Just TIOBE quotes

Question 1

Act 1- Jack scolds Algernon when he asks if Jack has told Gwendolen about his attractive ward Cecily

Answer 1

‘The truth isn’t quite the sort of thing one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl.’

Question 2

Act 1- After speaking to Lane about Lane’s accidental marriage at the beginning of the play, Algernon says:

Answer 2

“They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.”

Question 3

Act 1- Gwendolen explains how she wants Jack to show his love more

Answer 3

“And I often wish that in public […] you had been more demonstrative”

Question 4

Act 1- Lane replies to Algernon asking him why he didn’t listen to his playing; comes across as being subordinate to his master

Answer 4

“I didn’t think it polite to listen sir”

Question 5

Act 1- First thing Lady Bracknell asks Jack when she interrogates him

Answer 5

“Do you smoke? […] A man should always have an occupation of some kind”

Question 6

Act 1- Lady Bracknell’s sense of social responsibility

Answer 6

“Nor do I in any way approve of the modern sympathy with invalids”

Question 7

Act 1- Algernon says this to Jack when giving advice on his relationship with Gwendolen

Answer 7

“The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to someone else, if she is plain.”

Question 8

Act 1- Algernon says this when talking to Jack about marriage and divorce

Answer 8

“Divorces are made in Heaven”

Question 9

Act 1- Jack’s proposal to Gwendolen

Answer 9

“…ever since I met you I have admired you more than any girl… I have ever met since… I met you.”

Question 10

Act 1- Algernon and Jack are discussing the possible location of Jack’s country house when Algernon says:

Answer 10

“I have Bunburyed all over shropshire on two separate occasions”

Question 11

Act 2- Cecily talking to Miss Prism about her lessons

Answer 11

“But I don’t like German. It isn’t at all a becoming language. I know perfectly well that I look quite plain after my German lesson.”

Question 12

Act 2- Dr. Chasuble flirts with Miss Prism

Answer 12

“[Bowing.] A classical allusion merely, drawn from the Pagan authors”

Question 13

Act 2- Algernon justifies his bold, flamboyant clothing choices to Jack

Answer 13

“If I am occasionally a little overdressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.”

Question 14

Act 2- Gwendolyn thinks she has accurate intuition when introduced to Cecily for the first time

Answer 14

“My first impressions of people are never wrong.”

Question 15

Act 2- Miss Prism exclaims this when Jack’s ‘wicked’ brother is brought up in conversation with Jack and Dr. Chasuble

Answer 15

“As a man sows, let him reap”

Question 16

Act 2- Gwendolen says this when the boys reveal their deceit

Answer 16

“You will call me sister, will you not?”

Question 17

Act 2- Gwendolen and Cecily’s argument in the presence of Merriman

Answer 17

Gwendolen: ‘[With elaborate politeness]’
Cecily: [Sweetly]

Question 18

Act 2- Gwendolen and Cecily’s argument once Merriman has left

Answer 18

G: “I am known for the gentleness of my disposition, and the extraordinary sweetness of my nature, but I warn you, Miss Cardew, you may go too far.”

Question 19

Act 2- Jack refuses to deny his true name when revealing it to Gwendolen and Cecily

Answer 19

[Standing rather proudly]- “ I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything If I liked”

Question 20

Act 2- Algernon requests a flower from Cecily when they meet in the garden

Answer 20

“I never have an appetite unless I have a buttonhole first”

Question 21

Act 2- Cecily informs Algernon that they’re already engaged when he tries to propose

Answer 21

“You silly boy! […] why, we have been engaged for the last three months.”

Question 22

Act 2- When Cecily first meets Algernon she is fascinated by his wickedness

Answer 22

“I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.”

Question 23

Act 2- Gwendolen views ‘Ernest’ as an extremely reputable and moral character

Answer 23

“Ernest […] is the very soul of truth and honour. Disloyalty would be as impossible to him as deception.”

Question 24

Act 2- Jack pretends that Algernon has been called home when he visits Jack’s estate in Hertfordshire, telling Algernon that:

Answer 24

‘your duty as a gentleman calls you back.’ Algernon replies that ‘my duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures’

Question 25

Act 3- Gwendolen says this when she and Cecily are beginning to unravel the truth

Answer 25

“In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.”

Question 26

Act 1- Lady Bracknell disses her husband- Part 1 (whilst talking to Algernon about the dinner)

Answer 26

“Your uncle would have to dine upstairs. Fortunately he is accustomed to that”

Question 27

Act 1- Lady Bracknell has more influence over Gwendolen’s marriage partners than her husband

Answer 27

“You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter […] to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel?”

Question 28

Act 3- Lady Bracknell disses her husband once again

Answer 28

“I have never undeceived him on any question. I would consider it wrong.”

Question 29

Act 2- Jack arrives in the country to inform everyone that ‘Ernest’ is dead

Answer 29

‘[In mourning clothes]’

Question 30

Act 2- When she argues with Gwendolen about who ‘Ernest’ is truly engaged to, Cecily declares:

Answer 30

‘This is no time for wearing the shallow mask of manners’

Question 31

Act 1- Lady Bracknell declares her opinion on the increasingly educated lower classes

Answer 31

• “ignorance is like an exotic fruit. Touch it and the bloom is gone”
• “the whole theory of modern education is radically unsound.”

Question 32

Act 3- Jack realises his mistake

Answer 32

“it is […] terrible […] for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?”

(G.) “I can. For I feel that you are sure to change.”

Question 33

Act 2- Cecily’s excitement at Jack’s return from town presents her as an ingénue

Answer 33

“Uncle Jack! Oh I am pleased to see you back”

Question 34

Act 2- Cecily scolds Jack for not forgiving ‘Ernest’, presenting her as an ingénue

Answer 34

“However badly he may have behaved […] he is still your brother”

Question 35

Act 2- Cecily presents herself as a sheltered ingénue when Merriman announces the entrance of ‘Ernest’

Answer 35

“I have never met any really wicked person before”

Question 36

1. At what age does Cecily ‘legally’ come of age?

2. What is a terms of endearment attached to Cecily by others?

Answer 36

1. 35

2. ‘Child’; Alg. “my little cousin, Cecily”

Question 37

How does Algernon play the piano?

Answer 37

“I don’t play accurately […] but I play with wonderful expression”

Question 38

Act 2- Algernon enters fabulously after Merriman announces his entrance to Cecily

Answer 38

‘[Enter Algernon, very gay and debonnaire]’

Question 39

Act 2- Algernon expresses his disgust for Jack’s fashion choices

Answer 39

“Well, I don’t like your clothes”

Question 40

Act 2- Algernon explains to Cecily how he needs to leave on Monday but doesn’t want to

Answer 40

“I have a business appointment that I am anxious… to miss?”