Essay on The Comedic Element in The Importance of Earnest

A comedic movie, play, or book should have more importance in the world than they do. On any given night if someone were to watch the news or read the newspaper they would see just how dire and depressing the world actually is. It is important to take the time now and then and have a good laugh to ease the tension that the news can cause. Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest is a witty and amusing comedy which conveys real life everyday themes such as real love as opposed to selfish love, religion, marriage, being truthful and country life as opposed to city life. This play shows a striking similarity to many of the remarkable yet amusing circumstances of sitcoms seen on television today. To say that a comedy begins in†¦show more content†¦This makes light of being christened which would normally be dealt with great seriousness. Another time the play makes light of a more serious subjects is on the topic of marriage, Algernon is talking about being married with Lane and Lane says that his first marriage was the result of a misunderstanding, showing that he was not married for true love. One of the ways that Wilde portrays his wit is with the use of puns in the play. Throughout the entire play is the theme of the meanings of the word earnest, being both the main characters names and also being a synonym of showing deep sincerity. The two main characters appear to be lying in order to be Ernest but they both discover that because of a series of impractical but humorous situations they were in fact being earnest. Another smaller pun is seen in the first act when Jack tells Algernon that he is acting as if he were a dentist and producing a `false impression, Algernon replies with the witty comment Well, this is exactly what dentists always do (1888). Also a bit later Algernon says that he has heard that Lady Harburys hair has `turned quite gold from grief since she has lost her husband. One of the best uses of humour in the play is when Jack says I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays (1896). This is so humours because in fact the play itself is quite clever. The play ends happily and all the looseShow MoreRelatedWildes Use of Binary Opposites Is the Key Comedic Element in the Impoprtance of Being Earnest. to What Extent Do You Agree with This View?1615 Words   |  7 PagesWilde’s use of binary oppositions is the key comedic element in the Importance of Being Earnest. To what extent do you agree with this view? Throughout the play, Oscar Wilde portrays several binary opposites using the characters and themes of the play, such as the town and country, class, age, gender and morals. However I don’t think that the binary opposites are the main source of comedy in the play. 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