Free English ebook

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

"The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People" by Oscar Wilde is a play first performed in 1895. Two young gentlemen lead double lives, each pretending to be named Ernest to escape social duties and win the hearts of their beloveds. Filled with sharp wit and clever wordplay, the farcical comedy gently mocks Victorian society through memorable characters including the formidable Lady Bracknell. The play parodies theatrical conventions while exploring themes of identity, deception, and the absurdities of proper society.

Level C1 pagesEnglish

No reads counted yet

Categories: British Literature Plays/Films/Dramas

Readers: Adults Family Teens

Suggested age: 12+ (AI estimate)

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

Download EPUB · 297 KB Download PDF · 462 KB Open PDF

Report a download problem

Saved on this browser only.

No ratings yet

Rate this book

One rating per book on this browser. You can change or remove it.

About this book

Reading guidance

Level C1

Language difficulty is an AI estimate based on sampled text.

Reader and content guidance is an AI estimate based on the title, author, source summary, contents and selected excerpts. Unseen portions have not been assessed.

Recommended age: 12+ (AI estimate)
Content in samples is clean, but enjoyment depends on understanding courtship deception, social satire and paradoxical wit. From about 12 this is defensible independently for capable readers; younger readers would usually need supported reading or performance. Based on named-book metadata and selected excerpts; unseen text was not assessed. This is guidance, not an official age rating; individual reading ability varies.

Source: Project Gutenberg · Public domain in the USA.

Report a file or book information problem Report a copyright concern about this book

More books to explore

Level C1 · pages · English

A Dream of John Ball; and, A King’s Lesson

Written by Morris, William

"A Dream of John Ball; and, A King's Lesson" by William Morris is a novel published in 1888. It tells the story of a time-traveller who meets the medieval rebel priest John Ball during the Great Revolt of 1381. Through their encounter, Morris contrasts the ethics of medieval and modern worlds, exploring why Ball's dreams of an egalitarian society remain unfulfilled centuries later. Unlike other depictions of the era, Morris portrays the Middle Ages as a golden period of prosperity and happiness.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: British Literature Novels

Readers: Adults Teens

Suggested age: 14+ (AI estimate)

Explore book

Level C1 · pages · English

A Journal of the Plague Year Being Observations or Memorials of the Most Remarkable Occurrences, as Well Public as Private, Which Happened in London During the Last Great Visitation in 1665. Written by a Citizen Who Continued All the While in London

Written by Defoe, Daniel

"A Journal of the Plague Year" by Daniel Defoe is a book published in 1722. It recounts one man's experiences during the Great Plague of London in 1665, when bubonic plague devastated the city. Presented as an eyewitness account, the work blends research and imagination to create a detailed chronicle of streets, neighborhoods, and casualties. Its classification remains debated—some view it as authentic history, others as historical fiction, and many as something between both.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: British Literature Classics

Readers: Adults Teens

Suggested age: 14+ (AI estimate)

Explore book

Level C1 · pages · English

A pair of blue eyes

Written by Hardy, Thomas

"A Pair of Blue Eyes" by Thomas Hardy is a novel written during the late 19th century. This work explores themes of love and social class through the experiences of Elfride Swancourt, a young woman navigating her emotions and relationships in a rural English setting. The story is set against the backdrop of church restoration and the wild landscapes of Wessex, interweaving the intricacies of love and societal expectations. At the start of the narrative, we are introduced to Elfride, a twenty-year-old girl, who possesses a depth of emotion but lacks social sophistication. As her father, the parish vicar, is laid up with illness, Elfride prepares to host Stephen Smith, a young architect sent to oversee the restoration of a local church. The beginning paints a picture of Elfride's character—innocent, curious, and somewhat naive—as she contemplates the arrival of Stephen with both excitement and trepidation. Their first meeting hints at a brewing tension, setting the stage for the developing romantic intrigue amidst the constraints of their social surroundings. As Elfride grapples with her feelings in this remote part of England, Hardy begins to weave a tale that explores not just the heart, but also the complex web of class and identity in the 19th-century English society.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: British Literature Novels Romance

Readers: Adults Teens

Suggested age: 14+ (AI estimate)

Explore book

Level C1 · pages · English

A Personal Record

Written by Conrad, Joseph

"A Personal Record" by Joseph Conrad is a reflective memoir, likely written during the late 19th century. The work serves as a deeply personal account from the author, who contemplates his life experiences, literary aspirations, and the significance of the written word, navigating through memories of his first encounters with the sea and his literary creations like "Almayer's Folly." Conrad's narrative style is introspective, offering insights into the development of his identity as both a writer and a man shaped by his maritime background. At the start of the memoir, Conrad shares his thoughts on the nature of writing and the effects of words, revealing a struggle between sincerity and expressiveness. He humorously recounts the friendly pressure he faced to write this account, emphasizing his reluctance and the mundane moments that influenced his literary pursuits. Through rich imagery, he reflects on a specific time and place aboard a ship in Rouen, transitioning from focused writing on "Almayer's Folly" to the mundanities of life at sea, hinting at the deep connections between his experiences and the narratives he constructs. The opening establishes a tone of candid exploration, inviting readers to witness the complexities of his thoughts as he balances the emotional resonance of his memories with a desire for artistic clarity.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: Biographies British Literature

Readers: Adults

Suggested age: 16+ (AI estimate)

Explore book

Level C1 · pages · English

A Study in Scarlet

Written by Doyle, Arthur Conan

"A Study in Scarlet" by Arthur Conan Doyle is a detective novel published in 1887. This groundbreaking work introduces Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate a mysterious murder in London. When a man is found dead with the word "RACHE" written in blood, Holmes must unravel the scarlet thread of murder running through the case. The investigation leads to a dramatic tale of revenge spanning two continents, connecting a London crime scene to events in Utah's Salt Lake Valley decades earlier.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: British Literature Novels

Readers: Adults Teens

Suggested age: 12+ (AI estimate)

Explore book

Level C1 · pages · English

A Woman of No Importance

Written by Wilde, Oscar

"A Woman of No Importance" by Oscar Wilde is a play first performed in 1893. Set among English high society, the work satirizes the manners and morals of the upper class through witty dialogue and social commentary. When a young man accepts a prestigious position as secretary to a powerful lord, his mother's arrival at a country house party reveals a devastating secret from the past that threatens to upend his promising future and exposes the hypocrisy beneath polite society's surface.

EPUB · Layout not assessedPDF · Fixed page layoutIllustrations: not assessed

No ratings yet

Categories: British Literature Plays/Films/Dramas

Readers: Adults Teens

Explore book