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The Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde

834 Words4 Pages

The characteristics a person values often corresponds to the type of person they are. One individual may value a person’s sense of humor while another values a person’s sincerity. The values these individuals have are often influenced by the society and class around them. The way a group acts relates to the characteristics the individuals may value. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde’s characters show the superficial and corrupt nature of the upper class by placing value on a name, appearances, and wealth. Wilde shows the importance the upper class places on an individual’s name through the characters of Gwendolen and Cecily. Gwendolen and Cecily are only concerned in being with a man named Ernest. “I pity any poor woman whose husband …show more content…

When questioning Jack to see if he’s a suitable match for Gwendolen, she inquires about his income. This is the fourth question she asks him in the interview. She considers money to be an important factor because she put it near the beginning of her interview. By putting the wealth question early in the interview, she insures that she will waste the least time possible when talking to a potential suitor for Gwendolen. Lady Bracknell asks Jack about his wealth before she asks him any questions that could reveal his true character. She’s more concerned about his money than who he is. If Jack were to give an unsatisfactory answer, she would halt the interview because he didn’t meet the requirements she set. However, when Jack states he makes seven to eight thousand a year, she responds with “that is satisfactory” (Wilde 721). To Lady Bracknell, wealth is a very important characteristic in a person. By creating a character very focused on wealth, Wilde allows the audience to clearly see the superficial nature of the upper class. Lady Bracknell goes very in depth about Jack’s wealth. She questions him about his income, how he makes his income, and the value of his properties. The audience will see this as very extensive and probably unnecessary. They will be able to see that while this may be an exaggeration, there are members of the upper class who put an enormous amount of value on the wealth of an individual rather than the character of the

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