Act Two Flashcards

1
Q

Which stage directions describe the country at the start of act 2?

A

‘flight of gray stone steps’

‘cecily is at the back watering flowers’

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2
Q

How does Miss Prism describe Cecily watering flowers?

A

‘such a utilitarian occupation’

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3
Q

What does Miss Prism say awaits Cecily?

A

‘intellectual pleasures’

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4
Q

What do Cecily and Miss Prism say about Jack?

A

‘dear uncle Jack is so very serious’

‘I know no one who has a higher sense of duty and responsibility’

‘idle merriment and triviality would be out of place in his conversation’

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5
Q

What does Prism say of Ernest?

A

‘irretrievably weak and and vacillating’

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6
Q

What does Cecily ironically say to Miss Prism which relates to the manuscript she has written?

A

‘how wonderfully clever you are’

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7
Q

Where does Prism first reference the manuscript being lost in place of Jack?

A

‘the manuscript unfortunately was abandoned’

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8
Q

Which stage direction provides a hint that Prism is a parallel to Lady Bracknell?

A

‘rising and advancing’

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9
Q

How does Dr. Chasuble first flirt with Prism?

A

‘if I were fortunate to be Miss Prism’s pupil, I would hang upon her lips’

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10
Q

What does Prism say of Jack’s aim?

A

‘he is not one of those whose sole aim is enjoyment’

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11
Q

In an exchange between Cecily and Merriman, what is said on Jack’s ‘brother’ Ernest (who is actually Algernon)?

A

Cecily: ‘did you tell him (jack) Mr. Worthing (Ernest) was in town?’

Merriman: ‘yes Miss. He seemed very much disappointed’

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12
Q

What does Cecily ironically say to Algy when he first arrives?

A

‘i hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time’

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13
Q

What does Algy say about his business appointment?

A

‘i have a business appointment that I am anxious… to miss.’

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14
Q

What is said of Australia by Cecily and Algernon?

A

Cecily: ‘uncle jack is sending you to australia’

‘the accounts i have received of the next world, and Australia, are not particularly encouraging’

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15
Q

What does Cecily say Algernon needs when embarking on a new life?

A

‘when one is going to lead an entirely new life, one requires regular and wholesome meals’

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16
Q

What does Miss Prism say about marriage and herself to Dr. Chasuble whilst Cecily has momentarily disappeared?

A

‘no man is ever attractive except to his wife’

‘maturity can always be depended on.’

‘ripeness can be trusted’

‘but where is Cecily?’

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17
Q

What does Jack say after he announces Ernest’s death?

A

‘ah! That reminds me, you mentioned christenings i think, Dr. Chasuble?’

dr chasuble looks astounded

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18
Q

What does Miss Prism say on christenings (who has she spoken to)?

A

‘I have spoken to the poorer classes on the subject. But they don’t seem to know what thrift is.’

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19
Q

In which jolly manner will Jack go to the christening?

A

‘I might trot around’

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20
Q

What does Miss Prism say of Ernest’s death?

What does she then say when Algernon is announced to have arrived?

A

‘this seems to me a blessing of a very obvious kind’

‘his sudden return seems to me particularly distressing’

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21
Q

How does Jack kiss Cecily?

A

‘kisses her brow in a melancholy manner’

22
Q

What does Cecily say to Jack on Ernest’s arrival?

What does she then say to Chasuble after Jack and Algy shake hands?

A

‘you couldn’t be so heartless as to disown him’

‘if you don’t shake hands with Ernest I will never forgive you’

‘my little task of reconciliation is over’

23
Q

After Jack and Algy shake hands, which quote sees Chasuble as out of touch?

A

‘it’s pleasant, is it not, to see so perfect a reconciliation’

24
Q

What does Algy say about his ‘duty as a gentleman’?

A

‘my duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures in the smallest degree’

25
Q

What does Algy say about being a guest in Jack’s house?

A

‘it is perfectly childish to be in deep mourning for a man who is actually staying for a whole week in your house as a guest’

26
Q

How does Algy make up for being overdressed?

A

‘I always make up for it (being overdressed) by being immensely over-educated’

27
Q

What does Jack say about Algernon being in his garden?

A

‘your presence in my garden (is) utterly absurd’

28
Q

What does Cecily say about parting with people?

A

‘it is always painful to part from people whom one has known for a brief space of time. The absence of old friends one can endure with equanimity’

29
Q

What does Cecily say to Algernon after she ‘begins to water the flowers’?

A

‘i think your frankness does you great credit, Ernest.’ (paradox)

‘when one is dictating one should speak fluently and not cough’

‘I have reached absolute perfection… I do not know how to spell cough’

30
Q

How do Algy and Cecily’s natures contrast?

A

Algy is ‘over-educated’, whereas Cecily does not like education and does ‘not know how to spell cough’

31
Q

Which Cecily quote references Cecily’s and Miss Prism’s conversation?

A

‘you of course (Algy) have formed the chief topic of conversation between me and Miss Prism’ (as opposed to education)

32
Q

What many things does Cecily say to Algernon, mainly quite flirtatious?

A

‘you’ve wonderfully good taste, Ernest (referencing her own taste since they’ve never met before). It’s the excuse I’ve always given for your leading such a bad life’.

‘I hope your hair curls naturally, does it?’ (‘yes darling, with a little help from others’ - Algy)

‘there is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence’

‘girlish dream of mine’

‘I pity any poor woman whose husband is not called Ernest’

33
Q

What does Cecily say of Dr. Chasuble?

A

‘Dr. Chasuble is a most learned man. He has never written a book, so you can imagine how much he knows.’

34
Q

Where must Cecily cite Algy’s proposal?

A

‘in my (her) diary’

35
Q

What does Gwendolen say after her and Cecily first meet?

A

‘something tells me we are going to be great friends. My first impressions of people are never wrong’.

36
Q

Where does Gwendolen exhibit a feminist perspective?

A

‘the home to me seems to be the proper sphere for the man’

‘once a man begins to neglect his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate’

37
Q

What does Gwendolen say about ‘mamma’?

A

‘mamma, whose views on education are remarkably strict, has brought me up to be extremely short sighted’

38
Q

What is Cecily very fond of?

A

‘I am very fond of being looked at’

39
Q

Which stage directions relate Gwen to LB?

A

‘severely’

‘examines diary through her lorgnette’

‘enquiringly’

40
Q

Where does Cecily reference dropping social niceties?

A

‘one should always be quite candid’

41
Q

What does Gwendolen say about Jack (Ernest in her case) before all is uncovered?

A

‘disloyal would be as impossible to him as deception’

‘Ernest has a strong upright nature’

‘i shall consider it my duty to rescue him at once’

42
Q

What does Cecily say about manners?

A

‘this is no time to be wearing the shallow mask of manners’

43
Q

How does Merriman break up the comedy between Gwen and Cecily?

A

‘the presence of the servants exercises a restraining influence’

44
Q

What does Gwendolen say about the country, demonstrating how out of touch she is?

A

‘i had no idea there were flowers in the country’

45
Q

Which stage direction shows Gwen and Cecily to be parallels to each other?

A

‘severely’

46
Q

How is physical comedy created?

A

Gwen: ‘cake is rarely seen in the best houses nowadays’

cecily cuts a very large slice of cake, and puts it on the tray

Gwen rises in indignation

47
Q

What does Gwendolen say she is known for?

A

‘i am known for the gentleness of my disposition, and the extra-ordinary sweetness of my nature’

48
Q

How does Gwen contradict her statement of ‘we are going to be great friends’

A

‘from the moment I saw you I distrusted you… my first impressions of people are invariably right’

49
Q

How do Gwen and Cecily act in solidarity when they find out the truth?

A
  • the two girls move towards each other and put their arms around each other’s waists as if for protection*
  • retire into the house with scornful looks*
50
Q

Algernon’s refernce to ‘muffins’ and ‘cucumbers’ are reminiscent of what from the Victorian Era?

seizes muffin dish from Jack

A

‘ritual food gags’, such as pouring tea into a hat in ‘Charley’s Aunt’.

51
Q

What does Algy say about Bunburying after the truth is discovered?

What does he also say to Jack about Ernest?

A

‘a perfectly wonderful bunbury it is’

‘you won’t be able to disappear to London so frequently as your wicked customer was’