The Importance of Being Earnest was a satirical comedy in three acts by Oscar Wilde. Each protagonist in the play, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, have to maintain aliases in order to exist without punishment, and express their love for Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Using an alias---or playing someone who is not yourself---in order to live as you wish is an experience that many queer people can understand and relate to, Wilde included. It's no wonder he loved flowers so much; flowers were Wilde's tongue's alias for the truth.

Source:

"The Importance of Being Earnest." Britannica, 11 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest.