Gwendolen. let us preserve a dignified silence. cecily. certainly. it's the only thing to do now. [enter jack followed by algernon. they whistle some dreadful popular air from a british opera.] gwendolen. this dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect. cecily. a most distasteful one. gwendolen. but we will not be the first to speak. cecily. certainly not. gwendolen. mr. worthing, i have something very particular to ask you. much depends on your reply. wilde uses the exchange between gwendolen and cecily to praise the strict social codes of victorian society. show the superiority of women in victorian society. mock the formal courtship rules of victorian society. explain the importance of romance in victorian society.

Question

Social Studies

Lainey

22 November, 07:46

Gwendolen. let us preserve a dignified silence. cecily. certainly. it's the only thing to do now. [enter jack followed by algernon. they whistle some dreadful popular air from a british opera.] gwendolen. this dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect. cecily. a most distasteful one. gwendolen. but we will not be the first to speak. cecily. certainly not. gwendolen. mr. worthing, i have something very particular to ask you. much depends on your reply. wilde uses the exchange between gwendolen and cecily to praise the strict social codes of victorian society. show the superiority of women in victorian society. mock the formal courtship rules of victorian society. explain the importance of romance in victorian society.

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Hannah · Answer 1

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Lyric Villarreal · Answer 2

Oscar Wilde is mocking the formal courtship rules that were practiced in Vicotorian times. Even though they are all in the room, the ladies vow not to be the first ones to speak, so they sit in what they call a dignified silence. The men whistle a gaudy opera tune, which makes the ladies think that sitting in silence isn't getting the response they wanted. They wanted to be acknowledged as having very polite manners and the men do not notice and do abide by these manners.