How does Wilde use the exchange between Gwendolen and Cecily …

Social Studies Questions
Short Answer
Step by Step Solution
Social Studies Questions

Gwendolen. let us preserve a dignified silence. cecily. certainly. it’s the only thing to do now. [enter jack followed by algernon. they whistle some dreadful popular air from a british opera.] gwendolen. this dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect. cecily. a most distasteful one. gwendolen. but we will not be the first to speak. cecily. certainly not. gwendolen. mr. worthing, i have something very particular to ask you. much depends on your reply. wilde uses the exchange between gwendolen and cecily to praise the strict social codes of victorian society. show the superiority of women in victorian society. mock the formal courtship rules of victorian society. explain the importance of romance in victorian society.

Short Answer

Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” critiques Victorian society’s courtship rules, illustrating their absurdity through characters Gwendolen and Cecily. Wilde uses humor and irony to expose the hypocrisy of societal norms, highlighting how these expectations lead to deception and the ridiculousness of conformity over authentic relationships.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Identify the Main Idea

The excerpt from “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde serves to illustrate the absurdity of Victorian society’s courtship rules. The exchange between characters Gwendolen and Cecily highlights how these formalities can lead to ridiculous outcomes in relationships. This sets the stage for a critique of the era’s social practices as portrayed throughout the play.

Step 2: Understand the Author’s Intent

Wilde aims to expose the hypocritical nature of the societal norms prevalent during the Victorian age. Through humor and irony, he shows how deeply these conventions affect the characters’ lives. The characters are often forced to conceal truths about themselves to adhere to the unrealistic expectations of society, which creates a sense of deception within them.

Step 3: Recognize the Play’s Overall Theme

The ultimate objective of Wilde in this play is to reveal the ridiculousness of Victorian morality and its impact on individuals. By employing wit and satire, Wilde critiques the societal pressure that leads to hypocrisy and lies among the characters. This overarching theme encourages the audience to reflect on the absurdity of conforming to such restrictive rules instead of embracing genuine human connections.

Related Concepts

Main Idea

The central concept or message that the author conveys through the text, in this case, the critique of victorian society’s courtship rules

Author’S Intent

The purpose or objective behind the author’s writing, which in this context is to expose the hypocrisy of societal norms and their effects on the characters

Overall Theme

The fundamental bigger picture or main idea that recurs throughout the work, highlighting the absurdity of victorian morality and the consequences of conforming to societal expectations.

Table Of Contents
  1. Gwendolen. let us preserve a dignified silence. cecily. certainly. it's the only thing to do now. [enter jack followed by algernon. they whistle some dreadful popular air from a british opera.] gwendolen. this dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect. cecily. a most distasteful one. gwendolen. but we will not be the first to speak. cecily. certainly not. gwendolen. mr. worthing, i have something very particular to ask you. much depends on your reply. wilde uses the exchange between gwendolen and cecily to praise the strict social codes of victorian society. show the superiority of women in victorian society. mock the formal courtship rules of victorian society. explain the importance of romance in victorian society.

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