The Importance of Being Earnest: Key Quotes Act 2

Key Quotes: Act 2

Cecily and Algernon/Ernest’s Engagement

“You must not laugh at me, darling, but it had always been a girlish dream of mine to love someone whose name was Ernest.” - Cecily: Highlighting the importance of a name, and the comedic absurdity of crucial life decisions grounded in such superficial factors.
“I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.” - Cecily: This quote uses dramatic irony and Wilde’s signature wit to comment on the theme of deception and duplicity.

Gwendolen and Cecily’s Initial Meeting

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” - Gwendolen: This quote shows Gwendolen’s preoccupation with sensation and intrigue, as well as offering commentary on the aristocratic lady’s lifestyle.
“We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces.” - Cecily: This is a critique of shallow Victorian values, where appearances and societal standing often mattered more than genuine emotion or individuality.

Dr Chasuble and Miss Prism

“Were I fortunate enough to be Miss Prism’s pupil, I would hang upon her lips.” - Dr Chasuble: Dr Chasuble’s overly passionate confession illustrates Wilde’s mockery of the sanctimonious Victorian religious figures.
“No married man is ever attractive except to his wife.” - Miss Prism: This captures the irony of marital relations in the Victorian era within the broader theme of relationships in the play.

Discovering the Truth of ‘Ernest’

“A gross deception has been practiced on both of us.” - Gwendolen: Reveals the unfolding dramatic irony, bringing the deception theme into sharp focus.
“Ernest. My own Ernest! I felt from the first that you could have no other name!” - Gwendolen: Again, this humorous line underlines the absurd importance attached to the name, Ernest, playing on the theme of mistaken identity.

Language and Style

In these quotes, Wilde uses his signature wit and irony, in combination with epigrams and hyperbolic language, to criticise and mock the Victorian societal norms and values. He integrates his critique within engaging dialogue, effectively utilizing dramatic irony to maintain audience interest and to deepen the comedy.

Themes

These quotes touch on multiple central themes of the play, including the importance of appearances, social critique, combativeness of love, and the overt importance placed on a name. Wilde uses these themes to challenge the hypocritical and absurd norms of Victorian society.