The Importance of Being Earnest is a play of childlike innocence and nonsense. In order to present this to the audience, Wilde had to be simple and therefore he uses seven main characters in the play, which are indistinguishable more or less, except if you were to contrast them. There are also a number of serious themes. Opposing traits form the contrasting groups. Initially, Wilde"s approach is not easily identified until Act 2 when all the characters have been introduced to the audience. It is here, where the audience could begin to contrast the characters.

             Wilde contrasts Jack, Gwendolen, Algernon and Cecily against Miss Prism and Dr Chasuble. The first group are all young, childish, pleasure seeking and unafraid to express their feelings. In contrast, the second group follows a strict moral code, are religious, have high standards and are embarrassed about showing their feelings. Jack is 29 years old yet still acts like a child playing adult game. Gwendolen does not act in an adult way. She only wishes to marry Jack because of his name. Cecily is indeed a child in her playful, irresponsible attitude towards life as is evident to the audience from her first appearance as the pupil of Miss Prism. Cecily behaves like a stubborn child, refusing to work and throwing books. Cecily also plays childish games – writing letters to herself and planning her engagement to Ernest shows how she dreams like a little girl. The first group also plays childish games with each other. Jack and Algernon fight like two infants over a plate of muffins whilst Cecily and Gwendolen argue over tea and cakes. When proposing, Jack, Algernon, Cecily and Gwendolen clearly express their love: "Miss Fairfax, ever since I met you I have admired you more than any girl." and "You are the prettiest girl I ever saw." However, Dr Chasuble and Miss Prism find it impossible to admit their true feelings to one another.