Victorian Knowlege

Everybody knows basically what the Victorian Era is. Fancy furniture, arranged marriages, poofy dresses, and men being alot more open then they are nowadays. I thought that would be enough to understand The Importance of Being Earnest. So I was resenting research on the era at first, but after I started to read, I realized there was actually quite a bit I didn't understand. Like how big standards were, and how much control you didn't have over your own life.

When I was reading the story, and Jack wishes to marry Gwendolen, I was just thinking 'Aww, that's one of the sweetest (and sappiest) proposal ever. But then Gwendolen's mother had to come in and ruin everything. Just because of his history and status, her mom barely believed that he was a suitable husband. I understood why she acted like that though, instead of thinking she was just a snob. Even though she was.

But thanks to the research, the story makes more sense. And surely it will come into use later on in the story.