Victorian Etiquette

      Background: Victorian society had a complex, rigidly defined set of rules and expectations for both genders, and those who fell short of these social expectations quite often ran the risk of being shunned by family members, friends, potential marriage interests, and society at large. Many chose, instead, to hide these "shortcomings" as best they could, and some even led double lives in which they maintained a public façade of respectability while expressing themselves with more authenticity in private. Fear of rejection can be a powerful motivating force. The Importance of Being Earnest is both a comedy of errors and a spirited satirical look at what can go wrong when people feel rejected, either by Victorian Society or by others. Several characters in the play represent or defend Victorian society at various points, but Lady Bracknell comes closest to being the embodiment of Victorian Society. The other main characters all seem to resist social restrictions in one way or another, although the two young men (Jack and Algernon) are most visibly in conflict with society. Your discussion questions this week deal with Victorian society and how it is portrayed in the play. Question 1: Choose whether you would like to explore men's roles in Victorian society or women's. Then do a little online exploratory research (hint: key words that will be useful include: Victorian, etiquette, manners, men, women, gender roles). I have posted some links in the instructional materials sub-folder this week to help you get started, and you may use any of those, too. There is also a short interactive game quiz you can play (if interested): Are you a 'civilized' person, suited to the Victorian period? Share a few of the more interesting etiquette or manner rules that you encounter. What seems strange to you and what seems similar to social conventions today? Include any links you reference at the bottom of your post. There is no need to create MLA citations for this question. Question 2: After reading Acts I and II of The Importance of Being Earnest, where do you see instances of the characters coming into conflict with the rules of Victorian Society? Question 3: Satire uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to point out the flaws in an individual or in a society. Given that this play was written in (and about) the Victorian era, why do you think it continues to resonate for audiences today? *READING MATERIALS NEEDED FOR DISCUSSION* http://www.stagebeauty.net/plays/th-erns1.html http://www.stagebeauty.net/plays/th-erns2.html http://www.stagebeauty.net/plays/th-erns3.html