The Importance of Being Earnest- Pratscher

Who wrote this play?

Oscar Wilde

What type of play is it?

Satire

Where does the play open up?

Algernon's apartment

Who is Algernon's best friends?

Jack

Are both Jack and Algernon wealthy?

Yes

What class are Jack and Algernon part of?

The Gentlemens class

- Most elite class in society

- Being in the gentlemen's class makes you so wealthy you don't have to work

Did Jack and Algernon inherit their wealth?

Yes

What's the name of Algernon's butler?

Lane

Act 1

What do Algernon and Lane talk about to start the play?

Marriage

What does Algernon think about marriage?

Sad & Demoralizing

While talking about marriage what else do Lane and Algernon talk about?

Alcohol

How much alcohol was drank last night at Algernon's house?

8 bottles and a pint

What did Algernon question when Lane told Algernon the amount of alcohol drank?

He questions why butlers always drink the alcohol at a bachelor's party

Did the butlers really drink all the alcohol at the party?

No

- Algernon drank most of the alcohol but Lane just goes with anything Algernon says

How does Algernon view the quality of marriage and alcohol?

- Once you get married the quality of alcohol goes down cuz you have to focus on your partner

- Algernon would rather prefer the quality of his alcohol over the quality of a partner

Since this play is a satire what is it mocking?

It mocks the upper class as they view the world differently, then the other social classes

Who does Jack want to marry?

Gwendolen (Algernon's cousin)

What do all the character's call Jack but it's not his real name?

Ernest

What does earnest mean?

sincere, serious, very honest, trusting

- this is contradicting because Jack is being dishonest about his real name

Why were cigarette cases important to men in the Victorian era?

- Show your social class

- Protect their hand rolled cigarettes

What did Jack leave at Algernon's apartment?

His cigarette case

What does Algernon question Jack about on the cigarette case?

The name Cecily being on it

How did Jack respond to the question?

He says it's a gift from his aunt

What did Algernon say to the response Jack gave him?

He points out that it is clearly from a niece of his as at the end of the inscription it says, "dear Uncle Jack."

After Algernon points that out it leads to Jack telling the truth

What is the truth about Jacks life?

Jack lives out in the country and "Ernest" live in town. When he comes to town, he introduces himself as "Ernest." Thomas Cardew adopted Jack as Mr. Cardew is Cecily's grandfather. Mr. Cardew died, and, in his will, he left custody of Cecily to Jack. while in town Jack lives a fun/party lifestyle & doesn't want Cecily to know that. When Jack is in the country with Cecily, he tries to be a good father figure and set the right example.

Why Jack lied?

Who is Cecily?

Who is Ernest?

- Jack is trying to set a good example for Cecily but also tries to live the life he wants to live

- not biologically related to Jack but Jack is a guardian to her

- Jack's other life when he comes to town & his "little brother

What is a Bunburyist?

- Lying & deceiving someone so you can do what you want to do

Made up word for the play

Who is Bunbury?

Algernon's made up "sick" friend, he made him up to get out of things he doesn't want to do

How are Jack and Algernon both Bunburyist?

Jack pretends to live as someone else

Algernon uses it as a friend

Go out Bunburying

going out & lying to people

What does invalid mean?

Someone so ill that they can't leave the house

Why does Jack come to Algernon's apartment?

To propose to Gwendolen

When Lady Bracknell arrives to Algernon's apartment what does she ask for and what happened to thing she asked for?

- She asks for cucumber sandwiches

- Algernon ate all of them the day before

- Algernon asks Lane where all the sandwich's went Lane said there were no cucumbers at the market, he even had ready money (Cash) to pay for cucumbers

Who is Lady Bracknell?

Algernon's aunt and Gwendolen's mother

What does Lady Bracknell think of Jack?

She doesn't like him as she entered Algernon's apartment she glared at him with icy coldness

How's Lady Bracknell's attitude towards Bunbury?

She is really cruel as she thinks Bunbury is real & tells Algernon Bunbury needs to make up his mind soon with his illness

What's the only reason Gwendolen wants to marry Jack?

- She loves the name Ernest

- She thinks the name Ernest is charming

Why is it bad that she loves the name of Ernest?

Cuz that's not Jacks real name

What does Jack tell Gwendolen after he hears that she loves the name Ernest?

He says that he should get baptized

- In the Victorian Era getting baptized is when you get your official name but in the Victorian Era it is not that common to get baptized for a second time

What type of personalities do both Jack and Gwendolen have?

Shallow personalities

Does Gwendolen accept Jacks proposal?

Yes

What's important to Gwendolen if her and Jack do get married?

It's important to Gwendolen that in public Jack needs to be affectionate to Gwendolen to show she is Jack's prized possession

What does Lady Bracknell do after Jack proposes?

Takes him through a series of questions & tells him that was never on her list of men for Gwendolen to marry

What were Lady Bracknell's questions mostly about?

Wealth/Social Status

Why does Lady Bracknell like that Jack smokes?

- Cuz it shows that Jack has a hobby and shows that he's so rich that he doesn't have to work

How much money does Jack make?

- 7-8 thousand

- makes the money off interest from his investment

- his earnings translate too $1.3 million in 2025

- inherited Mr. Cardew's old money

Jack was doing well on Lady Bracknell's quiz until she asks about what?

About Jacks parents

How does Lady Bracknell act towards Jack not having parents?

Very mean and says for Jack to be able to marry her daughter he has to find parents

What is Jack's life story?

- He never knew his parents

- Mr. Cardew took care of him growing up

- He was found in a handbag at Victoria train station where Mr. Cardew found him

- Mr. Cardew gave Jack the name of worthing from a ticket in his pocket

Since Jack didn't know his parents what was Lady Bracknell afraid off?

She was afraid that Jack wasn't conceived through marriage

What are Algernon's views on women?

- He only values women if they're pretty for sex

- If they're not pretty they are useless and for cheating on

Who does Algernon want to meet?

Cecily but Jack says he will never see her

Are Jack and Gwendolen going to get married?

No cuz Lady Bracknell said so

Even though Jack and Gwendolen can't get married what does Gwendolen still want to do?

- She wants to send letters to Jack on the daily

- She wants to get his country home address to visit him sometimes but if she goes then she could learn the truth about Jacks life

When Algernon hears Jacks country home address what does he do?

Writes it down on his coat sleeve

What does Algernon do with his bills?

Rips them up cuz he is too rich and too good to pay them

Act 2

Where does this act take place?

At Jacks country home

Who takes care of Cecily when Jack is gone?

Miss Prism

- Cecily's Governess

- She is very boring and only cares about education

Who is Dr. Chasuble?

- Has a doctrine in Theology

- Minister

- He is very boring and always awkwardly flirting with Miss Prism

What does Miss Prism try to get Cecily to study?

German

What would Cecily rather do then study?

Be in nature & garden

What does Cecily think studying will do to her?

She thinks if she becomes too smart then she will become ugly

Why does Cecily get excited when Chausable comes to her house?

Cuz she gets to be done studying and tries to help Miss Prism flirt with him

What does Cecily tell Chausable when she see him?

Miss Prism has a headache, and they should go get some fresh air, but Miss Prism says she doesn't have one and at first misses a chance for some alone time with Chausable

What does Chausable call Miss Prism, but she doesn't understand?

Eugeria= a goddess figure who is absolutely beautiful

Who is Merriman?

Jack's butler

Who does Merriman introduce to Cecily?

Ernest Worthing but it really is Algernon

Are Cecily & Algernon good at flirting?

Yes, very good

- they are much more straight forward with each other than Miss Prism & Chausable

What does Algernon compare Cecily too?

Nature which is a great complement in the Victorian Era

What is a buttonhole?

Place for a flower in a nice jacket/tux

Why does Algernon want Cecily to put a flower in his buttonhole?

So, she can get close to him without it being creepy

Why does Cecily like Algernon?

Cuz she heard he is a troublemaker

When Jack arrives back home what is he wearing?

Dark clothing cuz he says that his little brother Ernest died from a severe chill

- but there is a problem with that cuz Algernon is at Jack's house posing as Ernest

How does Miss Prism react to the news of Ernest dying?

She said he had it coming for him from all the partying he does

- Miss Prism judges' people with bad morals

- Miss Prism has strict views on morality

- Miss Prism says it's a blessing Ernest passed

When Jack sees Chausable what does he ask?

He asks Chausable to baptize him as Jack is set on changing his name to Ernest

When Jack sees Algernon at his house what does he tell him?

He tells him to leave immediately on the four-five train

Merriman has the cart ready to take Algernon to the train but what does Algernon tell him?

He tells him to bring the cart next week

What happens when Algernon asks Cecily to marry him?

- Cecily says they have already been engaged for 3 months since February 14th

- they got engaged by Cecily buying herself a ring, writing letters from Ernest to herself

- Algernon keeps questioning the engagement but goes along with everything

When did Cecily say their engagement broke off?

March 22nd

Did Jack and Algernon have similar proposals?

Yes, both proposals went the same way as both women said they only like the men because of their name of Ernest and they both end up wanting to be christened

Who shows up to Jack's house?

Gwendolen

Who does Gwendolen meet first?

Cecily

- Gwendolen learns that Jack has been a guardian/ward to Cecily, but Gwendolen is bothered by how young and pretty Cecily is

When Gwendolen and Cecily are talking what name gets mentioned which leads to them fighting?

Ernest Worthing

What do Gwendolen & Cecily fight about?

They fight about who gets Ernest and instead of being mad at the man they are mad at each other and argue for who gets to marry him

A spade is a spade

telling the complete truth

What does Cecily think a spade is?

A small handle held shovel made for gardening

What makes Gwendolen & Cecily's fight to calm down?

The servants come in

- In the Victorian Era you cannot fight in front of servants as you need to show them respect

Since the servants are by their side what happens to their argument?

Their argument becomes passive aggressive as Cecily messes up with the tea putting 4 lumps of sugar in

After the servants leave who comes in?

Jack and Algernon and now they have to clear things up

When the men clear things up what do the women still question?

They still question where the real Ernest Worthing is as they only want to marry a man by the name of Ernest

What is the only reason the men want to marry the women?

They are the prettiest women they've seen

What do Gwendolen & Cecily end up calling each other?

Sisters

What do the men tell each other after the women leave?

They say they have no chance of marrying either women

Why are the muffins such a big deal?

The muffins represent Oscar Wilde making fun of Algernon's & Jacks gluttony as they overindulge eating the muffins cuz they are stressed from arguing

- this continues to show how Algernon only cares about himself and not others

Act 3

Where does the last act take place?

Inside Jacks house

Why did Algernon lie?

Cuz he wanted to meet Cecily

What did Jack lie?

Cuz he wanted to keep seeing Gwendolen