“If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.”

Double lives, mistaken identities, and secret engagements – oh my! Algernon’s best friend Ernest comes up from the country to propose to his cousin Gwendolen. There’s only one problem – Ernest’s real name is Jack Worthing! Learning that Jack has a young and wealthy ward, Algernon pretends to be Ernest, Jack’s scapegrace younger brother, to win Cecily’s heart. With both ladies vying for Ernest’s affections, will the couples find their happy ending?

A trivial comedy for serious people, The Importance of Being Earnest has become one of the most performed English-language plays since its premiere on St Valentine's Day in 1895. Oscar Wilde’s rapid-fire wit and elaborate plot twists reveal the absurdity of Victorian morality, and how flexible those morals become when money is involved.

Kobo Editions offers this fully-accessible version of the original text for your enjoyment.