Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

A man as tormented as he was beloved, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) overcame a life of extraordinary ups and downs to become a world-renowned playwright, author and poet. Best remembered for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the play The Importance of Being Earnest and a wide range of eminently quotable epigrams, he stands as one of the most influential writers of the Victorian era.

Wilde’s work is fraught with the insights of a man who possessed a deep understanding of both the positives and perils of society. Criticized for what was perceived as an “effeminate nature” and oppressed by a largely homophobic world, Wilde remained resilient. He used his experiences to form brilliant, if controversial, literary works.

The comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, a draft of which is reproduced here, was a great success upon opening but saw its run cut short when Wilde was imprisoned for “gross indecency.” This represented one of the first famous celebrity trials but was, sadly, only one of many persecutions of a member of the LGBTQ community for a consensual act.

We first reproduced this handwritten playscript as an Embellished Manuscript in 2010 and are pleased to have it back in our collection with an updated look as we continue to celebrate Wilde’s literary legacy and personal perseverance today.