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Lady Bracknell's Use Of Satire

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Everyone has that boisterous relative that always says what they are thinking. In this story, Lady Bracknell is that relative. She is constantly telling people how she feels about certain situations, nevertheless how people should act. Lady Bracknell 's view towards people as well as how they should act greatly adds to both the satirical feel in addition to the meaning overall. This play is about, if nothing else, satire. Lady Bracknell 's attitude towards how people act adds a great deal of satire to this play. An example of this is when she states "but it could hardly be regarded as an assured basis for a recognized position in good society." (Wilde 14). In this quote Lady Bracknell expresses her opinion that because Jack was found in a handbag, there is no …show more content…

If there is one entity every play should have, it is an effective and clear meaning or message. Lady Bracknell’s opinions on how a person should act greatly add to this. This is clear when she states “I was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation. If so, he is well punished for his morbidity.” (Wilde 45). This quote greatly adds to the whole message of this play by stating that if a person is part of a revolution, they deserve to die. This ridiculous and absurd claim helps us to realize that some people at the time only had concern for themselves, family, and their position in society. This was reinforced when Lady Bracknell says “A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.” (Wilde 47). Once Lady Bracknell finds out that Miss Cardew is rich, she instantly drops all previous accusations and discrepancies, once more reinforcing that nothing else mattered if you had something great to offer another person or their family. Consequently it is the money Algernon would obtain from marrying Cecily. This yet again, adds to the meaning by stating that people’s views at this time were completely

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She is being a hypocrite because her marriage to Lord Bracknell was mainly because of his money. In addition, Lady Bracknell encouraged Cecily to marry Algernon because of money alone, but that wasn’t enough for Jack to marry Gwendolen (Litcharts, Hypocrisy). However, after she discovered Jack was in fact well-born she no longer questioned his sincerity. Also, the issue on who was really “Ernest” was another form of hypocrisy. “Neither Jack nor Algernon is ‘really’ earnest or Ernest, and the fact that they can both become Ernest, one by a late baptism and one by reverting to an identity lost in infancy, suggests that their being seen as or deemed earnest is as much a matter of appearance and acceptance as their being deemed Ernest, that is, a matter of hypocrisy (Byrne

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She is an upper class Victorian woman and her ideals correspond to her stature in society. One of the most evident examples of Lady Bracknell’s outspoken ideals is seen in her interrogation of Jack Worthing. Once Lady Bracknell finds out that Jack and Gwendolen are interested in each other, she examines Jack with a series of questions. Lady Bracknell likes the answers to the first few questions she poses but calls Jack a “cloak-room” and “a parcel” after finding out he was found in a handbag as a baby (Wilde 25). The comments Lady Bracknell makes about Jack’s upbringing shows the reader that she looks down upon him.

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