Question

Read the passage from The Importance of Being Earnest.

Answer 1

Answer:

-Lady Bracknell says her maid is trustworthy but has to bribe her to get help.

-The names of the college and class seem reasonable to Gwendolen’s father.

-Lady Bracknell says it is wrong to be honest with her husband.

Explanation:

These three statements are meant to poke fun at the logic, or lack thereof, of Victorian society. They all use humour in order to portray a significant flaw in their society. In the first statement, Bracknell explains that her maid is trustworthy. However, she was still able to be bought by means of a small coin, which makes the statement ridiculous. The second sentence is similarly ironic. The name of the college and class are ludicrous, and they poke fun at the importance the characters give to money. However, these were reasonable to Gwendolen's father. Finally, Lady Bracknell is deceitful and dishonest with her husband, which she sees as a quality. This is similarly ridiculous, and it pokes fun at the dishonesty that was common in social relations during this time period.