SOCIAL SATIRE AND SUPERFICIALITY OF SOCIETY IN THE PLAYS OF OSCAR WILDE

Abstract

This paper examines the incisive social satire present in Oscar Wilde's plays, arguing that he masterfully employs wit, irony, and paradox to expose the hypocrisy and superficiality of Victorian society, particularly its upper classes.  Through an analysis of key works such as “The Importance of Being Earnest”, “Lady Windermere's Fan”, “A Woman of No Importance” and ” Ideal Husband”, the paper reveals how Wilde uses characterization, plot, and language to lampoon the obsession with appearances, the tyranny of social conventions, and the shallowness of relationships within a society obsessed with status and conformity.  The paper concludes by highlighting how Wilde's satirical critique, while rooted in his own era, resonates with contemporary audiences as it speaks to enduring themes of human nature and the often-deceptive nature of social facades.