This is how Oscar Wilde described the philosophy of "The Importance of Being Earnest", his most sparkling, witty and light-hearted play of aristocratic manners and high society. To avoid family duties, Algernon Moncrieff, a bachelor-about-town, ha ... .

Оскар Уайльд - английский философ, писатель, поэт и один из самых известных драматургов XIX века. "Как важно быть серьёзным" - гениальная "великосветская" комедия, в которой автор представляет вниманию читателя широко распространённую в викторианской Англии "традицию" пренебрегать моральными принципами и вести двойную жизнь. Два джентльмена, Джон Уординг и Алджернон Монкриф, беспечно проводили время в развлечениях и удовольствиях, и всё разыгрывалось как по нотам до тех пор, пока они не решили найти себе жён... Читайте зарубежную литературу в оригинале!

Gwendolen thinks that she loves Ernest. Cecily thinks that she loves Ernest too. But who is Ernest really? What kind of man is he? Read this funny play and laugh. Or act it to your friends and they will laugh. This is a wonderful play by one of the greatest writers of his time.

Here is Oscar Wilde's most brilliant tour de force, a witty and buoyant comedy of manners that has delighted millions in countless productions since its first performance in London's St. James' Theatre on February 14, 1895. The Importance of Being Earnest is celebrated not only for the lighthearted ingenuity of its plot, but for its inspired dialogue, rich with scintillating epigrams still savored by all who enjoy artful conversation. From the play's effervescent beginnings in Algernon Moncrieff's London flat to its hilarious denouement in the drawing room of Jack Worthing's country manor in Hertfordshire, this comic masterpiece keeps audiences breathlessly anticipating a new bon mot or a fresh twist of plot moment to moment. This finely produced volume is an unabridged, unaltered reprinting of an authoritative early British edition. Unabridged Dover (1990) republication of the standard text (play first published by Leonard Smithers & Co., London, 1899). Publisher's Note.

Оскар Уайльд - английский писатель, досконально изучивший все подводные камни семейной жизни. В трех самых известных своих пьесах ("Веер леди Уиндермир", "Как важно быть серьезным", "Идеальный муж") он предоставляет читателю право самому ответить на животрепещущие вопросы: следует ли безоговорочно доверять своей второй половине? Надо ли идеализировать спутника жизни или лучше принимать его со всеми недостатками? Прощать за ошибки, совершенные в прошлом, или безжалостно осуждать, сокрушая то, что строилось годами? Красивый язык, парадоксальные, но и логичные высказывания, мягкий юмор, запутанность положений заставят читателя вновь и вновь обращаться к этой книге, а комментарии и словарик помогут ему в полной мере оценить прелесть и афористичность языка. В книге приводится неадаптированный текст на языке оригинала с комментариями и словарем.

Издание полностью на английском языке. Полный, неадаптированный текст произведения.

The Macmillan Graded Readers series is one of the most popular simplified readers for learners of English. The series is published at six levels - Starter, Beginner, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate and Upper Intermediate. The information, structure and vocabulary are controlled at each level to suit the students' ability. The Macmillan Readers provide a choice of enjoyable reading materials for learners of English from a range of prestigious authors from around the world. Retold by F H Cornish.

The four great comedies of Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, were all written at the height of the controversial Irish author's powers in his last, doomed decade, the 1890s. They remain among the most-loved, and most-quoted, of all drama in the English language. Along with Salome, his darkly decadent dramatization of the Bible story, these immortal plays continue to pack theatres, and have been adapted for every kind of media. This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Importance of Being Earnest & Other Plays echoes the book form in which Wilde originally insisted his plays were published, and includes illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley and an afterword by Ned Halley. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.

Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Importance of Being Earnest & Other Plays echoes the book form in which Wilde originally insisted his plays were published, and includes illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley and an afterword by Ned Halley.The four great comedies of Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, were all written at the height of the controversial Irish author's powers in his last, doomed decade, the 1890s. They remain among the most-loved, and most-quoted, of all drama in the English language. Along with Salome, his darkly decadent dramatization of the Bible story, these immortal plays continue to pack theatres, and have been adapted for every kind of media. .

Gwendolen thinks that she loves Ernest. Cecily thinks that she loves Ernest too. But who is Ernest really? What kind of man is he? Read this funny play and laugh. Or act it to your friends and they will laugh. This is a wonderful play by one of the greatest writers of his time. Retold by Jane Rollason.

Oscar Wilde was already one of the best-known literary figures in Britain when he was persuaded to turn his extraordinary talents to the theatre. Between 1891 and 1895 he produced a sequence of distinctive plays which spearheaded the dramatic renaissance of the 1890s and retain their power today. This collection offers newly edited texts of Lady Windermere s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, Salome, An Ideal Husband, and, arguably the greatest farcical comedy in English, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Between 1892 and 1895, Oscar Wilde’s drawing-room comedies Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest made his name as a playwright who fearlessly mocked the hypocrisy and snobbery of Victorian society and took gleeful delight in appearing to trivialize its most sacred institutions. With its premiere on Valentine’s Day 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest – a hilarious comedy of mistaken identities and coruscating language – was a phenomenal success, but its run was cut short prematurely by Wilde’s court case and subsequent incarceration, and the play was not published until 1899, after Wilde had been released from prison. Also including the powerful Salome, originally written in French and banned by the British censor, this collection displays Wilde at his provocative and witty best, and demonstrates why he was a playwright who delighted audiences and infuriated critics in equal measure.

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest "celebrities" of his day. An Ideal Husband is an 1895 comedic stage play by Oscar Wilde which revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. The action is set in London, in "the present", and takes place over the course of twenty four hours. The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on 14 February 1895 at the St. James's Theatre in London. Set in England during the late Victorian era, the play's humour derives in part from characters maintaining fictitious identities to escape unwelcome social obligations. It is replete with witty dialogue and satirises some of the foibles and hypocrisy of late Victorian society. It has proved Wilde's most enduringly popular play. Серия English Fiction Collection состоит из лучших произведений английских и американских авторов. Читая книгу на языке оригинала, вы не только обогатите собственную лексику и научитесь чувствовать грамматический строй, но также сможете насладиться настоящим языком великих писателей и поэтов. Серия предназначена для тех, кто учит английский всерьез, кто действительно хочет знать этот красивый и многогранный язык. Издание на английском языке.

Серия English Fiction Collection состоит из лучших произведений английских и американских авторов. Читая книгу на языке оригинала, вы не только обогатите собственную лексику и научитесь чувствовать грамматический строй, но также сможете насладиться настоящим языком великих писателей и поэтов. Серия предназначена для тех, кто учит английский всерьез, кто действительно хочет знать этот красивый и многогранный язык.

A selection of Oscar Wilde's best and most important plays - sharp, relevant and brilliant to this day. Who would have thought a comedy of manners written more than a hundred years ago would still be so apt and so funny? Oscar Wilde was a genius of play-writing, and his deftness, wit and sharp eye for social satire keep audiences in thrall to this day. Alongside Earnest, discover a biblical tragedy retold, Lady Windemere and her infamous fan and Wilde's take on an ideal husband, in this selection of Wilde's most important plays.

We should treat all trivial things in life very seriously, and all serious things of life with a sincere and studied triviality. - Oscar Wilde First performed in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest is a play in three acts full of mix-ups, unexpected plot twists, mistaken identities and extraordinary quickfire wit. Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax both fall in love with a man called Ernest who doesn't exist. That's because he's the invention of Jack Worthing, who needed a black-sheep of a brother to blame his bad behaviour on. Things become complicated when Jack falls in love with Gwendolen, his friend Algernon falls for Cecily and nobody knows who anybody else is any more as the plot heads for disaster. This is Wilde's most popular play and its unforgettable characters, including the redoubtable Lady Bracknell, still cut the mustard today as Wilde's wit and wordplay raise low English farce to brilliant heights. Also includes: - An Ideal Husband - Lady Windermere's Fan