Act One

Questions

1. What does Lane order for Lady Bracknell?
2. What does Algernon think of Lane’s views on marriage?
3. Who does Algernon think society should learn good behavior from?
4. Why is Ernest there?
5. Who is Jack?
6. Who is Cecily?
7. Why does Algernon call Ernest/Jack a "Bunburyist"?
8. Who are Lady Bracknell and Miss Fairfax?
9. What does Aunt Augusta want Ernest/Jack to produce before she will let him marry Gwendolen?
10. What does Jack plan to have done to Ernest?

Answers

1. Lane orders cucumber sandwiches for Lady Bracknell.
2. Algernon thinks Lane’s views on marriage are lazy.
3. Algernon thinks society should learn good behavior from the lower classes.
4. Ernest is there to propose to Gwendolen.
5. Jack is Ernest. Ernest goes by Jack in the country and Ernest in town.
6. When Jack/Ernest’s guardian passed away, he made Jack/Ernest Cecily’s guardian. Cecily now refers to him as Uncle Jack, so she is his niece of sorts.
7. Algernon has also created a person much like Ernest, named Bunbury, who lives in the country. Bunbury gives Algernon an excuse to get out of things he doesn’t want to do.
8. Lady Bracknell is Algernon’s Aunt Augusta and Miss Fairfax is Gwendolen, the woman that Ernest/Jack wants to propose to.
9. Aunt Augusta wants Ernest/Jack to produce some family members, and at least one parent, even though he is an orphan.
10. Jack plans to have Ernest die.