famous quotes from The Importance of Being Earnest?
• The importance of being earnest in a world where everything is not as it seems
• How the playwright managed to capture the attitudes and behavior of people in his period through his writing style
• What makes an author’s work relevant over a hundred years after publication?
• Discuss the relationship between Jack and Algy. How does it change as the play progresses?
• Why do you think Jack and Gwendolen are more concerned with marriage than love?
• What is Wilde’s opinion on marriage, if any? How would his views have been different in 1890s England than they would be now?
• What do you think the title of this play means, especially considering it is talking about a man named Ernest, who isn’t Earnest after all?

Controversial Essay Topics on The Importance of Being Earnest

• How far would you go to save a friend?
• Have we lost the ability to be honest with one another?
• Is vanity the real root of all evil?
• If one partner wants a baby and the other does not, do they have an obligation to get married anyway?
• Lady Bracknell is a hypocrite.
• Algernon’s lies are not just harmless. They have serious consequences for the people he loves.
• Jack is a deserter (like his father) who must be married before inheriting his fortune.
• What is the role of women in society?
• Is there such a thing as a “fatal flaw”?
• Are we what others see us as, or do we define ourselves?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on The Importance of Being Earnest

• Compare and contrast the opening scenes of the play with its ending.
• Contrast Algernon’s personality when he is pretending to be Ernest and when he is not pretending to be Ernest and Jack’s personality when he is pretending to be Earnest and when he is not pretending to be Earnest.
• Contrast the characters of Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen, and Cecily with each other in terms of their upbringing, education, and general disposition toward life
• How does Lady Bracknell compare to other mothers in literature?
• Compare and contrast the play’s title with its content.
• What are some differences between being earnest and being earnest?
• Compare and contrast the attitudes toward marriage between Gwendolen and Cecily.
• Discuss how Wilde’s characters relate to one another
• Compare and contrast the importance of being earnest with that of not being earnest for an individual’s life experience to be meaningful.
• Compare and contrast the two main characters in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Compare and contrast the two love stories in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Compare and contrast the two social classes in The Importance of Being Earnest.

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Topics for Kids

• What is the Importance of Being Earnest?
• What are the Special Features and Qualities of This Play?
• How Does Wilde Use Humour in his Plays?
• Why is This Play so Popular Today?
• Who was Oscar Wilde, and How Did he Become Famous?
• Why was He Imprisoned for Homosexuality ?
• Discuss the use of humor in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Analyze the role that gender plays in this play
• Analyze how Oscar Wilde uses his characters’ names to convey meaning within The Importance of Being Earnest
• Analyze the comic relief in The Importance of Being Earnest and how it changes your perception of the play.

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Topics for Middle School

• How does the play relate to one’s self?
• Are we all playing a role in our lives, and does it matter if we are?
• What role-playing techniques did Wilde use in the play to make it so funny?
• Is it possible to find yourself by pretending not to be yourself?
• In the play, Algernon makes a bet allowing him to say all sorts of things without repercussions. What are some reasons people might make such bets?
• According to the play, what is a Bunburyist?
• Who is Cecily, and why does she want to marry Ernest? (Hint: Think about her parents’ relationship.)
• Is it possible for someone to change their name to get out of an unwanted marriage or situation? Why or why not?
• Discuss the use of irony in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Analyze the themes and motifs in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Explain how Wilde uses humor to illuminate truth and reveal character, particularly in Act II, Scene 2 of The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Examine how Wilde’s play satirizes Victorian society and culture

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Topics for High School

• How does the play compare to Oscar Wilde’s other works?
• The Importance of Being Earnest: A Comedy or a Tragedy?
• What is the Importance of Being Earnest About?
• What is the Theme of The Importance of Being Earnest?
• Who Do You Think Is More “Earnest” in this Play, Algernon or Jack? Why do you think so?
• Why should students be earnest in their education?
• Earnestness is important in business, politics, and even sports.
• Why are there so many jokes about being earnest? How can this be turned around positively?
• What does it mean to be earnest?
• Love and Marriage
• Earnest and Jack’s relationship
• Algernon and Gwendolyn’s engagement
• Cecily and Gwendolyn’s relationship with Ernest/Jack
• The importance of being Earnest in today’s society

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Topics for College

• Describe the main characters and their relationships with each other.
• How does Lady Bracknell treat her daughter’s suitors in Act I, Scene 1?
• What does Algernon mean when he says, “the only good thing about modern life is that there’s no harm in being earnest”?
• Is it fair to mock someone based on their name or background (as Algernon does with Jack)?
• What are the effects of class differences on the characters in The Importance of Being Earnest?
• Do you think Algernon and Cecily love each other, or is their relationship purely due to their namesakes? Why?
• Are there any examples in this play where people lie to themselves about who they are
• In The Importance of Being Earnest, what is the role of coincidence?
• What is the title supposed to represent? Does it have a deeper meaning?
• What are some themes in The Importance of Being Earnest?

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Questions

• In what ways does Wilde satirize Victorian society?
• How is Algernon’s humorous use of pseudonyms used to show that he is a different person from his friend Jack?
• Discuss the theme of “being earnest” in this play.
• What was the importance of being earnest?
• How do the characters demonstrate their roles in society?
• What is Jack’s reaction to Gwendolyn’s betrayal, and how does this reflect his character?
• Why does Lady Bracknell object to Cecily’s engagement?
• Discuss the role of social status in The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Compare and contrast Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen Fairfax.
• What is the significance of Jack’s name change?
• What role does gender play in The Importance of Being Earnest?
• Analyze the theme of marriage in The Importance of Being Earnest

I hope this study guide article was helpful for you in finding an essay topic for your on The Importance of Being Earnest. Hopefully, you can write an interesting paper using one of these ideas!

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