The Importance of Being Earnest Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Wilde also draws the reader’s attention to the difference between the older and the upcoming nobility (Bristow 54-56). Examples of satire are evident throughout The Importance of Being Earnest. For example, in the first act Jack makes a snide remark about people’s cleverness. The protagonist laments, â€Å"I am sick to death of cleverness; everybody is clever nowadays†¦the thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to God we still had a few fools left† (Wilde 28). This is an assertion that people in Jack’s society are filled with a heightened feeling of self-importance and absolute knowledge, yet this is not necessarily the case. Wilde also satirizes the pretentious lives of the upper class. For instance, Jack poses as Earnest, a fabricated character, whereas Algernon excuses himself from social obligations by citing a non-existent invalid friend who constantly summons him to his bedside. Algernon actually considers the idea of living a double life, to be normal. This shows the extent of pretense pervasion in society. The other laughable aspect to which Wilde draw s significant attention is the fact that Gwendolen wants to marry Jack, solely based on the idea that his name is Earnest. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Being Earnest or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now She even threatens to break the engagement, when she realizes that Earnest is not Jack’s real name (Jordan 102). Gwendolen’s mother, Lady Bracknell is opposed to the union between Jack and her daughter. However, this is not because she finds it irrational to marry a person for their name. She is primarily concerned that Jack does not have a high social standing and he is, therefore, not socially fit to marry Gwendolen. Lady Bracknell is clearly a representation of the Victorian nobility that Wilde is keen on ridiculing. This becomes even more evident when Algernon informs her of his marriage proposal to Cecily. The Lady embarks on a series of questions, meant to examine Cecily’s social connections. Her patronizing demeanor infuriates Jack, who gives her civil, but sarcastic answers, waiting until the last moment to inform her about Cecily’s immense fortune inherited from her grandparents. It is only after this discovery that Lady Bracknell develops genuine interest in Cecily, revealing her pretentious and condescending side. The trivial perceptions of marriage depicted by the different characters are clearly laughable (Balsega 2). For instance, Algernon seems to consider champagne to be more essential than companionship and love offered by marriage. This is apparent when he exclaims â€Å"Good heavens!