Generosity In Algernon's Lack Of Wealth

In his real life, Algernon is a reckless socialite and spendthrift. His aunt, Lady Bracknell, frequently comments on his frivolity, and asks if his endeavors are “the best use of his time and money.” Which is a token of generosity on her part, because Algernon has no wealth of his own; by extension of that notion, none of the young aristocrats have acquired wealth by their own means, because they have each received a large inheritance from the older generation. Even Jack Worthing, who is understood to be the poorest of the bunch, has his wealth tied into property via a sprawling manor house in the countryside. To escape from city life, Algernon decides to create a fictitious acquaintance, named Bunbury, whom he imagines to be an insufferable