I do not think that question eleven of "The Importance of Being Earnest" Socratic seminar questions received the attention it deserves. The question says, "Consider the play's vision of marriage-both as a source of laughter and as an issue for serious discussion." In the play, the subject of marriage was a main part of the plot. The two main characters, Jack and Algernon, propose to ladies during the play and their problems are about their engagements. Jack tries to become engaged to Gwendolen while pretending his name is Ernest. Algernon becomes engaged to Cecily, who he had just met, while using the name Ernest. However, the idea of marriage is not as important to the girls as the name of their fiancés is. Throughout the play, marriage is ridiculed through the way the characters behave in order to point out how wrong the way society views marriage is. In the play, the basis for marriage is if the other person has the right name, the right amount of money, or if there is some sort of attraction. The idea that marriage is serious because it should be based on love and trust and honesty is ridiculed through the way that Lady Bracknell views marriage. She places importance on money and social class, and does not approve of the engagements between Jack and Gwendolen or Algernon and Cecily, until she has determined that they are of good standings in both places. There is little importance placed on the fact that Jack and Algernon lied about who they were or that Algernon and Cecily had just met that day. The author does this to comment on the way that way that society takes marriage too lightly.  Today, marriage not taken as seriously as it once was. According the American Psychological Association about 40-50 percent of married couples in America get a divorce. The high divorce rate could be caused by today's basis for marriage which is similar to the play's. Many people get married after only dating the person for a few weeks or months or because of attractiveness or fleeting desire or because of money and stability. Without the serious amount of time spent together or real love, it is hard to make a marriage last. TV shows and celerity relationships are possible causes for the decline in serious and lasting marriages because neither place importance on what the reasons for marriage should be and make divorces seem normal and okay. I personally have a very serious view of relationships and marriage. My parents are divorced and I hate that people and TV and movies make divorce okay. It's not, marriage should be for the rest of your life, that's what you agreed to when you said, "I do" and if even for a second you doubt that you will want it to last forever then don't get married. Marriage is such a big deal, you are joining two families and creating a new one, it should not be trivialized or made commonplace. I believe that getting married should be a slow process based on love and that people should really take time to get to know each other and be sure before they get married. Marriage is not what it should be anymore.