nts make the audience laugh but also make them think. The characters often use words in opposite meanings. This creates a comic effect. Wilde’s style of “epigrammatic wit” makes even normal conversations sound sharp and amusing.

Humor in Situations: Many funny scenes come from mistaken identity and lies. Jack pretends to be a man named “Ernest” when he goes to London. Algernon also pretends to be “Ernest” when he visits Jack’s country house. This double deception leads to confusion and laughter. The situation becomes hilarious when both Gwendolen and Cecily believe they are engaged to the same man named Ernest. Their polite fight over tea, where they smile and insult each other, shows Wilde’s brilliant use of comic situations. The humor comes not from cruelty but from foolish misunderstandings.

Satire of Victorian Society: Wilde also uses humor to criticize the upper-class values of his time. People like Lady Bracknell care more about money and family name than love or honesty. She learns that Jack was found in a handbag at a railway station. When she learns this, she cries  in shock:

“A handbag?”

This moment is very humorous because she is not worried about the baby being lost. She only cares that the baby was found in an ordinary handbag instead of being born into a rich family. Her shocked reaction shows how silly and shallow the upper class can be. Through her, Wilde mocks the pride and snobbery of society in a humorous way.

Comedy of Manners: The play is also a perfect “comedy of manners.” It laughs at the manners, style, and language of the rich people. 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’s humor exposes the artificial life of the upper class. 

Wordplay and Irony: Wilde’s characters seem more interested in fashion, names, and meals than in truth or feeling. Even 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. Moreover, the title itself, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” is a clever joke. The word “Earnest” means serious and honest, but it is also the name that causes all the confusion. Nobody in the play is truly earnest; they only pretend to be “Ernest.” This irony makes the title humorous and meaningful at the same time. Wilde enjoys playing with words to show the difference between what people say and what they really are.

In “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Oscar Wilde creates humor through wit, irony, and clever situations. His jokes are never cheap; they are full of meaning. The play makes people laugh while also showing the foolishness of Victorian manners.