“I thought you had come up for pleasure?....I call that business.” (Wilde, 3). Algernon says this to Jack after “Ernest” professes his love for Gwendolen and admits that he is planning to propose to her while he is in town. As one can see, the two main characters have two very different views regarding marriage and throughout the entire play, both characters contrast with each other. The Importance of Being Earnest was written by Oscar Wilde in the Victorian time period. Within the play, Oscar Wilde demonstrates one major theme which is marriage. He illustrates the difference between the traditional Victorian person and a traditional romantic during a time period where the traditional romantic is not greatly accepted. By writing the play,
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Wilde added this character to represent the traditional Victorian women. During this time period, people focused on things like money, titles, names, and land. One did not simply marry for love, that was unheard of. Through Lady Bracknell, Wilde pokes fun at the Victorian lifestyle and shows the reader what really mattered to the people. Lady Bracknell believes, “An engagement should come on a young girl a surprise. Pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be.” (Wilde, 12). Like most women in the Victorian Era, she is stuck on the tradition of choosing the bachelor for her daughter. She exclaims, “Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you do become engaged to someone, I, or your father, should his health permit it, will inform you of the fact.” (Wilde, 12). Wilde uses this time to illustrate how serious women were about marriage, but not for the right …show more content…
Lady Bracknell represented someone who was consumed by materialistic things rather than things that truly matter. Not once does she question his love for her daughter or his faithfulness. Near the end of the novel, one can see what really matters to Lady Bracknell because she questions Cecily about her possessions as well. She says, “As a matter of form, Mr. Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?” (Wilde, 47). With this statement, Wilde continues to shows the reader that money is an important factor associated with marriage. Because of Lady Bracknell, Wilde is able to make fun of the things Victorian people found important and show us that materialistic things are not always the most
Wilde added this character to represent the traditional Victorian women. During this time period, people focused on things like money, titles, names, and land. One did not simply marry for love, that was unheard of. Through Lady Bracknell, Wilde pokes fun at the Victorian lifestyle and shows the reader what really mattered to the people. Lady Bracknell believes, “An engagement should come on a young girl a surprise. Pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be.” (Wilde, 12). Like most women in the Victorian Era, she is stuck on the tradition of choosing the bachelor for her daughter. She exclaims, “Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you do become engaged to someone, I, or your father, should his health permit it, will inform you of the fact.” (Wilde, 12). Wilde uses this time to illustrate how serious women were about marriage, but not for the right …show more content…
Lady Bracknell represented someone who was consumed by materialistic things rather than things that truly matter. Not once does she question his love for her daughter or his faithfulness. Near the end of the novel, one can see what really matters to Lady Bracknell because she questions Cecily about her possessions as well. She says, “As a matter of form, Mr. Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?” (Wilde, 47). With this statement, Wilde continues to shows the reader that money is an important factor associated with marriage. Because of Lady Bracknell, Wilde is able to make fun of the things Victorian people found important and show us that materialistic things are not always the most