The Importance of Being Earnest

LB’s comments on education reveal the elitist characters of many upperclassmen. She asks Jack if he is somewhat of an intelligible man and he replies that he “knows nothing.” LB is pleased to hear it because she belongs in the nobler class which Wilde presents as unintelligent aristocrats who do almost nothing but engage in trivial lifestyles. She continues by declaring that “modern education is radically unsound” and it is important to note that the Victorian Era brought about many education reforms that provided education for commoners. Through the voice of LB, Wilde is portraying the upper class anxiety about the rapidly progressive era that would threaten the power of the aristocrats. Then LB declares that “education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger… and would probably lead to acts of violence.” To the upper class, education is useless because if a person was rich, then he/she would go to a college, no matter what. Status was usually inherited from family and money was handed to them (the privileged.) LB’s comment on the “violence” makes her out to be rather astute since she is aware that if the lower class is informed, then there would be a massive riot. She sees ignorance as a right of the rich and if one was poor then they would just be pitiful and ignorant. Ergo, she makes an insightful judgment of the education in England, and hopes to preserve the ignorance of the poor so that she maintains her elite status.
LB’s comments on Jack’s family and habits reveal the superficial nature of upper classmen. She is focused on many unimportant aspects of Jack’s lifestyle that she is neglecting the big picture. One of LB’s first questions for Jack inquires whether he smoked and he says he “must admit [he] smokes.” Contrary to what the audience would expect, LB praises his smoking habits and regards it as an “occupation” which reveals the lazy and rather spoiled regime of the common aristocrat. Further into the interview, LB...