Oscar Wilde’s Critique of Status In Victorian Society
Looking back upon the Victorian society, the need to be seen as important is prominent. The idea of being a part of the upper-class created clear distinctions in the culture. They often spent exuberant amounts of money on material objects. Critical perception of the upper class’s “irresponsible” ideals was shared among the lower classes. This is evident in the literature of the time with poems, plays, and books disapproving of the upper-class. A prime example of this idea is in The Importance of Being Earnest when Oscar Wilde criticizes the upper-class in Victorian society. Through class-driven character dialogue, he condemns the rich’s fixation on the importance of status in their culture over all else. Marriage is often misguided through pop culture as a culmination of love between two soul mates. This perspective is not always evident in today’s culture or the past. Today, it is a common occurrence for celebrities to marry other celebrities, frequently not based on true love but based on the commonality of being a celebrity. Some even marrying partners that are interested in gaining recognition rather than the interest in the person. Victorian society can be seen as a precursor in the fact that the class and importance of a person holding a heavy toll in the process of marriage. Throughout the narrative, Wilde pushes this view through the character Lady Bracknell, often centering her focus on Jack’s inherent need to fit the class ideal to marry her daughter. Due to Jack being unable to provide Lady Bracknell with birth parents or an honorable birth location, he does not meet all of the social qualities that her ideal son-in-law should have. Despite Jack’s inherent love toward Gwendolen, proclaiming that he “would do anything in the world to ensure Gwendolen’s happiness.” Lady Bracknell is fixated on the fact that Jack is unable to fit into the class standards, shaming Jack for believing that she would allow “her only daughter… to marry into a cloak room.” She can't imagine an honorable man with no family connection believing they can propose to her daughter. Common throughout the age, this interaction holds the idea that the upper-class believed a person should marry those of the same social status or to a person that can raise it.
Ultimately solidifying Wilde’s criticism of the upper-class focusing on the class system, displaying their desire for social ranking instead of on the interests of the person. Superficiality is scattered throughout The Importance of Being Earnest. Multiple characters fall in love based on external qualities that provide a sense of class and sophistication. Focusing on the parts that make up a gentleman, and not in the idea of a person being a good husband. In Act 1, Jack portrays himself as a different, more respectable man, Earnest, to hide his country ties from those in town. The name Earnest is used by Jack in pursuit of an upper-class persona. After Jack proposes to Gwendolen, she mentions that she would not love Jack if his name wasn’t Earnest. Adding onto this comment, she proclaims that the name Jack “is a notorious domesticity for John! And she pities any woman who is married to a man called John.” The focus Gwendolen has on the idea that the name Earnest is a detail that Wilde adds to create not only comedic effect but add to the criticism of the upper-class. Her insistence on marrying someone with the name Earnest shows the superficiality based on the idea that she will only love a man that has a safe, proper, and rich sounding name. She centers her attention solely on the fact that he fits the social class barrier, defining her love for him on the name instead of on the man himself. The idea of pursuing a higher status man is instilled into Gwendolen’s head, creating the idea that she has to love a man that fits into the upper-class. Dining is a common piece of every person’s life. Unless attending a formal event, having dinner with family and friends does not include seating arrangement. In the Victorian era, at a dining event, whether it be family, friends, or a mix of both, the seating arrangement was already established before the event begins. The arrangement often stationed those attending at a seat based upon their status in society. The person sitting next to them was one of the same status. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Algernon complains “I know perfectly well whom she will place me next to, tonight. She will place me next Mary Farquhar.” He establishes the idea that he has no control over the person he can sit next to, it is not voluntary. He explains that he would much rather sit next to a woman that he can flirt with. The decision is not available for him to decide, but up to his status. The noticeable importance of the status of a person in the Victorian age is reiterated in the habit that dining events had seating arrangements that were not allowed to be changed, all based on the status of those attending.
Education during the Victorian era was perceived as a tool by the upper-class. It was a tool used for higher status, allowing the rich to appear wealthier. The better the education or the higher the degree, the wealthier the person was known to be. Education was not supported because the upper-class felt threatened by the thought that the lower-class was to receive an education. This ideal is portrayed through Lady Bracknell’s conversation with Jack, where she concludes that she “does not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance”, further adding that “education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes.” Lady Bracknell’s comments concerning education show a concern that the lower classes could be a threat to the upper-class if education proves to be effective. Therefore, she thinks they should not receive an education because if they did, then there is a possibility they would learn that the only way to solve the problem would be to overthrow the ruling class. She wants to keep the lower class held down in poverty in order to maintain her upper-class status, exemplifying the focus on status in the Victorian Era. Even the teacher hired by Jack, Ms. Prism, who attempts to convince Cecily to study her German grammar. She is still important as she is used as a symbol for the rich using a teacher, despite unsuccessful in convincing Cecily to do her work, exhibits a status boost, displaying the fact that they are wealthy and able to afford the ability to have an education, not for learning. The Victorian society often focused on superficial ideas as the norm, marrying only for the ability to move up in social ranking, loving only those who exemplified the upper-class qualities on the exterior, arranged in seating based on only the status of the attendant, and believing that education should not be improved because of the threat to the upper-class. Through character dialogue, The Importance of Being Earnest criticizes these exact views in upper-class Victorian society. Wilde’s portrayal of the rich is one of exaggeration for the effect of satirical comedy, but it provides a real view on how Wilde saw the society of the period.
