The Importance of Being Earnest is a play pinned by Oscar Wilde which debuted on stage in 1895. Wilde’s play is a mere lighthearted comedy on the surface, however the deeper connotations of the play take sobering aim at Victorian society’s foundation. The Importance of Being Earnest portrays various literary aspects, assisting aid in the play’s humor. Characteristics of English society of the time in areas such as education, marriage, and social class are criticized by the satiric play. Wilde makes a mockery of education, marriage and class of the Victorian social order through the use of satiric techniques such as juxtaposition, extension, and irony in his play The Importance of Being Earnest.
First, Wilde weaves juxtaposition into the play’s tapestry to criticize Victorian society. The audience can see this technique play out as Wilde compares the education of aristocrats and the poor. The chief character depicting this technique of satire in the play is Lady Bracknell, holding the notion that wealthy Englishmen are more educated than the poor, strictly stemming from their social status. “The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound.
Fortunately, in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.” (Wilde 15) Audiences of the play in its debut would apply this critique to their changing social landscape. Perhaps like Lady Bracknell, the audience members held reservations on the lower class receiving education. Between the years of 1851 and 1901, mass education was spreading throughout England, and people were moving up the social status ladder at high rates, ‘to the extent that mobility in the 1850s was only slightly less than the 1970s.’ (Long 1)
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This statement illustrates Bracknell’s credence in peasantry remaining uneducated, because if the lower class were to receive an education, they would try to overthrow the upper class, which, in Lady Bracknell’s mind, are educated and deserving to be above the lower class. The audience comes to realize Lady Bracknell does not possess the smarts or knowledge to be considered “educated,” leading one to conclude the upper and lower class educational discrepancy is minute, if it even exists. Going along Lady Bracknell’s line of reasoning, people of the lower class should be undersupplied the intelligence of nobility. Contrary to Bracknell’s assertions, lower class members, like Miss Prism, comes across as intelligent compared to those wealthy.
The governess, Miss Prism receives credit of her smarts from her pupil, Cecily, “You know German, and geology, and things of that kind influence a man very much.” (Wilde 25) Using words like “vacillating” and “misanthrope,” the vernacular of Miss Prism also spans wider than all other characters in the play. Placing the two women side by side, Lady Bracknell’s character is cast in poor lighting, as she is rather dim compared to the bright Miss Prism. Through another character of high social class, Cecily, Wilde satires education. Cecily wants nothing to do with education. Juxtaposition is a tool used by Wilde to convey to audiences that aristocracy is ignorant and not educated.
Second, the play’s tone and extension are vital tools used to satirize Victorian England’s social structure. Lady Bracknell’s statement, “The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately, in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square” portrays another satirical aspect. (Wilde 15)
Her comment is a dramatic, over blown exaggeration. Asserting education poses no value to England and serves no purpose is bold and lacks credibility. The statement has shock value but is not at all believable. It is absurd to claim that simply being educated would be impetus for the lower class to revolt. Wilde wished for the audience to note Lady Bracknell’s absurdity, leading observers to concur with the notion that education is beneficial to all of England.
Lady Bracknell’s words are stated in a mock serious tone. When Lady Bracknell speaks on England’s education, she is grave, yet the voice of Wilde reveals itself too. Sounding solem and serious while spewing silly statements, is Wilde’s way of poking fun at Lady Bracknell. She is so sternly standing by outrageous thoughts, no one can take her seriously. The Importance of Being Earnest satirizes marriage frequently in this manner as well. One glaring example being Gwendolen and Cecily’s illogical matrimonial prerequisite, they can only wed a man with the moniker “Ernest.” Nothing else matters to them, other than the name Ernest.
Another example can be found in Lady Bracknell’s actions when she, inquiring as to Jack’s appropriateness as a potential husband for daughter Gwendolen, quizzes him on his income, his political views, and property ownership. She does not ask if he truly loves or cares for her daughter. In the play, marriage comes off as nothing more than a social adventure or business transaction and not like a union founded on love. During the time of The Importance of Being Earnest premiere stage performances, marriage advertisements pushing for social mobility were popular practice in Victorian British newspapers, ‘it is nevertheless the case that the matrimonial industry relied on selling this kind of fashionable social climbing to its readers, and actively worked to provide a service that focused on the financial aspects of marriage.’ (Cocks 68)
Lastly, irony is important element of satire present in The Importance of Being Earnest. Class, was one of the most important aspects of Victorian society, even though it is contemporarily minimized (Lawrence 307). One glaring example of the plays use of satirical irony is how, even though it is argued that the lower class is not as smart as aristocracy, there are lower class characters who illustrated towering intellect in comparison to nobility. Even though characters like Lady Bracknell and Cecily are upper class and should be knowledgeable, they are unintelligent and dim-witted. Required and education, Cecily resents learning, “Horrid Political Economy! Horrid Geography! Horrid, horrid German!” (Wilde 25)
While Miss Prism, on the other hand, surpasses these characters in intellect, despite the fact being of lower class. The irony comes in Lady Bracknell’s rigid opinions on education, as a woman of nobility who is uneducated and governess Miss Prism of lower class is more intelligent than Bracknell. Irony also stems from Bracknell’s contradictions. She makes the comment, “I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone.” (Wilde 14) Ignorance according to Bracknell is a blessing, yet she remains to see herself as intelligent and informed. Wilde through the use of irony is able to poke fun Victorian era standards.
Taking presence under the form of juxtaposition, extension, mock seriousness, and irony, Oscar Wilde uses satire to effectively challenge English Victorian social order in his play The Importance of Being Earnest. A majority of the play’s satire stems from Lady Bracknell because of her unwavering notions of nobility’s proper placement above people of lower class. Comparisons of Lady Bracknell to Cecily and Miss Prim provide juxtaposition. Lady Bracknell’s absurd and exaggerated statements illustrate a tone of mock seriousness and satirical extension. When Lady Bracknell’s opinions are offset by Cecily, Miss Prism and even her own, irony shines through. The Importance of Being Earnest exposes Victorian England’s flaws through humor and satire.
