What are the sources of laughter in “The Importance of Being Earnest?”

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What are the sources of laughter in The Importance of Being Earnest NU Oscar Wilde s play The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedy full of laughter Wilde creates humour through wit paradox and funny situations He mocks the values of Victorian society Here Laughter comes from names lies social rules and characters behaviour Wit and Paradox Wilde s characters speak in sharp and witty lines These paradoxes make people laugh Algernon says in Act I The truth is rarely pure and never simple This comic truth makes the audience smile because it is both a funny and a serious statement Love and Names Laughter also comes from silly love based on names Gwendolen insists she will only marry a man called Ernest She declares The only really safe name is Ernest Cecily also dreams of marrying Ernest The name game makes romance look funny and shallow Lady Bracknell

s Remarks Lady Bracknell s strict views create great humour She speaks with comic arrogance In Act I she says To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune to lose both looks like carelessness This exaggerated quote makes the audience laugh while mocking social pride Situations and Lies The play creates comic scenes from double lives Jack invents a fake brother Ernest Algernon creates a sick friend Bunbury These lies cause confusion mistaken love and laughter In short the play creates laughter from witty dialogue shallow love and comic lies Wilde turns serious issues into fun Through humour he criticizes Victorian class and social rules

The Importance of Being Earnest

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What are the sources of laughter in “The Importance of Being Earnest?”

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Oscar Wilde

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