The importqance of Being Ernes

Summary The curtain rises on Algernons upper-crust apartment in London's prestigious West End. We hear Algernon playing the piano in another room while Lane <the butler, arranges afternoon tea on the table. Algernon enters shortly and begins a discussion with Lane. We learn that Lady Bracknell Algernon's aunt, will be arriving soon for a visit with her daughter, Gwendolen After a brief, witty dialogue on marriage, Lane is dismissed only to reenter and announce the …

…is in no way sympathetic to Algernon or his friend. While her attitude may be based on a suspicion that Bunbury is fictional, the audience gets the sense that almost nothing is sacred to these characters. Indeed, as Wilde wrote of The Importance of Being Earnest, "It has as its philosophy...that we should treat all the trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality."