Oscar Wilde lived during the Victorian era, a time in which women had very few rights compared to men. In the play 'A Woman of No Importance, ' the characters wrestle with some of the double standards of the 1800s. In the play A Woman of No Importance, Oscar Wilde explores the double standards that existed between men and women in the Victorian Era. Men were forgiven for their indiscretions far more readily than women, and women were more condemned for moral failings. Women had few rights, as well. Through our exploration of the characters in this play, we will also unfold the plot. The plot is very simple, but it is the psychological interactions between the characters that reveal a darker side to the Victorian Era. The theme of this story really is that a double standard existed for women and men during this time period. Women were not treated equally.