Background information

The Victorian era and its social classes

The play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is a satire of Victorian society. Through comedy, the play reveals several social issues and challenges the conventions of Victorian society. 

The Victorian Era in British history is the period which corresponds with Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901), although some historians offer slightly different dates, which extend to the first part of the 20th century. During that period, Britain was the most powerful empire in the world, the economy was on the rise, and there was political stability. There were also many technological advances brought on by the Industrial Revolution. 

The Victorian period was strictly governed by status. Different social classes had different rights in Victorian society, and there was little opportunity for someone from the lower classes to advance in society. The social classes in the Victorian era were the upper class, the middle class, the working class and the underclass. 

The upper class held all the political and economic control. Th...