How Does Oscar Wilde Use Horatian Satire

Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright and writer known primarily for his comedies and satires. His play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” is one of his most famous satires about Victorian society. There are two different types of satire. Horatian satire is lighthearted and mocks human flaws, and Juvenalian satire which is bitter and negative and attacks an institution. In this piece Wilde uses Horatian satire to mock the values and morals of the upper-class in Victorian society. The first piece of evidence that supports the idea that this piece uses Horatian satire is that it is making fun of people’s actions. This scene is two people having an interview. Lady Bracknell is questioning Jack to see if he would make a suitable son-in-law. The act of interviewing your daughter’s potential husband is absurd because it should not be the mother’s decision who her daughter marries. Wilde also has Lady Bracknell ask Jack questions in what seems to be a reversed order of importance. First, she asks him if he smokes or not and his age, and, then asks about his income and living situation. Since Wilde is mocking the importance that Victorian society put upon insignificant details compared to those of actual importance it is Horatian satire.
The tone of this piece is witty and humorous, rather than cruel. The fact that they are having a social conversation shows that Wilde meant for this to be more gentle humor, rather than if it were a business interview. While Lady Bracknell makes a few snide comments, such as, “I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing,” none of her comments are necessarily attacking Jack or being harsh towards him. Also, by making Lady Bracknell a snobby and prudish character, it seems as if her comments are a normal part of her personality and are not made to purposefully hurt