The Importance of Being Earnest

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.