The Importance of Being Earnest

Throughout the drama The Importance of Being Earnest, written by Oscar Wilde, a physical journey such as the journeys Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff whom lived in Hertfordshire, were taking back and forth from the country to the city, and leading on their double lives symbolized that everything that appears to be one way does not exactly mean it is that way.  

As Jack had created his fictional brother Earnest to bring some excitement into his life, it actually got Jack into more of a predicament with his lover Gwendolen Fairfax as she falls in love with his name Earnest and he feels as though if he did not have the name Earnest, Gwendolen would not be as in love with him as she was. As responsible and respectable as Jack appeared, Wilde added the detail of Jack's double life and two way journey to illustrate that what is on the surface is not always the truth. The irony is reflected in the fact that Ernest really is his name, everything becomes almost a celebration to Jack, as he is relieved he can now marry Cecily. This double persona mimics the pettiness of the Victorian Society by the journey resembling how people were so concerned about minuscule unnecessary details like the cucumber sandwiches and a name such as "Earnest" and yet people of the time period claimed to be so sophisticated and proper.   

As well as this example, there is also the example of the character Algernon Moncrieff pretending he is Ernest to win over his lover Cecily Cardew. This character also creates the process of "Bunburying" tomake excuses while entertaining himself. This process creates the mocking tone and also ties in with the back and forth duality aspect of the journey from the country to city and vice versa. Wilde had used this drama to satirize the Victorian society that even the people whom belonged to the society had wanted to find a constant escape from.