Earnest post 1

Jack and Algernon seem like obvious parallels to Darcy and Bingley. Algernon is the smarter of the two, poking fun at Jack for flirting with Gwendolen, who, situation-wise, is the parallel to Jane. In turn, Jack makes fun of Algernon saying "How unromantic [he] is!" (3). Jack is the sighing lover type, smitten with Gwendolen, whom Algernon seems only slightly partial to. Algernon is the basic stereotype of a rich young man with nothing to do but eat cucumber sandwhiches and have tea. The institution of marriage is also mercilessly mocked in almost every other line. In the opening scene, when Algernon is talking to his butler, Lane, Lane remarks that his first marriage was "the consequence of a misunderstanding between [himself] and a young person (1). The last brilliant bit of classist humor in this first section comes with Lane's exit. Algernon comments on Lane's oppinion of marriage, saying that "if the lower orders don't set [a] good example, what on earth is the use of them?" (2). This type of candid humor appears very often throughout the play, and depicts the upper class as irresponsible and childlike.