This document summarizes Oscar Wilde's play "The Importance of Being Earnest" and analyzes the roles of women in Victorian society as portrayed in the play. It discusses how the main female characters of Gwendolen and Cecily are portrayed as sheltered and uneducated due to the gender norms of the Victorian era. It also analyzes the character of Lady Bracknell as a more authoritative woman who believes in the importance of wealth and adhering to social conventions.

2. Name :- Himanshi
parmar. Roll number :-
12
Enrollment number :-
4069206420210025 Email id :
himanshiparmar3004@gmail.com
Paper number :- 4 (Four)
paper name :- Literature of Victorian
age

3. >> Full title : The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial comedy for
serious people.
>First performed on : 14 February 1895, at st. James’s theatre in London.
>it is a Farcical comedy. In which the protagonist maintain fictitious
personae to escap burdensome social obligations.
>The Importance Of Being Earnest is important comedy of manner.
>In the play wilde satirise to marriage, Love and the mentality of
Victorian aristocratic society.

4. >The Victorian women have just one main role in their life,
which was to marry and take part in their husband's
interests and business.
>They also learn house wife skills. Such like, Cooking,
Washing, Cleaning, etc.
>The main desire of Victorian Women is to marry a rich, ideal
man. Thats why they constantly try to obey man's expectation
for marriage.
>Petrie in his article states that,
“From in fancy all girls who were born above the level of
poverty had the dream of successful marriage before their
eyes, for by that alone Was it possible for a woman to rise in

5. >Women at that time also not allowed to be educated, Or gain
knowledge out side the home. Because it was a considered as a man's
world.
>Victoran society expected women with feminine qualities as well as
innocence. This also we found in the article of peterie, he write that,
“Victorian Women expected to be ideal and Ignorant”. And added that,
“Innocence was what he demanded from the girls of his class, and they must
not only be innocent but also give the outward impression of being innocent.
White muslin, typical of virginal purity, clothes many a heroine, with
delicate shades of blue and pink next in popularity. The stamp of
masculine approval was placed upon ignorance of the world, meekness, lack
of opinions, general helplessness and weakness; in short, recognition of
female inferiority to the male”.
5

6. >Gender role was created by the cultural
beliefs of Victorian era.
>Kathryn Hughes explains in her article
named, “Gender roles in the 19th century”,
that,
“During the Victorian period men
and women’s role became more sharply
6

7. Female characters
of “The Importance
Of Being Earnest “as
a victorian women

8. 8

9. >In the play Oscar Wilde raise multiple questions about gender roles
and exposes gender stereotypes.
>Three main characters are there in the
play, 1 - Lady Bracknell.
2 - Gwendolen
fairfex 3 - Cecily
Cardew.
>Wilde's character are arrogant, formal, and concern with money.
>The Women are portrayed as a sheltered and uneducated.
>if we analyse, we found no sense of identity in Gwendolen and
Cecily Cardew.
>The only woman within the play that clearly stands out, is Lady
Bracknell only.

10. >She representing the society of 19th
century.
>Lady Bracknell is arrogant and always
speaks in commands, Judgments, and
Pronouncements.
>Always serious and seems like
authoritative woman.
>always we found her talk abot hypocritical,
and self contradictory, and about wealth and
money.
>This we found in a play where is
disapproves the marriage of his nephew
Algernon and Cecily. She says that,
“But i do not approve of mercenary
marriage, when i married Lord Bracknell, i

11. 11

12. 12

13. >> They both live very sheltered life, which take away
their education.
>They are not stupid, but they are not well introduced
with society, in which they live.
>Lady Bracknell not provide Gwendolen to
enough education. She thought about
education is,
“Fortunately in England, at any rate,
education produces no effect whatsoever”.

14. . 14

15. Thank you

16. Hart Michael. “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The Project Gutenberg EBook of
The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, Hart Michael , 13 Feb. 2021,
www.gutenberg.org/files/844/844-h/844-h.htm#chap03.
Wilde Oscar. “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The Project Gutenberg EBook of The
Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, Hart Michael , 13 Feb. 2021,
www.gutenberg.org/files/844/844-h/844-h.htm#chap03.
"Women in "The Importance of Being Earnest"."
StudyMoose, 20 Jun 2016, https://studymoose.com/women-
in-the-importance-of-being-earnest-essay