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> Algernon is having a conversation with his butler, Lane, and asking him about the cucumber sandwich he has ordered for his aunt Lady Bracknell. Ernest has arrived into the household from the countryside telling Algernon that his purpose for coming was to propose to Gwendolen who is Algernon's cousin and Lady Bracknell's daughter. Jack has left a pack of cigarette in Algernon's house the last time he visited and the pack had an inscription of "little Cecily" to "her dear uncle Jack". Ernest explains to Algernon that his name in the countryside is Jack while Ernest is his name in the city and that Cecily is the granddaughter of the man who adopted him and that he is her guardian.
As Algernon sends his butler to get more cucumber for more cucumber sandwich, Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen comes to visit Algernon, and later on Earnest proposes to Gwendolen when Lady Bracknell was talking with Algernon in another room. As Lady Bracknell heard the news, she told Gwendolyn to go back to the carriage as she interviews Earnest on how much lands does Earnest has, is he a noble, where was he born at, and if he has lands. The moment when Lady Bracknell heard that Earnest was an orphan who got rich and reached a similar status with a noble, she did not allow Gwendolen marry Earnest, because he was found in a worn-out basket. And as Lady Bracknell disagrees with the marriage, she storms out of the house, leaving Earnest in a bad mood.

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Whats the significance of Ernest?

Why would Gwendolen only marry someone named Ernest?

Why would Cecily be so interested in Ernest?

Which of the characters point of view closely resemble any customs during past era's?

Why did the Jack and Algernon create imaginary people in order to escape the position they are in?

What form of irony can be foreshadowed with Cecily and Gwendolen interest in "Ernest"?

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Lax (pg. 6)
- lacking strictness, severity, or carefulness
- Algernon uses this word to criticize Lane's views on marriage
Wagnerian (pg. 16)
- relating to or possessing characteristics of Richard Wagner's operas and works
Relapse (pg. 19)
- to suffer from a disease / to deteriorate after improvement
Expurgations (pg. 19)
- removing offensive or objectionable content from written work
- Lady Bracknell explains to Algernon how she wants her program to be
Immaterial (pg. 27)
- irelevant, having no relation to the situation
- Lady Bracknell uses this word to describe Jack's origin as she is in shock of his tragic adoption story

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Quote #1:

Algernon-My dear fellow, the way you flirt with Gwendolen is perfectly disgraceful. It is almost as bad as the way Gwendolen flirts with you.
(PDF 7~8)
Reason for picking: It relates to our discussion that we learned before about etiquette and customs in the Victorian era.
Discussion: There were strict moral codes that women had to follow during the Victorian era and it was one of the most important aspects of the upper class. This shows a perfect example that flirting in public was considered rebellious and inappropriate. The quote has a parallel structure.

Quote #2:

Jack: I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose to her.
Algernon: I thought you had come up for pleasure? . . . I call that business. (PDF 8)
Reason for picking: It shows Algernon's thinking that marriage are social obligations that one must fulfill in order to maintain supremacy.
Discussion: Back in the Victorian era, there were strict rules in marriage in terms of social class. The rich gets to marry with the rich, and the poor gets to marry with the poor. Oscar Wilde tried to expose the rich by the use of verbal irony.

Quote #3:

Lady Bracknell: What is your income?
Jack: Between seven and eight thousand a year.
Lady Bracknell: [Makes a note in her book] In land, or in investments?
Jack: In investments, chiefly.
Lady Bracknell: That is satisfactory. What between the duties expected of one during one's lifetime, and the duties exacted from one after one's death, land has ceased to be either a profit or a pleasure. It gives one position, and prevents one from keeping it up. That's all that can be said about land. (PDF 24~25)
Reason for picking: Shows how Lady Bracknell considers position and prosperity to be of greater value than personal happiness. It can also be said that she prioritizes the collection of materials of a person instead of the morals of one such person.
Discussion: What the upper class consider most in marriage is wealth and luxuriousness. This is shown in Lady Bracknell's interest in Jack's assets when considering whether or not he is the proper suitor for Gwendolen. Oscar Wilde satires the upper class by the use of these quotes that clearly expresses the snobbishness and  greeds of them.

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# 1
ALGERNON. I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact

(PDF, page 6)
Over my life I have see many people being so romantic (Whether it's in movies or real life or etc.) and also lots of people who shun romance, especially marriage

One example is when I was watching T.V. and just scrolling through the channels hoping to find something good, and I stumbled upon a show (Can't remember the name, or what happened) that had a guy who was so in love with someone and really wanted to show his love to the person he loves, but his friend was a person who was an "Anti-love" person and so they didn't exactly have a peaceful conversation

#2
Here have you been since Thursday?

JACK. (sitting down on the sofa) In the country.
ALGERNON. What on earth do you do there?

Jack. (pulling off his gloves) When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people.
(PDF, Page 5)
This is a case of supposed secrecy, or maybe Jack doesn't want to explain in detail, I have had time like this where I didn't want to explain anything in detail, but this also connects to the interactions in the present and past where people went through this kind of thing.

I for one am one person who has secrets but try not to make it obvious of what I did and beat around the bush

# 3
ALGERNON. Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?
LANE. I didn't think it polite to listen, sir.
(PDF, page 3)
I once had a time where someone was doing something and I thought that it would be rude to listen to what they are doing and so I ignored it and soon they asked me if they saw and liked what they did

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soliloquizes - speak one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers; utter a soliloquy.

consternation - feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.

Incensed - very angry; enraged.

Bunburyist - Avoiding one's duties and responsibilities by claiming to have appointments to see a fictitious person.

feigned - simulated or pretended; insincere.

shilly-shallying - undecided, or hesitating manner

stammers - speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words.

dismayed - cause (someone) to feel consternation and distress.