Wit: The Expression Intended to Arouse Amusement

Oscar Wilde is considerably known as the greatest exponent of wit in history, which is proven in his play, The Importance of Being Earnest. In the play, there is hardly a scene that does not display some form of Wilde’s wit; his power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal cleverness and swift observation. Wilde’s wit manifests itself in his use of humor, social satire, puns, and his use of repetition. Wilde’s criticism is covered up by his use of humor. He successfully jeers at aristocracy, men, women, marriage, and religion.
Wilde’s wit is first displayed when Gwendolen and Cecily become very irritated with one another and incessantly struggle to prove which one of them has the real claim to Ernest’s hand in marriage. The situation is humorous because the audience is well aware of the fact that the two girls are attracted to different men, neither of whom supposes he is in fact named Ernest. The humor is later intensified when Gwendo...