Dishonesty.

In the importance of being Earnest... the dishonesty and honesty are two different drastic levels, the characters appearances are far more important than what the respect they would have with their stories. The most important thing in the Victorian Era was the way you looked. How much your appearance cost. In terms of higher class and/or lower class. The last thing a person would think about is actually being honest about the real side of the story without all the exaggerations and add-ons they put to make it all seem better in some specific way or another. The way Oscar Wylde portrayed each character would be based off of class or looks. Not the importance of being honest. and Respectful.