Why do gwendolen and cecily forgive the man

I had forgotten that in an extravagant mood I had had them placed there. The bag is undoubtedly mine. I am delighted to have it so unexpectedly restored to me. It has been a great inconvenience being without it all these years. I was the baby you placed in it. I do not deny that is a serious blow. But after all, who has the right to cast a stone against one who has suffered? Cannot repentance wipe out an act of folly? Why should there be one law for men, and another for women?

Mother, I forgive you. Worthing, there is some error. I am afraid that the news I have to give you will not altogether please you. You are the son of my poor sister, Mrs. Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever doubted that I had a brother?

Chasuble, my unfortunate brother. Miss Prism, my unfortunate brother. Gwendolen, my unfortunate brother. Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a brother in all your life.

Well, not till to-day, old boy, I admit. I did my best, however, though I was out of practice. But what own are you? What is your Christian name, now that you have become some one else?

Good heavens! I had quite forgotten that point. Your decision on the subject of my name is irrevocable, I suppose? Then the question had better be cleared up at once. Aunt Augusta, a moment. At the time when Miss Prism left me in the hand-bag, had I been christened already? Every luxury that money could buy, including christening, had been lavished on you by your fond and doting parents.

Then I was christened! That is settled. Now, what name was I given? Let me know the worst. But I have no doubt he had one. He was eccentric, I admit. But only in later years. And that was the result of the Indian climate, and marriage, and indigestion, and other things of that kind.

My dear boy, we were never even on speaking terms. He died before I was a year old. The General was essentially a man of peace, except in his domestic life. But I have no doubt his name would appear in any military directory. The Army Lists of the last forty years are here. These delightful records should have been my constant study. Well, it is Ernest after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.

Yes, I remember now that the General was called Ernest, I knew I had some particular reason for disliking the name. My own Ernest! I felt from the first that you could have no other name! Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me? Skip to content Oscar Wilde — They have been eating muffins. That looks like repentance. What effrontery! Let us preserve a dignified silence. This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.

A most distasteful one. But we will not be the first to speak. Certainly not. In order that I might have an opportunity of meeting you. Yes, dear, if you can believe him. But that does not affect the wonderful beauty of his answer.

Can you doubt it, Miss Fairfax? Then you think we should forgive them? I mean no. Could we not both speak at the same time? We are. They have moments of physical courage of which we women know absolutely nothing. When he enters he coughs loudly, seeing the situation. Lady Bracknell! The couples separate in alarm. Exit Merriman. What does this mean?

Merely that I am engaged to be married to Mr. Worthing, mamma. I am engaged to be married to Gwendolen Lady Bracknell! Yes, Aunt Augusta. What did he die of? Oh, he was quite exploded. I am engaged to be married to Cecily, Aunt Augusta.

I beg your pardon? Moncrieff and I are engaged to be married, Lady Bracknell. Markby, Markby, and Markby.

And after six months nobody knew her. Yes, Aunt Augusta! Thank you, Aunt Augusta. Cecily, you may kiss me! You may also address me as Aunt Augusta for the future. The marriage, I think, had better take place quite soon. Algy, could you wait for me till I was thirty-five?

Of course I could, Cecily. You know I could. Then what is to be done, Cecily? Then a passionate celibacy is all that any of us can look forward to. Everything is quite ready for the christenings.

The christenings, sir! Is not that somewhat premature? Did I hear you mention a Miss Prism? Yes, Lady Bracknell. I am on my way to join her. Do not ask me, Mr. I left it in the cloak-room of one of the larger railway stations in London.

What railway station? The Brighton line. I must retire to my room for a moment. The rector prepares to withdraw, explaining that Miss Prism is waiting for him back at the rectory. She asks a number of incisive questions about Miss Prism then demands that she be sent for. Miss Prism herself arrives at that moment.

Gwendolen and Cecily observe Jack and Algernon through the window of the morning room that looks out on the garden, where the two men are squabbling over the refreshments that have been laid out for tea. Her eagerness also reveals how willing she is to deceive herself about Jack. We know, however, that they are not the least bit ashamed. The men think merely that they are in trouble, a circumstance Algernon, but not Jack, seems to relish. That looks like repentance. The two couples have symmetrical conflicts and seem to have nearly symmetrical reconciliations, but an essential difference sets the two reconciliations apart: Algernon tells the truth about his deception, but Jack does not.

When Cecily asks Algernon why he deceived her, he tells her he did it in order to have the opportunity of meeting her, and this is the truth. Jack, however, is another story. Jack, however, says that as his ward, Cecily may not marry without his consent, and he declines to give it. He says that he suspects Algernon of being untruthful. He recounts this afternoon's events, in which Algernon impersonated Jack's brother. He reveals that Cecily is under his guardianship until she turns Cecily feels she cannot wait this long to be married.

Jack tells Lady Bracknell that if she consents to his marriage with Gwendolen, he will consent to Cecily's with Algernon. Lady Bracknell refuses and tells Gwendolen to get ready for the train. Chasuble enters and announces that he is ready to perform the christenings.

Lady Bracknell refuses to allow Algernon to be baptized, and Jack tells Chasuble that the christenings will not be necessary any more. Chasuble says he will leave, and mentions that Miss Prism is waiting for him. Lady Bracknell knows of Miss Prism and says she needs to meet her. Miss Prism enters and, upon seeing Lady Bracknell, goes pale. Lady Bracknell accuses her of kidnapping a baby boy from her house 28 years ago. Under Jack's questioning, Miss Prism reveals she accidentally left the baby in a handbag on the Brighton railway line.

Jack leaves excitedly. Jack returns with the handbag. Miss Prism recognizes it as her own. Jack tells her that he was the baby. Lady Bracknell informs Jack that he is the son of her sister, making him Algernon's older brother. Jack asks Lady Bracknell what his original name was. She says he was named after his father, but she cannot remember his name, nor can Algernon.