the importance of being earnest

[bobbygill]

who said" A Handbag"

[heathfield]

Lady Bracknell.

[juliacornwal]

She also said 'To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be considered a misfortune. To lose two looks like carelessness!' And I think that is one of the greatest phrases in literature!

[vehelpfulguy]

There are many wonderful lines in the play. Amongst my favorites are the opening lines.

Algernon is playing the piano (rather badly) off stage.

The butler, Lane, is setting the table centre stage.

Algernon walks on stage and says "Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?"

And Lane, in that snooty look-down-his-nose-at-you way that butlers have, says:

"I didn�t think it polite to listen, sir"

Wonderful

[vehelpfulguy]

Whilst we are on the subject, how does the play translate into other languages?

"Earnest" of the title is a play on words of the name of the men, but also of course a person can be earnest in their endevours.

And the closing line of the play is:
"On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I�ve now realised for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest."

So how do you translate that into German, or French, or Japanese ?

Does the "earnest" joke still work or do you give up on trying to make it work ?