and never simple This line sounds amusing But it also shows that Algernon and people in general often hide behind lies We see this when Algernon often lies about his imaginary sick friend Bunbury Whenever he wants to avoid boring social duties in London like his aunt s dinner he lies to go see his sick friend Bunbury Throughout the play Wilde s wit keeps the audience smiling For example Lady Bracknell says To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune to lose both looks like carelessness Here she turns a serious subject into comedy Wilde s style uses this kind of smart speech to make serious ideas sound humorous and light Satirical Tone Wilde s humor is not only for fun it also criticizes the upper-class people of his time Victorian society cared too much about names wealth and manners Through characters like Lady Bracknell Wilde shows how shallow they were When Lady Bracknell rejects Jack because he was found in a handbag it becomes both funny and meaningful She is not shocked that a child was lost but only that he was found in a handbag This shows the false pride of the upper class So Wilde s style mixes laughter and criticism smoothly and gently It allows the audience to enjoy the humor while understanding the truth behind it Comedy of Manners Wilde s style also follows the tradition of comedy of manners This means the play makes fun of how rich people behave in society Characters speak in polite tones but behave foolishly For example when Gwendolen says she can only love a man named Ernest the audience realizes how meaningless such social rules are Wilde uses such situations to laugh at the silly customs of love marriage and respectability Irony and Wordplay Another important part of Wilde s style is irony It means saying one thing but meaning another The title itself The Importance of Being Earnest is a clever joke The word Earnest means honest and serious but both Jack and Algernon are dishonest when they pretend to be someone else So the title is ironic No one in the play is really earnest However we understand the importance of being Ernest at the end of the play because Jack discovers that his name is Ernest Only this name allows him to marry Gwendolen Light but Meaningful Tone Wilde s writing looks light and playful but it has deep meaning His jokes reveal how empty and foolish society can be For example Gwendolen says In matters of grave importance style not sincerity is the vital thing This is a clever wordplay from Oscar Wilde He alters style and sincerity to make this situation humorous At the same time he makes fun of the upper-class foolishness This is why his language feels funny yet powerful In The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde s style is full of wit irony and charm He makes people laugh while also opening their eyes to the false values of his age His dialogues are bright and polished his humor is gentle but sharp and his criticism is hidden under laughter