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| Character | Jack Worthing Gwendolen | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Year | 1895 | |
| Period | 19th Century | |
| Genre | Romance, Comedy | |
| Description | Jack proposes to Gwendolen | |
| Location | ACT I, Part 2 | |
Summary
Lady Bracknell is Algernon's aunt and Gwendolen's mother. Algernon's friend, Jack Worthing (That Algernon knows as Ernest Worthing), comes to London to propose to Algernon's cousin Gwendolen. Algernon, however, finds out that his friend's real name is Jack, not Ernest and demands an explanation. Jack confesses he leads a double life, Jack in the countryside and "Ernest" in the city. He tells his ward, Cecily, that he has a sick brother in the city by the name of Ernest that requires constant attention. Algernon confesses he engages in a similar deception, telling his family that he has an invalid friend in the countryside by the name of "Bunbury", and goes to "visit" him when he needs to get away.
In this funny scene while Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen's mother, is distracted by Algernon, Jack takes the opportunity to propose to Gwendolen. The comic aspect comes out when Gwendolen confesses that she has been in love with him for a while, the main reason she explains, because his name is Ernest...
In this funny scene while Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen's mother, is distracted by Algernon, Jack takes the opportunity to propose to Gwendolen. The comic aspect comes out when Gwendolen confesses that she has been in love with him for a while, the main reason she explains, because his name is Ernest...
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| INT. LADY BRACKNELL'S HOUSE JACK: "Charming day it has been, Miss Fairfax." GWENDOLEN: "Pray dont talk to me about the weather, Mr. Worthing. Whenever people talk to me about the weather, I always feel quite certain that they mean something else. And that makes me so nervous." JACK: "I do mean something else." GWENDOLEN: "I thought so. In fact, I am never wrong." JACK: "And I would like to be allowed to take advantage of Lady Bracknells temporary absence" GWENDOLEN: "I would certainly advise you to do so. Mamma has a way of coming back suddenly into a room that I have often had to speak to her about." JACK: "[Nervously.] Miss Fairfax, ever since I met you I have admired you more than any girl I have ever met since I met you." GWENDOLEN: "Yes, I am quite well aware of the fact. And I often wish that in public, at any rate, you had been more demonstrative. For me you have always had an irresistible fascination. Even before I met you I was far from indifferent to you. [Jack looks at her in amazement.] We live, as I hope you know, Mr Worthing, in an age of ideals. The fact is constantly mentioned in the more expensive monthly magazines, and has reached the provincial pulpits, I am told; and my ideal has always been to love some one of the name of Ernest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence. The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Ernest, I knew I was destined to love you." JACK: "You really love me, Gwendolen?" GWENDOLEN: "Passionately!" JACK: "Darling! You dont know how happy youve made me." GWENDOLEN: "My own Ernest!" JACK: "But you dont really mean to say that you couldnt love me if my name wasnt Ernest?" GWENDOLEN: "But your name is Ernest." JACK "Yes, I know it is. But supposing it was something else? Do you mean to say you couldnt love me then?" GWENDOLEN: "[Glibly.] Ah! that is clearly a metaphysical speculation, and like most metaphysical speculations has very little reference at all to the actual facts of real life, as we know them." JACK: "Personally, darling, to speak quite candidly, I dont much care about the name of Ernest I dont think the name suits me at all." GWENDOLEN: "It suits you perfectly. It is a divine name. It has a music of its own. It produces vibrations." JACK: "Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name." GWENDOLEN: "Jack? No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know the entrancing pleasure of a single moments solitude. The only really safe name is Ernest." JACK: "Gwendolen, I must get christened at once—I mean we must get married at once. There is no time to be lost." GWENDOLEN: "Married, Mr. Worthing?" JACK: "[Astounded.] Well surely. You know that I love you, and you led me to believe, Miss Fairfax, that you were not absolutely indifferent to me." GWENDOLEN: "I adore you. But you havent proposed to me yet. Nothing has been said at all about marriage. The subject has not even been touched on." JACK: "Well may I propose to you now?" GWENDOLEN: "I think it would be an admirable opportunity. And to spare you any possible disappointment, Mr. Worthing, I think it only fair to tell you quite frankly before-hand that I am fully determined to accept you." JACK: "Gwendolen!" GWENDOLEN: "Yes, Mr. Worthing, what have you got to say to me?" JACK: "You know what I have got to say to you." GWENDOLEN: "Yes, but you dont say it." JACK: "Gwendolen, will you marry me? [Goes on his knees.]" GWENDOLEN: "Of course I will, darling. How long you have been about it! I am afraid you have had very little experience in how to propose." JACK: "My own one, I have never loved any one in the world but you." GWENDOLEN: "Yes, but men often propose for practice. I know my brother Gerald does. All my girl-friends tell me so. What wonderfully blue eyes you have, Ernest! They are quite, quite, blue. I hope you will always look at me just like that, especially when there are other people present. [Enter Lady Bracknell.]" |
