Warm Up # 2 The Importance of Being Earnest

Act II

Please write 50-75 words to fully explain your response with textual detail.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a play that exemplifies the Comedy of Manners genre. The Comedy of Manners genre is defined as “a comedy that satirizes behavior in a particular social group, especially the upper classes,” according to dictionary.com.

Victorian society stressed respect, seriousness, earnest, and decency. Marriage was commonly concerned with the match showing a good family background and wealth. Oscar Wilde is known for his satire and Comedy of Manners in his ability to expose the superficiality of courtship and lack of emotional depth in relationships.

PROMPT FOR WARM UP

 After viewing the scene where Earnest and Algernon are having tea with Gwendolen and Aunt Augusta, where do you see Wilde poking fun of  the superficial and hypocritical nature of the upper classes?