the elements of comedy of The Importance of Being Earnest

The elements of comedy in The Importance of Being Earnest include the use of witty dialogue, situational irony, incongruity, exaggeration, satire and farce. Oscar Wilde's clever wordplay is a major part of the play's humor. He uses puns and double entendres to poke fun at Victorian society and its conventions. Additionally, Wilde often creates characters that are caricatures of certain social types. Situational irony is also used throughout the play to create humorous situations. Finally, Wilde utilizes farce by creating absurd plot twists and turns as well as exaggerated physical humor.