Importance of Being Earnest

The play pokes fun at the aristocracy, the literary world, and British manners and customs, while calling into question the very notion of "identity." The characters' plans are constantly sent topsy-turvy by unexpected turns of events. Along the way, Wilde's wit-sharpened dialogue skewers nearly everyone, throwing into high relief the strains of class pretension, social ambition, and romantic gamesmanship.