How Does Oscar Wilde Criticize The Victorian

Oscar Wilde comments on the societal values of the Victorian era in his critically acclaimed play The Importance of Being Earnest. Through the use of the literary element of characterization, especially of Jack, Wilde portrays himself as a strong critic of the society he lived in. Throughout the play, Wilde uses characterization to reflect his criticism by emphasizing the major flaws of Jack. Firstly, Wilde criticizes the people of the Victorian era as being simple and insincere by embodying these characteristics in Jack. This is shown specifically when Algernon tells Jack that Gwendolen is devoted to bread and butter and consequently Jack states, “And very good bread and butter it is, too” (Wilde 118). This shows that Jack is indirectly