The Importance of Being Earnest

王尔德这部1895年的喜剧，最耐人寻味的并非情节，而是它把整个维多利亚时代的体面当作手术台来解剖。书中人物靠虚构的“Ernest”身份周旋于婚姻与礼俗之间，真相反而成了最不合时宜的东西——这种“认真即荒诞”的反转，正是它历经百年仍被搬上中学课堂的原因。摘录里的台词几乎句句可作警句：浪漫在于不确定性，错误都美其名曰经验，女人终将活成母亲的模样。然而读者评价却两极：有人笑到岔气、视其为语言艺术的巅峰，也有人嫌“抖机灵过多”、讽刺老套。它适合愿意咀嚼反讽、享受机智对白的读者；若期待跌宕起伏的故事，或许会失望。这更像一场关于“如何不郑重其事地活着”的聪明游戏。

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, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suffered a dramatic downfall and was imprisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of "gross indecency" with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain, and died in poverty.