Irony In The Importance Of Being Earnest

Being a play and a comedy of manners, all of Oscar Wilde's criticisms and judgments made in his play The Importance of Being Earnest must be done through the dialogue and actions of the characters. Wilde employs dramatic irony in their dialogue because being downright rude would be a violation of British social conventions. Situational irony also manifests itself as a result of the burlesque behaviors of the characters. Characters will also react in humorously exaggerated ways when presented with news or argument. The inclusion of irony and burlesque allows Wilde to comment on and criticize the behavior of the British social elite during the Victorian time period. The use of burlesque and irony also helps build on several themes throughout