The Importantce of Being Earnest

Celia Byrne
Ms. Peifer
English 10IB
18 May 2009

A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds!
And in the funds! Miss cardew seems to me a most
attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls
of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of
the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live,
I regret to say, in an age of surfaces. (To CECILY) Come
over here, dear. (CECILY goes across.) Pretty child!
your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost
as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all
that. A thoroughly experienced French maid produces
a really marvellous result in a very brief space of time. I
remember recommending one to a young Lady Lancing,
and after three months her own husband did not know
her.
(Wilde 179)



In this passage from The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Bracknell addresses Jack of her sudden approval of Cecily for Algernon after learning of her wealth. This passage exposes Lady Bracknell of her superficialality. It also shows her views on women in that time period. “Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces.” (Wilde 4-6).

Lady Bracknell’s character is not a charming one. She demonstrates that women are really only valuable if they have looks or some great quality and need improvement. “Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all that.” (7-9). The quote that speaks of improving looks of women who need it, in her opinion, is a questionable one because it just seems so ridiculous to change so much of yourself. “A thoroughly experienced French maid produces a really marvellous result in a very brief space of time. I remember recommending one to a young Lady Lancing, and after three months her own husband did not know her.” (10-14).

The purpose Wilde was showing was that someone can be much more approved of if they have money . It is achieved by when Lady Bracknell learns that Cecily has 130,000 pounds in her funds. She then finds her much more attractive. “A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.” (2-4).