Epigrams: a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way
JACK WORTHING
“When one is in town, one always amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people”.
“It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn’t a dentist. It produces a false impression”.
ALGERNON MONCRIEF
“The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If I ever get married, I’ll certainly try to forget the fact.”
“The amount of women in London who flirt with their own husbandsis perfectly scandalous. It is bad. It is simply washing one’s cleanlinen in public.”
“If one plays good music, people don’t listen, and if one plays bad music, people don’t talk.”
“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.”
“The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she is pretty, and to some one else, if she is plain.”
GWENDOLEN FAIRFAX
“In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.”
“The home seems to me to be the proper sphere for man. And certainly once a man begins to neglect his domestic duties he becomes painfully effeminate, does he not?”
DR. CHASUBLE
“What seem to us bitter trials are often blessing in disguise.”
Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncreiff portrays shows a number comedic incidences. They talk about trivial nonsense, complete irrelevance. For example, when they are talking about place of science in the society, Algernon asks, “Have you got the cucumber sandwiches”. He brings about an altered conversation in the middle of an intelligent conversation.
Jack Worthing, who is the main character in the play, is referred to as Earnest, a name that sticks to lips of most people in the city. Lady Gwendolen falls in love with Jack just because she is amused by the name Earnest. This comedic element has been established through irony because Lay Gwendolen is totally blinded by the name Earnest, while the audience