Importance Of Being Earnest And Lanval By Marie De France

What does it mean to be a noble and how should nobility outline the lifestyle and behavior of a person? Overtime the upper class has been revered as upholding the morals produced by that culture. These ideals of moral responsibility can be characterized as charitable, respectable, and interest in the well-being of others. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “nobility” as “The quality of having high status or value; renown or distinction arising from excellence.” (n.2). The poem Lanval by Marie de France and the play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde involves the noble class and the manner in which they conduct themselves. The upper class in these two texts may fit the definition above, but they do not uphold the depiction of generosity, honor, …show more content…
Even in the stage directions provided by Wilde, the use of “languidly” is describing Algernon’s indifference to anything that does not concern himself or his interests. This is indifference can be connected to how Algernon considers the lower class as a whole. Lane expresses his own indifference to his family because he is aware that Algernon, or any noble for that matter, could care less about the lifestyle of a servant. Lane appeases him by say that he never thinks of his uninteresting life and Algernon responds with “very natural” as it is common that the life of a commoner is uneventful. Algernon believes that the lower orders should set a decent example of moral responsibility, yet he is unconcerned by their lifestyle. His dismissal of Lane shows his dismissal of the lower class altogether. Even though Lane answers with utmost politeness his “thank you, sir” has no meaning to it because Lane understands that Algernon would not try to understand the nature of the working class. The interactions between these two classes is determined by the behavior of the upper class towards the lower