countries in becoming a democracy and the uprising of societies against constricting governments. However during the Victorian Era, a structured hierarchical environment was not only accepted but was considered to be of the upmost importance in society’s continuous survival. Victorian Literature allows readers to gain a critical insight into the class and social hierarchy of the era, by outlining the extensive amount of guidelines and restrictions applicable to each class and therefore how these affected
Irish playwright, novelist, and poet who lived an unconventional life during the Victorian Era. Oscar Wilde is lauded for his works, trademark wit, and the way he carried himself around. Arguably, his most famous piece of work is The Importance of Being Earnest, which is about two people who make up a person that lives in another part of the country in order to escape burdensome social responsibilities. The Importance of Being Earnest is an example of a satirical piece of literature. Satire is the
A Trivial Comedy for Serious People Oscar Wilde mocked his audience while he entertained them. Perhaps his most loved and well-known work, The Importance of Being Earnest, satirises the manners and affections of the upper-class Victorian society. Satire is a literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, usually with the intent of changing or correcting the subject of the satirical attack. The play focuses on the elite, while making fun of the ludicrousness and extremity
1884, and had two sons in the following years. (Bloom 11). Before he died in November 1900, he wrote several plays, including The Importance of Being Earnest. There are several themes placed throughout Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, such as: gender roles, love and marriage, and society v. hypocrisy. Gender roles are an important theme placed in The Importance of Being Earnest. “The feminist movement has already been in full swing. Women already moved in the path of education. With the considerable
The beginning of the Victorian Period marked when Queen Victoria ascended the British throne in 1837 for 64 years until her death in 1901. She was only 18 years old when she was queen of England. In this era, there was a time when England had political stability and strict cultural patterns. Peace among the society in England was characterized by this era. There was a control in the way that people act and interact due to the cultural rules that needed to be followed. However, people in the British
Influence of Society on Victorian Relationships Afraid of rejection in the Victorian Era, men and women sought after relationships that agreed with the expectations set by society. Victorian literature satirized and underscored these expectations and their effects on individuals. During the Victorian Era relationships were not focused on the emotional aspect of marriage but rather growth in reputation and status. The characters in Oscar Wilde’s works, The Importance of Being Earnest and The
During the Victorian Era, even children were partaking of narcotic drugs almost on the daily (Aikens). These unusual regularities pertaining to drugs were very prevalent during this time, and they had many different effects. Drug usage was viewed as inconsequential during the Victorian Era, and the negative effects were ignored completely. This resulted in many dangerous occurrences like opium addiction and infant death. Firstly, the Victorian Era should be defined. The Victorian Era refers to the
the Victorian era. The novel Flatland refers to the Victorian era where at the time women were regarding as inferior to males and the family life was practically the only respectable career option for a woman. The man was the leader of the family and the wife was to teach the children and care for the house and her husband. Just before the time of the writing of Flatland girl’s schools were included under the Endowed Schools Act of 1869, but in comparison to their male counterparts Victorian females
The Victorian Era, a time period spanning from the early nineteen hundreds to the beginning of the twentieth century, was marked by a set of cultural ideals that greatly differed from today’s standards of living and social interaction. These standards usually concentrated on how one should act in public to uphold their honor and decency. Furthermore, the Victorians considered it inappropriate to mention sex in any shape and form. This tendency is reflected in the literature of the time. Novelists
The Influence of Victorian Society on Relationships and Marriage Marriage was of utmost importance during the 1830’s to the 1900’s. The “ideal” relationship had been searched for by both men and women using the standards that the commonwealth had created. When reading Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” and associating it to society’s expectations for both genders throughout the Victorian era, people are depicted as being very effected and influenced by the set rules and boundaries.