Dramatic Textual Analysis of Oscar Wilds - the Importance of Being Earnest Act 3

Dramatic Textual Analysis

The Importance of being Earnest

Act 3

Cecily and Gwendolen have just found out that Jack and Algernon had lied to them. They go into the house and make a vow not to be the first to take to them as they enter the house.

Jack and Algernon enter the house and they end up begging for forgiveness. The women forgive them and the two couples fall into each other's arm, then enters lady Bracknell. She is opposed to the idea of Gwendolen and Jack being engaged, but when she hears the Cecily and Algernon are to be engaged she inquires into Cecily's past and fortune and she approvers of her and the engagement

The theme's presented in this extract is the theme of love, marriage and social status. When Gwendolen forgives Jack and still decides to marry him this shows that love is a deep felling and that it was love that allowed the two women to forgive the men that deceived them.

Also Algernon's views on marriage has changed because instead of him seeing marriage as unromantic and only for people who want to look good in society, he no longer see's marriage as being that when he says "Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don't care twopence about social possibilities." But Lady Bracknell will only approve of the engagement if Cecily has a good family background and if she is wealthy.

The Characters in Act 3 are Jack, Algernon, Cecily, Gwendolen, Lady Bracknell and Merriman.

Algernon is a man who likes to cause trouble. He also thinks very serious of trivial matters and he thinks that serious matters are trivial. He falls in love with Cecily, but he pretends to be Ernest and this adds to the confusion of the identity of Ernest.

Jack is the main character in the play and he seen to be very serious. He started all of the confusion by living two identities and lying about having a brother. Jack is in love with Gwendolen but Lady Bracknell won't give her approval.

Cecily is a dreamy young lady and who falls in love with Algernon. She becomes friends with Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell accepts her as part of the family when she announces she is engaged to Algernon.

Gwendolen is Jacks love interest and she is also of the upper class society. Everyone loves her and she is in love with Jack. But her mother is trying to control her life and the people that she associates with.

Lady Bracknell the character that causes all of the conflict. She walks in on the two couples hugging and then she refuses to give Gwendolen and Jack her blessing and she tries to take her home. She then questions Jack about Cecily and she will only approve of the