Oscar Wilde ridicules Victorian aristocracy’s gluttony and self-indulgence by using hunger as a euphemism for desire. Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest stands as a parody of society, morals, and marriage during Queen Victoria’s reign.
Conflict arises in the scenes of the play that feature food, such as: the stolen bottle of wine, Algernon devouring sandwiches meant for his aunt, Jack and Gwendolen’s bread and butter, and the muffins. Algernon bewilders Jack by eating muffins during a time of distress, in response Algernon says that when in trouble “eating is the only thing that consoles me” (Wilde 160). Algernon’s persistent appetite remains a common concern through the play. He treats life as though it were a game, living purely for
Conflict arises in the scenes of the play that feature food, such as: the stolen bottle of wine, Algernon devouring sandwiches meant for his aunt, Jack and Gwendolen’s bread and butter, and the muffins. Algernon bewilders Jack by eating muffins during a time of distress, in response Algernon says that when in trouble “eating is the only thing that consoles me” (Wilde 160). Algernon’s persistent appetite remains a common concern through the play. He treats life as though it were a game, living purely for