The Importance of Being Earnest

How does Algernon's character contribute to the play being a comedy of manners?

A comedy of manners being one that ridicules faults of a particular class (often to bring about improvements) and in this instance its clearly the upper class being burlesqued.

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Last updated by jill d #170087
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The point of writing a "comedy of manners" is to make the audience laugh...... they aren't supposed to have to think.... just sit back and enjoy. Algernon's escapades with his "pretend" friend are humorous and they allow him to move outside of the boundaries of Victorian society and behavior, which is the object of comedy.

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