The Importance of Being Earnest: Theme & Key Quotes: Marriage

The Importance of Being Earnest: Theme & Key Quotes: Marriage

Theme: Marriage

  • Marriage in The Importance of Being Earnest is presented as a social obligation rather than a romantic union.
  • The play satirises the mechanical, business-like arrangements of marriages prevalent in the Victorian era.
  • Wilde uses marriage to critique social conventions and obligations of the time.

Role of Marriage

  • Marriage is significant because it represents the culmination of social expectation and societal obligation that the characters must navigate.
  • The characters’ quests for suitable marriage partners fuels the action of the play.
  • The farcical and complicated pathways to marriage in the play underscore its satirical treatment of this institution.

Key Quotes on Marriage

  • “I call that business.” - Lady Bracknell’s dismissive comment on marriage reflects the Victorian view of marriage as a business transaction.

  • “I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal.” - Algernon’s words highlight the difference between romantic love and the pragmatism of marriage in the play.

Language and Style

  • The language used to talk about marriage is noticeably practical and business-like, reinforcing its portrayal as a societal obligation rather than a romantic pursuit.
  • Characters often speak with irony and sarcasm when discussing marriage, reflecting Wilde’s critique of societal norms.
  • The satirical tone and comedic situations surrounding the theme of marriage are rendered with Wilde’s signature wit.

Marriage as a Critique of Society

  • The treatment of marriage in the play is a critique of Victorian ideals of matrimony, which prioritised economic and societal gain over love and compatibility.
  • The comedic situations that arise due to the mechanics of marriage highlight the absurdity of such societal norms.
  • Wilde’s subversion of the institution through satire represents his broader critique of Victorian society.