Comprehensive list of quotes across Act 1 of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, sorted into helpful categories for essay planning
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The Importance of Being Earnest - Quotes for different themes across the full play
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English Literature 2015
The Importance of Being Earnest
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MP Strict & Serious MP doesn’t approve of MP interested in Chasuble MP respects Jack
Ernest
Surely such a utilitarian I do not think that even I [Rising and advancing.] Your guardian enjoys the
occupation as the watering could produce any effect on Dr. Chasuble! This is indeed best of health, and his
of flowers is rather a character that according a pleasure. gravity of demeanour is
Moulton's duty than yours? to his own brother's I think, dear Doctor, I will especially to be
intellectual pleasures await admission is irretrievably have a stroll with you. commanded in one so
you. weak and vacillating That would be delightful. comparatively young as
We will repeat yesterday's I am not sure that I would You are too much alone, is. I know no one who ha
lesson. desire to reclaim him. dear Dr. Chasuble. You higher sense of duty and
Idle merriment and triviality I am not in favour of this should get married. A responsibility.
would be out of place in his modern mania for turning misanthrope I can Idle merriment and trivia
conversation. bad people into good understand - a would be out of place in
You must put away your people at a moment's womanthrope, never! conversation.
diary, Cecily. I really don't notice. by persistently remaining
see why you should keep a As a man sows so let him single, a man converts
diary at all. reap. himself into a permanent
Do not speak slightingly of More shameful debts and public temptation.
the three-volume novel extravagance?
The good ended happily, What a lesson for him! I
and the bad unhappily. That trust he will profit by it.
is what Fiction means. As a man sows, so shall he
To your work, child, these reap.
speculations are profitless. [Bitterly.]
I have not mentioned People who live entirely for
anything about a headache. pleasure usually are.
[MISS PRISM glares.] This seems to me a blessing
you will read your Political of an extremely obvious
Economy in my absence. kind.
After we had all been
resigned to his loss, his
sudden return seems to me
peculiarly distressing.
We must not be premature
in our judgments.
Cecily is very interested in Cecily doesn’t enjoy her Cecily looks up to Jack Cecily is fairly rebellious
Ernest work
I wish Uncle Jack would (Cecily) pays no attention at Uncle Jack! Oh, I am I keep a diary in order to
allow that unfortunate all to her lessons. pleased to see you back. enter the wonderful sec
young man, his brother, to But I don't like German [CECILY goes towards JACK] of my life.
come down here I look quite plain after my you will shake hands with I hope it did not end
sometimes. German lesson. him, won't you, Uncle Jack? happily?
Uncle Jack's brother! I was thinking about that, Uncle Jack, do be nice. Miss Prism has just been
Ask Mr. Ernest Worthing to and not about my German Uncle Jack, if you don't complaining of a slight
come here. lesson, when the Rector shake hands with Ernest I headache.
I feel rather frightened. I came in. will never forgive you. what horrid clothes you
am so afraid he will look Oh, I am afraid I am. Uncle Jack would be very have got on! Do go and
just like every one else. [Picks up books and throws much annoyed if he knew change them.
I am glad to hear it. them back on table.] you were staying on till next I don't think that you sho
I think you should try. Horrid Political Economy! week, at the same hour. tell me that you love me
Won't you come in? Horrid Geography! Horrid, I suppose one of the many wildly, passionately,
, [CECILY puts the rose in his horrid German! good elderly women who devotedly, hopelessly.
buttonhole.] are associated with Uncle [Looks at CECILY, who
[Enter ALGERNON and Jack in some of his makes no sign.]
CECILY hand in hand.] philanthropic work in ever since dear Uncle Ja
There is some good in every London. first confessed to us tha
one. There is just one question I had a younger brother w
surely there must be much would like to be allowed to was very wicked and bad
good in one who is kind to ask my guardian. you of course have form
an invalid, and leaves the the chief topic of
pleasures of London to sit conversation between
by a bed of pain. myself and Miss Prism. A
I feel very happy. of course a man who is
But even a momentary much talked about is alw
separation from anyone to very attractive.
whom one has just been [CECILY looks angrily at h
introduced is almost takes up the tongs and p
unbearable. four lumps of sugar into
It can wait, Merriman cup.]
for . . . five minutes [Cuts a very large slice o
[Looks at CECILY, who cake, and puts it on the
makes no sign.] tray.] Hand that to Miss
Of course. Why, we have Fairfax.
been engaged for the last To save my poor, innoce
three months. trusting boy from the
of course a man who is machinations of any oth
much talked about is always girl there are no lengths
very attractive. which I would not go.
I fell in love with you,
Ernest.
I accepted you under this
dear old tree here. The next
day I bought this little ring
in your name, and this is
the little bangle with the
true lover's knot I promised
you always to wear
you've wonderfully good
taste, Ernest. It's the excuse
I've always given for your
leading such a bad life.
this is the box in which I
keep all your dear letters.
I wrote always three times a
week, and sometimes
oftener.
The three you wrote me
after I had broken of the
engagement are so
beautiful, and so badly
spelled, that even now I can
hardly read them without
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