The Importance of Being Earnest: Context: Comedy of Manners

The Importance of Being Earnest: Context: Comedy of Manners

Origins and Characteristics

  • The Comedy of Manners is a genre of comedy that satirises the behaviours, conventions and ideals of a particular social class, especially the upper class.
  • This type of comedy places heavy emphasis on witty dialogue, clever banter, and humorous situations that arise from social misunderstandings or etiquette blunders.
  • It originated in the Restoration period and found its peak in the late 17th and early 18th centuries in works of playwrights like William Congreve and Richard Sheridan.

Comedy of Manners in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

  • In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, Wilde employs numerous characteristics of the Comedy of Manners, including satirising the upper class and their obsessions with status, propriety and appearances.
  • The character of Lady Bracknell epitomises the triviality of the upper class with her focus on lineage and wealth over personal qualities when choosing a suitable husband for her daughter.
  • Other characters like Algernon and Jack also engage in behaviours typical of this genre, such as leading double lives and being extremely concerned with outward appearances.

Role and Function of Comedy of Manners

  • Comedy of Manners serves to expose the artificiality and frivolity of the upper class of Wilde’s time.
  • It makes a mockery of their hollow social rituals and strongly criticises their hypocrisy and double standards through sharp wit and irony.
  • While it is a source of entertainment, the genre also invites the audience to question the values and norms of society, stimulating critical thinking and discussion.

Impact on the Play

  • This style of comedy deepens the satirical aspect of the play, reinforcing Wilde’s critique of Victorian society.
  • It allows Wilde to undermine the presumed honesty and morality of the upper class and shed light on their superficiality and insincerity.
  • Comedy of Manners makes the play not only a comical representation of the society but also a sharp critique of the vacuousness of the Victorian upper class.