Slapstick Humor In The Importance Of Being Ernest

Slapstick Humor:

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest is full of slapstick humor, where actions and body language, in addition to words, are used for a humorous effect. Oscar Wilde introduces Earnest’s double identity of being “JACK – … Earnest in town and Jack in the country…” (A.I, P.5) - the same person perceived to be completely different, depending on the setting. Algernon discovers this double identity without knowing it, in Act I, when he finds Earnest’s cigarette box with an inscription that reveals Earnest’s second identity. Slapstick humor is shown through body language when Earnest kneels on the sofa and follows Algernon around the room. Earnest becomes nervous when Algernon tries to read the inscription on the cigarette case and runs around the sofa in a chasing motion. The slapstick humor is shown via Earnest’s reaction to Algernon’s teasing. “JACK – {Moving to sofa and kneeling upon it} My dear fellow, what on earth is there in that?... For Heaven’s sake give me back my cigarette case. {Follows Algernon round the room.}” (A.I, P.5). Wilde didn’t use verbal communication, he used Earnest’s body language, as stated next to the character’s line. He wrote the action instead of the line to tell his readers that Earnest has a secret that he would like to keep to himself rather than discussing it with Algernon.

Situational Irony:

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde uses situational irony to confuse yet interest his readers by producing a