Answer: An emphasis on appearances over morality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed in 1895, the play ridicules the societal norms in the Victorian Age.
In this particular excerpt, Jack Worthing calls himself "Ernest" when he is in London. Ernest is a character he has made up in order to visit the city. In Hertfordshire, on the other hand, he is known as Jack, a squire, who has a troubled "brother" Ernest. In this way, Jack maintains his reputation in the country, but also misbehaves on account of his "brother" in the city. This demonstrates that Jack is concerned more with how other people perceive him, than with certain moral values.