Gwendolen and Cecily help to develop the theme of love and marriage through their similarities, such as peers who control relationships, the obsession with the name of Ernest, and the persistent attitude. But the women’s differences help to strengthen the theme by Gwendolen’s artificial personality and her complexity, compared to Cecily’s simplicity and straightforward personality. Oscar Wilde uses both Gwendolen and Cecily to build the theme of love and marriage to show whether marriage is something of personal pleasure or if it is an undeclared social responsibility to hold a social class, and if love is something true or an offshoot of romance. Gwendolen contributes to the theme primarily through her superficial obsession with the name
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Before Cecily has even met Jack’s brother Ernest she has begun to fantasize about him and created an imaginary relationship. When Algernon learns this and he is distraught by her obsession for him. He doesn’t even try to inform her about his real name because of the obsession she has with the name Ernest. She has even taken the initiative to get herself a ring and to have an engagement. Even though she is in love with Algernon she still has a superficial view on love where she is in love with the name just like Gwendolen. Once she learns that Algernon isn’t who he says he is she is distraught and calls off their engagement. This supports the theme by the Character’s view on love that it is just a physical thing. Like Gwendolen Cecily’s peers dictate her relationships. When she wants to become engaged to Algernon Jack would not allow it. First he won’t allow it because he doesn’t like Algernon at that point, but he is willing to strike a deal with Lady Bracknell to benefit himself. If she will approve his engagement with Gwendolen then he will approve Cecily’s and Algernon. Because Jack is restraining Cecily’s relationship freedom she is like Gwendolen whose mother also will not let her be engaged due to physical and worldly reasons. Cecily is also very persistent just like …show more content…
For example Gwendolen has an artificial personality. She lives a life that conforms to her surrounding instead of being herself. For example Gwendolen is so caught up in finding a husband to fix her mother’s criteria that see get fixated on the name Ernest as well. This contributes to the theme because Gwendolen’s artificial personality is like her love which is fake as well. Unlike Cecily who has a solid true personality. Gwendolen unlike Cecily lives in the high social classes in London. Being from the city Gwendolen is more sophisticated and proper than Cecily and carries the upper class status. She shows her dominance over Cecily when they are fighting over Ernest. But, Cecily is also unspoiled unlike Gwendolen. This plays a large part into the way they each view love. Gwendolen is a spoiled sassy brat who thinks she can get whatever while Cecily on the other hand is a modest and down to earth. She isn’t focused as much on the physical side of a person like Gwendolen is. With her unspoiled character she receives more innocence than what Gwendolen would. Lastly Cecily is different from Gwendolen by she is less intellectual. This is important when because with Gwendolen growing up in higher society she is more educated and sophisticated while Cecily is more of a story type and she’s not as up on the facts, which makes her less appealing in the high classes. Even
Before Cecily has even met Jack’s brother Ernest she has begun to fantasize about him and created an imaginary relationship. When Algernon learns this and he is distraught by her obsession for him. He doesn’t even try to inform her about his real name because of the obsession she has with the name Ernest. She has even taken the initiative to get herself a ring and to have an engagement. Even though she is in love with Algernon she still has a superficial view on love where she is in love with the name just like Gwendolen. Once she learns that Algernon isn’t who he says he is she is distraught and calls off their engagement. This supports the theme by the Character’s view on love that it is just a physical thing. Like Gwendolen Cecily’s peers dictate her relationships. When she wants to become engaged to Algernon Jack would not allow it. First he won’t allow it because he doesn’t like Algernon at that point, but he is willing to strike a deal with Lady Bracknell to benefit himself. If she will approve his engagement with Gwendolen then he will approve Cecily’s and Algernon. Because Jack is restraining Cecily’s relationship freedom she is like Gwendolen whose mother also will not let her be engaged due to physical and worldly reasons. Cecily is also very persistent just like …show more content…
For example Gwendolen has an artificial personality. She lives a life that conforms to her surrounding instead of being herself. For example Gwendolen is so caught up in finding a husband to fix her mother’s criteria that see get fixated on the name Ernest as well. This contributes to the theme because Gwendolen’s artificial personality is like her love which is fake as well. Unlike Cecily who has a solid true personality. Gwendolen unlike Cecily lives in the high social classes in London. Being from the city Gwendolen is more sophisticated and proper than Cecily and carries the upper class status. She shows her dominance over Cecily when they are fighting over Ernest. But, Cecily is also unspoiled unlike Gwendolen. This plays a large part into the way they each view love. Gwendolen is a spoiled sassy brat who thinks she can get whatever while Cecily on the other hand is a modest and down to earth. She isn’t focused as much on the physical side of a person like Gwendolen is. With her unspoiled character she receives more innocence than what Gwendolen would. Lastly Cecily is different from Gwendolen by she is less intellectual. This is important when because with Gwendolen growing up in higher society she is more educated and sophisticated while Cecily is more of a story type and she’s not as up on the facts, which makes her less appealing in the high classes. Even