The Importance of Being Earnest/ Victorian Reasearch

The Importance of Being Earnest was written by Oscar Wilde, a man who struggled to survived in the Victorian Era by doing what he did best. Writing. The Victorian Era had much segregation from the social classes. The higher classes frowned upon the lower class and the lower class could never have much contact with the upper ones, creating seperation between the lowere, middle, and upper class. Oscar Wilde came from the lower class, working his way up the social ladder writing plays and poems that excited many people, including the upper class. Similar to the character Jack in Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar began at the lowest class and managed to climb the ladder to the top. There was as little contact between classes, although Lane and Algernon seem to be having a ongoing relationship that is more suitable for similar classes.



Researching the Victorian Era has given me a better understanding between the roles of men and women. Men seemed to be in more control of the relationship and the women were greatly encouraged to marry men who had money and could support a family. It was very typical to marry someone within your class. And similar to Jack and Gwendolyn and Algernon and Cecily, the men will manipulate the women, lying to them to keep a healthy marriage. Ironic, isn't it?