How Is Satire Used In The Importance Of Being Earnest

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Wilde’s purpose in writing The Importance of Being Earnest was to display the artificial barriers that defined the aristocratic Victorian society, and to show that those particular people cared more about trivial subjects than what was of true value. He was able to portray this message in a comedic way.
The Characters in this play are depicted as stock characters. Jack and Algernon are the men living double lives. They ‘wear a mask’ in order to hide who they truly are. For them, it is easier to follow society’s rules and pretend to be someone they are not than to be forthright and honest. The town offers Jack excitement and an escape from his country life, while the country offers Algernon an escape from his obligations and life in town. Lady …show more content…

We see satire being used especially in The Importance of Being Earnest, against the Victorian aristocracy lifestyle.
Stock Characters are characters that usually depict some sort of stereotype, such as the drunk Irishman or the unintelligent blond. Using this stereotype makes them more identifiable with that particular group, rather than as an individual. These characters also lack any sort of depth. . Lady Bracknell, in the Importance of Being Earnest was a stock character who represented the Victorian aristocratic class as its worst.
In literature, word play refers to the witty technique of using specific words creatively in order make those words the main subject; for instance, in The Importance of being Earnest, the word Earnest means sincerity and respectability. These qualities were quite valued in the Victorian society. However, when Gwendolen tells Jack that “the only really safe name is Ernest” (Wilde Act 1) and that she wouldn’t want to marry anyone with a different name, we can see that she cares little if he actually has those earnest qualities or not. This is Victorian hypocrisy at its

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