Importance of Being Earnest as a Farce

The Importance of Being Earnest as a Farce

Introduction:

Farce is a special type of comedy which focuses on absurd situations, improbable incidents, and witty dialogues rather than deep character study or serious action. Its aim is to provoke laughter through exaggeration, mistaken identity, and ridiculous coincidences. From the time of Plautus and Shakespeare to Sheridan and Wilde, farce has been a vital ingredient of stage comedy.

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) is regarded as the “perfection of artificial comedy” and is often considered one of the two best comedies written since Sheridan. George Sampson remarks: “Art and life are not the same thing, but farce, in the hands of Wilde, becomes the dazzling swords’ play of wit, amazing ingenuity and endless resource.” In this play, Wilde takes trivial social matters—like cucumber sandwiches, cigarette cases, and even the name “Ernest”—and turns them into the centre of serious issues like love, marriage, and social approval. The result is a brilliant farce that continues to delight audiences.

Nature of Farce in the Play:

Farce generally depends on improbable action and absurd coincidences. The Importance of Being Earnest displays both in abundance. The “handbag episode,” where Jack is discovered to have been found in a handbag at Victoria Station, is an outstanding example of farce. The discovery of his true identity at the end is equally improbable yet comically satisfying.

Wilde also builds the plot around trivialities: the name “Ernest” becomes more important than real feelings in matters of marriage. Both Gwendolen and Cecily insist they can only love a man called Ernest. The cucumber sandwiches episode at Algernon’s house makes food a central concern in a romantic comedy. These trivial details, exaggerated to ridiculous proportions, provide farcical humour.

Act-wise Examples of Farce:

Act I:

The act opens with Algernon eating cucumber sandwiches meant for his aunt, Lady Bracknell. This scene sets the tone of farce. The cigarette case incident, where Jack’s double identity as “Ernest” is revealed, is another farcical situation. Wilde exposes the absurdity of Victorian seriousness through witty conversation and improbable circumstances.

Act II:

The farce deepens with the meeting of Cecily and Gwendolen. Both young ladies insist that they are engaged to “Ernest,” leading to a comic misunderstanding. Their polite yet sharp quarrel over tea and cake is a classic example of farcical wit combined with social satire. When the men return and the confusion is cleared, the absurdity is exposed further.

Act III:

The climax brings the farce to its peak. Jack’s true identity is revealed—he really is Ernest after all! The long-standing confusion about his parentage and name is resolved in the most improbable yet hilarious way. The idea that such serious questions of birth, marriage, and social status should be settled by a forgotten handbag is a perfect example of farcical invention.

Characters as Farcical Figures:

The characters in Wilde’s play are exaggerated types rather than realistic individuals. Lady Bracknell is a fine example. Her dialogues—whether it is telling Jack to rise from his “semi-recumbent posture” or interrogating him about his fortune and family background—are full of farcical humour. Her pompous opinions on education, marriage, and social position make her one of the funniest figures in English drama.

Similarly, Gwendolen’s insistence that the name “Ernest” produces “vibrations” and Cecily’s exaggerated romantic imagination provide endless comic delight. Jack and Algernon, with their double lives and excuses, keep the farcical machinery moving.

Farce and Satire:

Though farce is often thought of as light or silly, Wilde uses it to satirize the trivialities of Victorian society. Through exaggerated situations, he laughs at the seriousness with which society treated marriage, names, food, and social class. G. K. Chesterton observed that Wilde turned art into a mirror of life by showing that what people call “serious” is often more absurd than comedy. Thus, beneath the glittering wit and absurdity, Wilde’s farce contains social criticism.

Summing Up:

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is more than just light entertainment; it is a masterpiece of farcical comedy. Its improbable situations, witty dialogue, and ridiculous coincidences combine with sharp satire on Victorian life. As George Sampson states, it is “the perfection of artificial comedy”, dazzling in wit and endless in invention. By elevating trivial matters into serious issues and exposing the absurdity of social conventions, Wilde created a farce that has stood the test of time.

Therefore, The Importance of Being Earnest is rightly considered one of the greatest farcical comedies in English literature.