Previous
Jack
Town and Country
In The Importance of Being Earnest one’s residence is a key signifier of one’s social standing and sophistication. Lady Bracknell’s keen interest in Jack’s address exemplifies this alignment between class, fashion, and residence. She finds… read analysis of Town and Country
Bunbury
Bunbury is a fictional invalid that Algernon makes up so that he has a ready excuse whenever he wishes to get out of any social commitment, particularly when he would like to escape to the… read analysis of Bunbury
Ernest
Similar to Bunbury, Ernest represents deception, fiction, and escapism, but also idealism. While Algernon and Jack attempt to masquerade as the real Ernest, he is just as fictional as Algernon’s Bunbury. Similarly Jack uses… read analysis of Ernest
Tea Service
The Importance of Being Earnest depicts several pivotal scenes that revolve around tea. While these moments might seem mundane, they are actually carefully crafted scenes in which the characters negotiate tricky scenarios. In Act… read analysis of Tea Service
Food
Food symbolizes excess, or overindulgence. For instance, Algernon cannot stop eating cucumber sandwiches, or muffins when they are put in front of him, suggesting that his appetites are just as excessive as his eccentric… read analysis of Food
Get the entire The Importance of Being Earnest LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Dandy
The dandy, or fop, was a figure popularized by Wilde. In Wilde’s world, the dandy is a man who pays particular attention to his appearance, dress, and lifestyle, almost to the point of excess… read analysis of The Dandy
Orphans and Wards
Both Jack and Cecily are orphans. Jack’s lack of family relations makes it difficult for him to marry Gwendolen and settle into a traditional family arrangement. While Cecily’s ancestry is officially documented in books… read analysis of Orphans and Wards
Christenings
Jack and Algernon each arrange a christening with Dr. Chasuble so that they can change their names to “Ernest.” The eager willingness of these characters to change their names symbolize the fluid nature of identity… read analysis of Christenings
Jack’s Mourning Clothes
Jack’s extravagant mourning attire for a brother who is nonexistent and not even dead represents the extravagance of the dandy as well as duplicity. read analysis of Jack’s Mourning Clothes
Diaries
Normally diaries document real life events, but diaries In the Importance of Being Earnest tend to document fictions. Cecily writes about her fictional engagement to “Ernest” in her diary, showing it to be… read analysis of Diaries
Cecily’s Love Letters
Cecily writes loves letters between her self and “Ernest.” This is another example of Cecily’s penchant for inventing stories, thereby serving as another symbol of imagination and fiction making. read analysis of Cecily’s Love Letters
Miss Prism’s Three-volume-novel
Miss Prism’s three-volume-novel symbolizes the engrossing nature of fiction and the loss of one’s sense of reality. Miss Prism mentions to Cecily in Act II that she once wrote a “three-volume-novel.” At the end of… read analysis of Miss Prism’s Three-volume-novel
Jack’s Handbag
The handbag in which Jack was found as a baby is a symbol for the comedy of errors. Jack’s inadvertent abandonment in a place as obscure and ridiculous as a handbag at a train station… read analysis of Jack’s Handbag
Jack’s Cigarette Case
Because Jack’s cigarette case reveals his dual identity as “Ernest” in town and “Jack” in the country it represents his double life. read analysis of Jack’s Cigarette Case
Jack’s Business Card
In his cigarette case Jack stores business cards with his pseudonym and address in London printed on them. Algernon later uses the card to verify his identity to Cecily. The business card is thus… read analysis of Jack’s Business Card
The Coatroom at Victoria Station and The Brighton Line
The coatroom at Victoria Station is a symbol for Jack’s lack of family “relations” and unknown origins. The Brighton Line is Wilde’s play on the notion of a family bloodline. Instead of having a lineage… read analysis of The Coatroom at Victoria Station and The Brighton Line
The Army List
The Army List is a listing of English army generals. It symbolizes name and identity because Jack uncovers his real name and his origins through this source. read analysis of The Army List
