AWealth and power
BThe contrast between appearance and reality
CThe importance of family heritage
DThe simplicity of country life
Answer:
B. The contrast between appearance and reality
Read Explanation:
3. Setting (Time & Place)
Time:
Late 19th Century (Victorian Era)
The play is set in the 1890s Victorian England.
The play is set during the 1890s, a period known as the Victorian era (1837–1901).
This was a time of strict social conventions, class consciousness, and moral expectations, all of which Wilde satirizes.
Marriage, social status, and wealth were of extreme importance, making it the perfect backdrop for Wilde’s comedy of manners.
Place:
Two Contrasting Locations
A. London (Urban Sophistication and Decadence)
The first act takes place in Algernon Moncrieff’s luxurious flat in London’s Mayfair district, a wealthy and fashionable area.
London represents sophisticated high society, wit, and deception.
It is where Jack adopts his false identity as "Ernest" to enjoy the pleasures of city life.
B. The English Countryside (Traditional Morality and Innocence)
The second and third acts take place in Jack’s country estate in Hertfordshire, The Manor House.
The countryside represents tradition, family responsibility, and moral expectations.
Jack is supposed to be a respectable guardian to Cecily, but he secretly escapes to London for fun.