The Importance of Being Earnest

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-importance-of-being-earnest

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is "The Importance of Being Earnest" about?It is a funny play by Oscar Wilde that shows people pretending to be someone else to have adventures. The story talks about identity, marriage, and how people act differently in society.
2. Why do the characters use fake names like Ernest?They use fake names to escape strict rules and have fun. The play shows that people sometimes care more about names than real character.

Epigram: A short, witty, and often paradoxical statement that expresses a clever idea.
Aestheticism: An art movement emphasizing beauty and art for its own sake, often associated with the phrase 'art for art's sake'.
Social Artifice: The artificiality and pretense involved in social interactions and the maintenance of appearances.