Drama: TIOBE- Act 1 Flashcards
- What does the setting in the opening description make us expect? And does the play so far live up to this?
the setting is decribed as a room which is “luxouriously and artistically furnished”, giving us the an idea of the lush high-Victorain society we are going to be stepping into.
- What do we learn about Lane and Algernon’s relationship early on?
That whilst Lane is Algernon’s butlet/servant, their realtionship is a lot more friendly bordering on brotherly than other people’s relationship between servant/higher-class person.
- What theme crops up near the beginning of the play, and how does this set a tone for the play?
marriage, and Algernon asks his butler if marrige is that demoralising, setting a tone of that marriage is questioned and unpicked in the play.
4.How do Jack and Algernon interact at the beginning of the play?
Quite stifly and robotically, with Jack making a comment about his eating habits
- How is the idea of love portrayed in the play?
Some see it as a business move, whilst others see it as love
- Why do Jack and Algernon bicker?
They argue about who owns the cigasrette case
7.Why does Algernon get confuses about Jack?
Becasuse he says his name is actually Earnest, and has different personalities in the city and in more rural areas.
- What concept does Algernon introduce to Jack?
Bunburying, which he admits he does, he creates the personality of Mr Bunbury to avoid events and place he doesn’t want to go to, and claims Jack does a similar thing with Earnest, but instead to avoid getting in trouble for doing things.
- What does Jack reveal about his upbringing to Algernon?
That Cecily is a child that he is the guardian for, as she is the granddaughter of the man that adpoted him at birth.
- What quote demonstrates their friendship?
J: “My dear Algy, I don’t know whether you will be able to understand my real motives. You are hardly serious enough.”
11.What phrase does Algernon rework to demonstrate that people need an alter ego?
he changes 2’s company, 3’s a crowd to “You don’t seem to realise, that in married life three is company and two is none.”
- When Lady Bracknell is introduced, how is presented, and what are her first lines in the play that seem to fit perfectly?
She is presented as a formidable owman, and the matriarch of the family, which she begins with asking Algernon if he has been “behaving very well”, showing she has a complete understading of his ‘naughty’ side and wants to keep him out of trouble, for the sake of the family’s reputation.
- What does Algernon say about the empy plate of cucumber sandwiches, because he ate them, and how does Lane respond to this?
He begins acting shocked and in disbelief, preteding to be distressed at the fact there is any, even though there isn’t any because he ate them all. Lane then steps in, annoiucing there was no cucumbers at the market, seemingly playing along with Algernon’s story, showing that their connection runs deeper than man and manservant.
- What satirical moment does Wilde include surrounding ideas of grief?
Lady Brakcnell apologises for being a little late, saying she had to stop at a friends who has recently lost her husband, Again, Wilde turns a common phrase on it’s head, by saying that the widow is “Living entirely for pleasure now” and that “[her hair] had turned quite gold from grief”
- What do we see the idea of bunburying fall into motion?
When Lady Bracknell talks about her dinner party, Algernon annouces that his friend Mr. Bunbury has fallen ill and he needs to be attended to.
