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Carmen Solis


The sophisticated and witty dialogue between the characters in The Importance of Being Ernest shows that Oscar Wilde had in mind a purpose which is to show that even the upper class have flaws. Upper class is often portrayed as hypocrites because they get what they want with money and, not to mention, by their names. In his play, Wilder portrays Mr. Algernon and Mr. Jack, high-class gentlemen, as immoral and amusing men. In one of the dialogues Mr. Algernon is talking to himself saying that “if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility” (6). I find this absurd because high class is the ones whom everyone has their eyes on. They are supposed to be well-educated and well-manner. But in the play, this seems ironically since no one is behaving as they are portrayed. For instance, Algernon is not a perfectly good example as what a moral person should act like. He is judging the “lower class” for not setting a good example, but he is also doing immoral actions. He is not honest and does not take anything seriously. He “bunburyist” to get what he wants; bunburying is to create an unreal character to act like them so that those people can do anything as they pleased without “staining” their names. This is what Mr. Jack and Mr. Algernon do. By reading the play, one can see that there is nothing moral in the way how the characters act. Another example from the play is when Mr. Jack announces to Miss Prism and Mr. Chasuble that his “brother” is dead (30) not knowing that Mr. Algernon disguises himself as “Ernest”. He shows grief in his speech, but then he suddenly grows surprise and speechless when he finds out that “Ernest” is alive (32). I wonder, why did not Miss Prism or Mr. Chasuble say something to Mr. Jack for lying about something so horrible? Instead they took it as nothing has happened and keep their lives going. Wilde is satirizing the rich people for their actions in order for us, the readers, to see how ridiculous they act.