The Importance of Being Earnest Lesson Plan

The Gribsby Episode

Kind of Activity:

Role Play

Objective:

Students will examine a cut scene to determine how its omission or inclusion would impact the play as a whole.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.A

Structure:

The Importance of Being Earnest was originally written as a four-act play; prior to production, a few short scenes were cut so that the play could have a three-act structure and a shorter running time. Among the scenes cut was a scene featuring a character called Mr. Grimsby, a solicitor who has traveled from London in order to arrest the profligate "Ernest" for his unpaid dining bills. This rarely performed...