The Importance of Being Earnest: Top Ten Plot Quotes (plus analysis...)
The Importance of Being Earnest: Top Ten Plot Quotes (plus analysis…)
Plot Quotes and Analysis
1. Jack: “I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose.”
- Here, Wilde satirises the hypocrisy of the upper class who, despite their moral posturing, invent ways to escape their societal obligations. Jack’s fictitious character highlights the theme of dual identities present throughout the play.
2. Algernon: “The very essence of romance is uncertainty.”
- This line explores the idealised notions of love, with Algernon seeing unpredictability as the key to romantic affairs. This view is in stark contrast with the Victorian constructed idea of love as a construct of societal norms.
3. Lady Bracknell: “To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune… to lose both seems like carelessness.”
- Lady Bracknell’s absurd sentiment underscores Wilde’s critique of Victorian morality. The importance placed on lineage and family status is brought to light in a humorously satirical way.
4. Jack: “My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn’t a dentist.”
- This quote underscores the theme of deception and duplicity. Jack criticises Algernon for speaking on matters he has no true knowledge or experience of, further highlighting the pretentiousness of the upper class.
5. Gwendolen: “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.”
- This line reflects the superficiality of the Victorian society. Here, Wilde critiques the idea that appearances and style outweigh sincerity or substance in important matters.
6. Lady Bracknell: “I would strongly advise you, Mr. Worthing, to try and acquire some relations as soon as possible.”
- A hilarious reminder of the societal importance of family ties, this line showcases Lady Bracknell’s obsession with high societal norms and her distorted values.
7. Cecily: “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’s line is a comic inversion of Victorian morality which typically associates hypocrisy with appearing good while being secretly wicked. It reflects how characters in the play, especially Jack and Algernon, engage in duplicity to evade societal conventions.
8. Jack: “Gwendolen, it’s a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?”
- This quote underscores the book’s title and its exploration of the importance of not being earnest. Jack’s ironic realisation that he has been truthful all along offers a comic climax while critiquing Victorian attitudes toward truth and appearance.
9. Algernon: “More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn’t read.”
- Algernon’s remark satirises the Victorian moral correctness and censorship. His unconventional views present an alternative perspective on what constitutes culture and knowledge, thereby challenging the societal norms.
10. Lady Bracknell: “Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.”
- Lady Bracknell’s authoritarian persona and her faith in the societal norms are emphasised. The quote aptly highlights Wilde’s criticism of the exclusivity and hierarchies of Victorian society.