The Confusion of Morality and Manners in Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest'

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2022 im Fachbereich Didaktik für das Fach Englisch - Literatur, Werke, Note: 1.0, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Veranstaltung: Seminar, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: This paper examines Oscar Wilde's drama 'The Importance of Being Earnest' regarding his representation of morality and manners in the context of Victorian society in the late nineteen hundreds. It turns out that his drama has at least a twofold 'message'. On the one hand he portrays his own aesthetic convictions which stood contrary to Victorian society, on the other hand Wilde criticizes Victorian customs and manners and reveals the hypocrisy of the upper class in his days. This paper not only summarizes Wilde's aesthetic philosophy and convictions but also shows how they are presented in his drama.