Lady Bracknell’s speech to Lord Bracknell

A handbag dear, he was found in a handbag. Yes I know, it sounds absolutely ridiculous! He may be wealthy and have an estate but I have a reputation to uphold. He has neither family nor any connections to anyone. What would people think? Not only is he an orphan but he is also a guardian to a child who is of no blood relation to himself. It worries me to hear that she is both young and beautiful. Why this is a concern to me, I don’t know why. Gwendolen is of course the most beautiful person I have seen.

I know you’re feeling unwell dear but the idea of him marrying my precious Gwendolen is enough to make me want to retch! It is inconceivable to allow for Gwendolen to be at all connected to this man. I feel quite strongly about this and will try my upmost to prevent this marriage from going ahead. Society is something that has classes for a reason, if we allow Gwendolen to marry this man our standards will fall, what will people think of us? He is also very mysterious, he seems to be hiding something, his story sounds rather bizarre. I fear he may be one of those foes who pretend to be someone who he is not. In fact I believe Algernon mentioned it before...Bumburying, yes that is what it was called! The idea that someone could lie about their identity is positively frightening! High society should not mix with lower class people, the underhandedness of this behaviour, moving your way up society should be classed as a crime!

Speaking of Algernon, I believe he is being influenced by this so called Ernest! I believe he may have gotten the idea of bumburying from Ernest. I worry that his behaviour may tarnish our reputation if he carries on playing around. I will have to put him in order. When we arrived at his home, we didn’t receive any refreshments. I believe that he may have eaten the food before we had arrived; he seems to be looking slightly rounder than usual. I appreciate a healthy looking man; it shows that they are from a high society family.

I want my Gwendolen to be happy, so if that means that she marries that man, then so be it. I will have to discuss how the home will be run with him. The house is the home for a man and he will have to learn to accept that. Also, the marriage preparations will be carried out by myself, if it should be a classy affair. Now where is my book, I need to add him to my list of eligible men...

Annotate: showing K and U of language and literacy features as well as context. Cross reference with the rest of text to show wider K and U of play.

By looking thoroughly at the text presented in The Importance of Being Ernest, specifically at the language and literacy features, with addition to the context a wider understanding can be discovered. With hidden connotations a wider range of meanings can be examined and discussed within the play. By looking in particular at a conversation that took place between Gwendolen and Cecily and number things can be discovered.

The first thing that can be established about Gwendolen’s character by looking at the conversation is that she says things in certain ways for dramatic effect. The arrangement of her sentences ‘Outside the family circle, papa, I am glad to say, is entirely unknown, I think that is quite is as it should be’ is unusual and presents the complexity of her character. By leaving the most important part of her sentence ‘unknown’ right to the end suggests that she likes to keep people interested and entertained. With this being said, the ordering of sentences could be interpreted in a different way. The fact that she is speaking in a long winded manner may suggest that she is the type of person who likes to be the centre of attention, presenting an arrogant perception of who she is. This does not just appear to happen once but again, only a few sentences later: ‘Cecily, mamma, whose views on education are remarkably strict’. This suggests that she is accustomed to talking in this way; the tendency to speak in this fashion may have come from the influence of her mother. Lady Bracknell also speaks in this way: ‘I never saw a woman so altered; she looks quite twenty years younger’, dramatic effect is clearly something that runs in the Bracknell family.

Inversion is another concept seen throughout the novel. Specifically looking at this conversation, gender and its reversals is the point of discussion. During the Victorian era it was common practice for the woman to stay at home and look after the children, while the husband and bread winner of the family would work to earn money to establish a stable home for his family. Contrary to this point, Gwendolen feels that the home is where a man should be ‘The home seems to me to be the proper sphere for the man’. Once again this portrays the complexity of her character. It is odd to suggest that a man that is not at home is acting ‘womanly’ during the Victorian era however with the use of inversion Gwendolen contradicts this: ‘Neglect his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate’. Being someone that stays at home is something that Gwendolen finds attractive ‘it makes men painfully attractive’, her opinion is stating that she likes men who appreciate woman and care about the home. The inclusion of inversion may have been specifically written by Oscar Wilde to present parallels with his personal life. It is well known that Wilde was someone who did not take his family duties seriously. He was someone who did not spend time at home and often neglected his children and his role as a father. By stating that it is a good thing for a man to be at home could be a way of Wilde self reflecting on his own poor behaviour.

Vanity is another thing that is closely linked to Gwendolen’s character, through her opinions and the things that she states, this can clearly be established. Appearances are something that Gwendolen is concerned about ‘do you mind me looking at you through my glasses?’ presenting a superficial aspect of her personality. At the same time a pun on the word ‘short-sighted’ presents a polysemic interpretation; on one hand it shows her vanity but at the same time it shows her narrow-mindedness and incapability to see the bigger picture. This may be Wilde’s perception on society; the upper class being unable to see things that don’t concern them. Gwendolen holds the same views as her mother and tries to aim to be the type of person her mother is ‘it is part of her system’. She values the same opinions as her mother and to an extent idolises her as someone she wants to grow to be. Although the conversation is between Gwendolen and Cecily a larger portion of the conversation is of Gwendolen speaking; in fact Cecily only replies in a few sentences, a significant difference to that if Gwendolen. This once again allows the reader to establish what type of character Gwendolen is. She is someone that likes to talk a lot and has many opinions. This may due to her social class, being brought up in a higher class has allowed her to be able to voice her opinions without being shot down. Unlike the lower classes who are taught not to question or state an opinion: ‘I don’t know that I am much interested in your family life, Lane’. By saying this during Act 1 Algernon is clearly drawing a line between the two classes and establishing a hierarchy between them; the higher class being able to state their opinions and feeling whereas the lower class having to stay quite.

Boundaries about who you are in society and the type of person you are can be established through the use of shapes. Gwendolen refers to a ‘family circle’ as well as a ‘proper sphere for the man’. She believes that there are boundaries that need to be with held; boundaries within a family as well the boundaries for a man. The idea of having boundaries is very important in Victorian society, there are boundaries put in place between different social classes as well boundaries out forward about the roles of men and woman. Oscar Wilde has clearly used the idea of shapes as an analogy to show boundaries put in place within Victorian society.

Many different things can be established by looking at the text, inferring not only different aspects of a characters personality but also the feelings that Oscar Wilde has can be portrayed through these characters. The opinions of characters, the personality and the ordering and use of words can all be used as evidence to present understanding and further knowledge of both the characters, the play and Oscar Wilde.          

Word Analysis of Act 1 and Act 2

Humour is presented throughout the play: 'The importance of being Earnest'. By analysing the language used behind the humour expressed, a deeper meaning can be found about the characters and Victorian society through a range of qoutes.


By looking at Act 1 humour is seen through Algernon speaking to Lane, through the use of dramatic irony. The humour used in this context is especially humorous to the audience as they they know the inner meaning behind what is said. 'Good heavens! Lane! Why are there no cucumber sandwiches?! I ordered them '. Earlier in Act 1 Algernon is seen eating all the sandwiches greedily, without letting John have any. For the sake of keeping up appearances Algernon lies in front of Lady Bracknell and allows her to assume that there were no sandwiches available, and that it was out of his hands. The audience knows full well that Algernon is lying in dramatic fashion which is meant to be humorous. The fact that Algernon blames Lane for something that is clearly his own fault, reflexes the way society treated the lower class during the Victorian era. Although Lane knows that Algernon was the reason why there are no cucumber sandwiches she plays along with his lies because she has know choice but to do as she is told as she is of a lower class and his servant. It also reflexes the views that Algernon has on the lower class; he doesn't care about the way he is perceived by them as they are of know concern to him. However the way he is viewed by those of a higher class are more important; by keeping up appearances and to avoid embarrasment Algernon lies to his Aunt. This is a clear indication that appearances are something that are always kept in Victorian society.


The interview that takes place between John and Lady Bracknell is another scene that is packed full of humour, 'I am quite ready to enter your name, should your answers be what a really affectionate mother requires.' The prospect of finding a suitable husband for her daughter is something that Lady Bracknell takes very seriously. The fact that Lady Bracknell is taking this very seriously is humorous because it is so ironic because the questions asked are based on superficial and meaningless concepts. 'Do you smoke' for example is a question asked by Lady Bracknell, an irrelevant question to most people but to Lady Bracknell this is something she needs to know. This suggests that she is someone who is interested more on the appearances that is seen from the public instead of being based on character, ' the unfashionable side. I thought there was something'. This presents the vain side of Victorian society. Although the play presents vanity, something which is usually not something that people are proud of, the audience are not suppose to take this seriously but find it funny because it has been specifically chosen for humorous effect.      


During Act 2 the revelation that John's 'brother' has died is something that should be addressed as a serious incident however, the conversation that takes place during this news are ironically humorous. From the viewers point of view this information is something that will induce laughter as it affects the scene that will follow, another effective use of dramatic irony. The audience is well aware that before this scene occurred Algernon has revealed himself as Ernest, the idea that John has now ‘killed’ of his brother from his life will consequently make the situation more complicated. The lie that was started by John has slowly begun to fall apart and the conversation between John, Chasuble and Miss Prism is the key part of the play in which this lie will begin to unfold. The way in which John decided to present the way his brother died was by following the idea given by his good friend Algernon ‘A severe chill, it seems’ was the words spoken by John which were offered as a good idea from Algernon. The fact that the scene before was between Algernon and Cecily, with him pretending to be Ernest is ironic because John is using the idea concocted by Algernon to help him get rid of Ernest but Algernon has brought the character of Ernest to life by pretending to be him.

Act 2 is full of humorous conversations but the scene that occurs between Algernon and John after it is revealed that Ernest is in fact alive is one that stands out. The conversation is full of banter that is so hypocritical of each other’s behaviour that it is something that is presented in a funny light. ‘What a fearful liar you are, Jack I have not been called back to town at all’, the idea that Algernon is accusing Jack of being a liar is funny because the reason why Algernon is in the situation that he is in is because he lied his way to get there. Although they’ve put themselves in an awkward situation they are still able to talk to each other as friends, who can comfortably tease one another. ‘Your duty as a gentleman calls you back’ is said by Jack in reference to Algernon’s behaviour and his attempted ‘bumburying’. The behaviour of both them is worthy of being described as childlike but the idea that they are both mocking one another for their childish ways comes across as humorous.

These quotes clearly identify the way that Oscar Wilde presents humour and how it is related to the characters within the play as well the Victorian society, in which the play was written.