How does Lady Bracknell view marriage in the play?

• A. A romantic partnership
• B. A strategic alliance with emphasis on status and wealth
• C. A casual social arrangement
• D. A religious sacrament

Answer: (B)

Wilde uses Lady Bracknell to critique Victorian ideas about marriage by showing it as a strategic alliance rather than a romantic union. Lady Bracknell embodies the view that marriage should secure social standing, wealth, and family legitimacy. Her questions to potential suitors aren’t about love or happiness; they’re about lineage, income, and connections, ensuring that any match strengthens or preserves the family’s position in society. This perspective treats marriage as a practical arrangement that protects respectability and property, not as a soulmate partnership.

That’s why the option describing marriage as a strategic alliance with emphasis on status and wealth is the best fit. The other ideas—love-driven romance, casual social arrangement, or a religious sacrament—don’t align with how she talks about marriage or how she prioritizes social calculus over affection or faith.