“THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST” by OSCAR WILDE (AUDIO-BOOK) (LEVEL 6)

This version was retold by F H Cornish 

for Macmillan Readers and audio CD (2)

LEVEL 6 UPPER (about 2200 basic words)

CONTENTS:

A Note About The Author  

A Note About This Play        

The People In This Play       

The Play in Three Acts (about 70 pages)

Points for Understanding

Glossary

Useful Phrases

Exercises

Audio CD (2)

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Wilde´s humorous attack on the social habits of the Victorian upper classes uses satire and the constant inversion of accepted ideas of normal behaviour and attitudes as its weapons… (from A Note About This Play).

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Algernon: Your name isn´t Jack; it is Ernest

Jack: It isn´t Ernest; it´s Jack.

Algernon: You have always told me that your name is Ernest. I Have introduced you to everyone as Ernest. You answer to the name Ernest. You look as if your name is Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I have ever seen in my life. It is perfectly ridiculous to tell me your name isn´t Ernest.  (from The Play) 

     

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Oscar Wilde´s comic masterpiece of love and mistaken identity was a great hit when it first appeared on the stage in 1895. It has remained hugely popular with theatre audiences ever since.