Paperblanks Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest Cotton Tote Bag

Carry your journals, books and everyday essentials in style with this Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest cotton tote bag from Paperblanks, featuring a handy inner zip pocket.

A man as tormented as he was beloved, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) overcame a life of extraordinary ups and downs to become a world-renowned playwright, author and poet. He used his experiences to form brilliant, if controversial, literary works, including The Importance of Being Earnest, a draft of which is reproduced here.

The Story Behind the Design

A man as tormented as he was beloved, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) overcame a life of extraordinary ups and downs to become a world-renowned playwright, author and poet. Best remembered for the novel The Picture of Dorian Grey, the play The Importance of Being Earnest and a wide range of eminently quotable epigrams, he stands as one of the most influential writers of the Victorian era.

Wilde’s work is fraught with the insights of a man who possessed a deep understanding of both the positives and perils of society. Criticised for what was perceived as an “effeminate nature” and oppressed by a largely homophobic world, Wilde remained resilient. He used his experiences to form brilliant, if controversial, literary works.

The comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, a draft of which is reproduced here, was a great success upon opening but saw its run cut short when Wilde was imprisoned for “gross indecency.” This represented one of the first famous celebrity trials but was, sadly, only one of many persecutions of a member of the LGBTQ community for a consensual act.

We first reproduced this handwritten playscript as an Embellished Manuscript in 2010 and are pleased to have it back in our collection with an updated look as we continue to celebrate Wilde’s literary legacy and personal perseverance today.

• Original artwork: Handwritten page from Oscar Wilde’s playscript for The Importance of Being Earnest
• Era: 1894
• Region: England

Product Details

• Dimensions: 380 × 380 × 90 mm
• Design: Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
• Series: Embellished Manuscripts Collection
• Material: Cotton
• Inner zipper pocket size: 220 × 155 mm
• Strap Colour: Cream
• Holds up to 7 kilograms (approximately 15.5 lbs)
• Durable strap for carrying the bag over one's shoulder
• Branded Paperblanks tag
• Artwork credit printed on inside of the bag
• Weight: 260 g
• Product code: PA9417-3 | ISBN: 9781439794173

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts, bringing the same care and craftsmanship found in its celebrated journals to every accessory.