Illustration of Jack Worthing in a top hat and formal attire, and a concerned expression on his face

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Oscar Wilde

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The Importance of Being Earnest Questions on Cecily

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The Importance of Being Earnest

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Cecily and Gwendolen's relationship evolves from rivalry to friendship. Initially, they are antagonistic due to a misunderstanding about their engagements to...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is a melodrama due to its exaggerated characters and plot, satirizing Victorian society. Characters like Lady Bracknell and Algernon embody Victorian stereotypes,...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Jack's relationship with Gwendolen is more likely to succeed than Algernon's with Cecily. Jack demonstrates consistent devotion and is willing to make sacrifices for Gwendolen, while Algernon is more...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Character parallels and contrasts in "The Importance of Being Earnest" highlight the duplicity and satire of Victorian society. Jack and Algernon both lead double lives, reflecting societal...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

The quote from The Importance of Being Earnest highlights situational irony and Cecily's complex feelings. Cecily criticizes the idea of someone pretending to be wicked but being good, calling it...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

The background details of The Importance of Being Earnest are extremely realistic. The imagined relationships within the story are unrealistic, however.

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The Importance of Being Earnest

One favorite scene is in Act 2, where Cecily, Miss Prism, and Dr. Chasuble engage in humorous dialogue full of contradictions and euphemisms. Cecily manipulates Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble’s...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

In "The Importance of Being Earnest," the battle of the sexes is portrayed through witty dialogue and the characters' romantic pursuits. Wilde humorously critiques Victorian gender roles, showcasing...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

The tea-table scene between Cecily and Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest is a polite showdown where sarcasm and social etiquette clash. The dramatic value lies in their actions...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Act II of The Importance of Being Earnest starts with Cecily and Miss Prism to introduce Cecily in her natural environment, paralleling Gwendolyn’s introduction in Act I. Cecily differs from other...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

The question – what causes the dynamic between Cecily and Gwendolen to change – probably refers to the scene in the Second Act when the two women begin to figure out that the situations involving...

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The Importance of Being Earnest

In The Importance of Being Earnest, the women believe their lovers' Christian names, which are not Ernest, to be "an insuperable barrier." Lady Bracknell approves of Cecily because she is very rich....

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Fifteen years later, Algernon is likely to resume his "Bunburying" habits, seeking adventure and escape from domestic life with Cecily due to his previous anti-marital views and quick infatuation....

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The Importance of Being Earnest

The four female characters in "The Importance of Being Earnest"—Lady Bracknell, Gwendolyn, Celia, and Miss Prism—are satirical caricatures rather than realistic representations of Victorian society....

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