Jack is representative of conventional Victorian values Jack is eager to marry Gwendolen
(wants others to think he adheres to duty, honour and
respectability)
“When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in “How perfectly delightful!”
the country one amuses other people.” “I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town
“I don't propose to discuss modern culture. It isn't the sort expressly to propose to her.”
of thing one should talk of in private.” “If I marry a charming girl like Gwendolen, and she is the
“When one is placed in the position of guardian, one has to only girl I ever saw in my life that I would marry, I certainly
adopt a very high moral tone on all subjects. It's one's duty won't want to know Bunbury.”
to do so.” “You're quite perfect, Miss Fairfax.”
“as a high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very “[GWENDOLEN and JACK sit down together in the corner.]”
much to either one's health or one's happiness, in order to “Miss Fairfax, ever since I met you I have admired you
get up to town I have always pretended to have a younger more than any girl”
brother of the name of Ernest” “Darling! You don't know how happy you've made me.
“You have invented a very useful younger brother called we must get married at once.”
Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town “You know that I love you”
as often as you like.” “may I propose to you now?”
“You don't seem to realise, that in married life three is “Gwendolen, will you marry me?”
company and two is none.” “I have never loved any one in the world but you.”
“[Astounded.] Well… surely. You know that I love you, and “[(Gwendolen) and JACK blow kisses to each other behind
you led me to believe, Miss Fairfax, that you were not LADY BRACKNELL'S back.]”
absolutely indifferent to me.” “I need hardly say I would do anything in the world to
“Dear Uncle Jack is so very serious!” ensure Gwendolen's happiness.”
“his gravity of demeanour is especially to be commanded “You don't think there is any chance of Gwendolen
in one so comparatively young as he is. I know no one who becoming like her mother in about a hundred and fifty
has a higher sense of duty and responsibility.” years, do you, Algy?”
“Idle merriment and triviality would be out of place in his “a nice, sweet, refined girl”
conversation.” “My own darling!”
“he usually likes to spend his Sunday in London. He is not “My own one!”
one of those whose sole aim is enjoyment, as, by all “There's a sensible, intellectual girl! the only girl I ever
accounts, that unfortunate young man his brother seems cared for in my life.”
to be.” “Gwendolen! Darling! [Offers to kiss her.]”
“I don't allow any Bunburying here.” “Of course not! What could have put such an idea into
“Your duty as a gentleman calls you back.” your pretty little head?”
“I suppose one of the many good elderly women who are “I wanted to be engaged to Gwendolen, that is all. I love
associated with Uncle Jack in some of his philanthropic her.”
work in London.” “Our Christian names! Is that all? But we are going to be
“I do not approve at all of his moral character. I suspect christened this afternoon.”
him of being untruthful.” “I am (prepared to do this terrible thing).”
“[ALGERNON and JACK pretend to be anxious to shield “[They fall into each other's arms.]”
CECILY and GWENDOLEN from hearing the details of a “I am engaged to be married to Gwendolen Lady
terrible public scandal.]” Bracknell!”
“Unmarried! I do not deny that is a serious blow.” “The moment you consent to my marriage with
Gwendolen, I will most gladly allow your nephew to form
an alliance with my ward.”
“[Exit JACK in great excitement.]”
“The happiness of more than one life depends on your
answer.”
“[Rushes to bookcase and tears the books out.]”
“I always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn't
I?”
, “Gwendolen, it is 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?”
“My own one!”
“Gwendolen! [Embraces her.] At last!”
Jack is dishonest/attempting to conceal his identity Jack is easily irritated
“Shropshire? Yes, of course.” “How utterly unromantic you are!”
“I don't know any one of the name of Cecily.” “Well, you have been eating them all the time.”
“you have no right whatsoever to read what is written “Oh, that is nonsense!”
inside” “Do you mean to say you have had my cigarette case all
“I simply want my cigarette case back.” this time? I wish to goodness you had let me know.”
“Cecily happens to be my aunt.” “you have no right whatsoever to read what is written
“Charming old lady she is, too. Lives at Tunbridge Wells.” inside. It is a very ungentlemanly thing to read a private
“Some aunts are tall, some aunts are not tall.” cigarette case.”
“That is nothing to you, dear boy.” “Just give it back to me, Algy.”
“Yes, I know it is.” “You seem to think that every aunt should be exactly like
“Gwendolen, I must get christened at once - I mean we your aunt!”
must get married at once.” “For Heaven's sake give me back my cigarette case.”
“the truth isn't quite the sort of thing one tells to a nice, “You are hardly serious enough.”
sweet, refined girl.” “You had much better dine with your Aunt Augusta.”
“I'll say he died in Paris of apoplexy.” “That is nonsense.”
“My poor brother Ernest to carried off suddenly, in Paris, “For heaven's sake, don't try to be cynical.”
by a severe chill. That gets rid of him.” “Well, I don't see how I could possibly manage to do that. I
“one doesn't blurt these things out to people.” can produce the hand-bag at any moment. It is in my
“I know no one who has a higher sense of duty and dressing-room at home. I really think that should satisfy
responsibility.” you, Lady Bracknell.”
“Mr. Worthing has many troubles in his life…You must “[Jack looks perfectly furious, and goes to the door.]”
remember his constant anxiety about that unfortunate “For goodness' sake don't play that ghastly tune, Algy. How
young man his brother.” idiotic you are!”
“according to his own brother's admission is irretrievably “You always want to argue about things.”
weak and vacillating” “I am sick to death of cleverness.”
“he usually likes to spend his Sunday in London. He is not “What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to
one of those whose sole aim is enjoyment, as, by all behave to a woman!”
accounts, that unfortunate young man his brother seems “[Irritably.] Oh! It always is nearly seven.”
to be.” “I can't bear looking at things. It is so silly.”
“Well, he said at dinner on Wednesday night, that you “What on earth are you so amused at?”
would have to choose between this world, the next world, “You never talk anything but nonsense.”
and Australia.” “[JACK looks indignantly at him]”
“Quite dead.” “What nonsense! I haven't got a brother.”
“He died abroad; in Paris, in fact. I had a telegram last “My brother is in the dining-room? I don't know what it all
night from the manager of the Grand Hotel.” means. I think it is perfectly absurd.”
“He seems to have expressed a desire to be buried in “[Motions ALGERNON away.]”
Paris.” “[JACK glares at him and does not take his hand.]”
“Mr. Ernest has been suddenly called back to town.” “I think his coming down here disgraceful. He knows
“I suppose one of the many good elderly women who are perfectly well why.”
associated with Uncle Jack in some of his philanthropic “Well, I won't have him talk to you about Bunbury or about
work in London.” anything else. It is enough to drive one perfectly frantic.”
“he never mentioned to me that he had a ward. How “Well, this is the last time I shall ever do it.”
secretive of him!” “[Shakes with ALGERNON and glares.]”
“I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked.” “You young scoundrel, Algy, you must get out of this place
“it is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It as soon as possible. I don't allow any Bunburying here.”
, is the first time in my life that I have ever been reduced to “You are not to talk of Miss Cardew like that. I don't like it.”
such a painful position, and I am really quite inexperienced “You are certainly not staying with me for a whole week as
in doing anything of the kind.” a guest or anything else. You have got to leave . . . by the
fourfive train.”
“Well, will you go if I change my clothes?”
“Your vanity is ridiculous, your conduct an outrage, and
your presence in my garden utterly absurd.”
“Uncle Jack would be very much annoyed if he knew you
were staying on till next week, at the same hour.”
“Well, you've no right whatsoever to Bunbury here.”
“I must say that your taking in a sweet, simple, innocent
girl like that is quite inexcusable.”
“How can you sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are
in this horrible trouble, I can't make out. You seem to me
to be perfectly heartless.”
“I say it's perfectly heartless your eating muffins at all,
under the circumstances.”
“Well, that is no reason why you should eat them all in that
greedy way.”
“Good heavens! I suppose a man may eat his own muffins
in his own garden.”
“Algy, I wish to goodness you would go.”
“My dear fellow, the sooner you give up that nonsense the
better.”
“We can't both be christened Ernest. It's absurd.”
“Oh, that is nonsense; you are always talking nonsense.”
“Algernon! I have already told you to go. I don't want you
here. Why don't you go!”
“[JACK groans, and sinks into a chair.]”
“[JACK looks perfectly furious, but restrains himself.]”
“[Very irritably.] How extremely kind of you, Lady
Bracknell!”
“And after six months nobody knew her.”
“[Irritably.] Yes, but what was my father's Christian name?”
Jack is bored with the country Jack is hypocritical
“When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is “pleasure, pleasure! What else should bring one
excessively boring.” anywhere?”
“Perfectly horrid! Never speak to one of them.” “there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all”
“a high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very “as a high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very
much to either one's health or one's happiness” much to either one's health or one's happiness, in order to
“in order to get up to town I have always pretended to get up to town I have always pretended to have a younger
have a younger brother of the name of Ernest” brother of the name of Ernest”
“You have invented a very useful younger brother called “I was quite right in saying you were a Bunburyist. You are
Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town one of the most advanced Bunburyists I know.”
as often as you like.” “You have invented a very useful younger brother called
“I suppose that is why he often looks a little bored when Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town
we three are together.” as often as you like. 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.”
“I'm not a Bunburyist at all.”
“If I marry a charming girl like Gwendolen, and she is the
