Oscar Wilde · The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
| Source | Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) — Algernon, Act I |
| Date | 1895 |
| Wording | Exact |
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About This Line
Wilde hands the line to Algernon — his most charming liar — in Act I of Earnest, a play where everyone is performing something. That the truest observation comes from the least trustworthy character is the whole joke, and the whole point.
Why We Carry This Line
I said “truth” when I initially read this. And immediately added to our quote list.
