Why did Wilde sue the Marquess of Queensberry in 1895?
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) 951:
What is the play's philosophy?
Act One: 956:
Why has Jack lied about Cecily? Why has he lied about his
name?
957:
Explain: "The amount of women
in London who flirt with their own husbands is perfectly
scandalous. . . . It is simply washing one's clean
linen in public" (957).
961:
Explain Lady Bracknell's suggestion
that "An engagement should come on a young girl as a
surprise" (961).
Explain Lady Bracknell's claim that "Ignorance is like a
delicate exotic fruit" (961).
962:
Explain: "To lose one parent
may be regarded as a misfortune--to lose both seems likes
carelessness" (962).
963:
Why does Lady Bracknell refuse to
consent to Jack's engagement to Gwendolen?
964:
Explain Jack's claim that "The truth
isn't quite the sort of thing that one tells to a nice sweet
refined girl" (964).
Other Discussion Questions:
951:
Explain: "The
Importance of Being Earnest empties manners and
morals of their underlying sense to create a nominalist world
where earnest is not a quality of character but a name" (951).
952:
Describe the relationship between Algernon and Lane.
Why does Algernon believe that "the lower orders . . . have
absolutely no sense of moral responsibility" (952).
Why are cucumber sandwiches a "reckless extravagance"
(943)?
953:
Explain: "The very essence of romance is uncertainty"
(953).
956:
What is a Bunburyist?
965:
Why does Jack believe that Cecily and Gwendolen will call
each other sister? How is this ironic?
Part Two:
Discussion Questions:
Act Two: 970:
Why is Algernon pretending to be Ernest?
972:
Why has Jack returned early from his trip?
Why does Jack want to be christened?
976:
How have "Ernest" and Cecily been
engaged before meeting each other?
979:
Explain Gwendolen's views on man's
"domestic duties."
981:
Explain: "Flowers are as common here . . . as
people are in London" (981).
984:
Why are Jack and Algernon going to be (re)christened?
Act Three: 986:
Explain Gwendolen's remark:
"In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the
vital thing" (986).
Explain Gwendolen's remark about the
equality of the sexes.
995:
Explain the final line.
Other Discussion
Questions:
969:
Who is Egeria? Should Miss Prism know who she
is? Explain.
970:
What is the significance of Australia?
977:
Why does Cecily want to marry a man named Ernest?
978:
Why has Gwendolen arrived?
982:
Why does Gwendolen want Cecily to call her sister? (See
also 965.)
989:
Why does Jack refuse to consent to Cecily's marrying
Algernon?
