Curated set · answers marked
What is the main reason Algernon Moncrieff creates his fictional invalid friend, "Bunbury"?
Rationale
Algernon invents the invalid "Bunbury" as a handy excuse to skip boring or unwanted social responsibilities — a tactic he refers to as "Bunburying." This concept plays a key role in the play's satirical examination of the hypocrisy of the Victorian upper class and the performance of social respectability.
In Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, what drives Gwendolen to insist that she can only love a man with the name Ernest?
Rationale
Gwendolen states that the name Ernest creates "vibrations" for her, and she can't picture herself loving anyone who isn't named Ernest. This highlights the play's satirical critique of how superficial traits — like a name — are taken with ridiculous seriousness in Victorian high society.
What is the main reason Algernon creates his imaginary sick friend "Bunbury"?
Rationale
Algernon invents the term "Bunburying" to describe the act of making up a fictitious character — in this case, the always-ill "Bunbury" — as a handy excuse to sidestep unwanted social commitments and move freely between town and country on his own terms.