The Importance of Being Earnest quotes.

“Good Heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that?”

This was said by Algernon on page 116 in response to Lane making the remark that wine in a married household isn’t as good as the wine in the household of a single person. What Algernon meant by this was that once a person gets married, the quality of their life and belongings goes down dramatically. He believes that the only way to really be happy and to have nice things is to remain single. I don’t agree with his view on this. There’s no reason why getting married directly causes you to not be able to have nice things.

"Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you d become engaged to some one, I, or your father, should his health permit him, will inform you of the fact. An engagement should come on a young girl as surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. It is hardly a matter that she could be allowed to arrange for herself..."

This was said by Lady Bracknell on page 131. She says it to her daughter Gwendolen after she discovers that Gwen has agreed to marry Ernest without the consent of her family. Lady Bracknell believes that young women shouldn't be allowed to take charge of their engagement and marriage affairs, and that the parents have exclusive rights to take charge of everything. I disagree with her philosophy on the subject. If I was going to be married, I would want to be in charge of what was going on. Being allowed to choose who I'm going to spend the rest of my life with is something that I'd really like. Anyone else, even my parents, having the final say just doesn't sit well with me.

"My dear fellow, the truth isn't quite the sort of thing that one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl. What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman!"

This quote is from Jack on page 137. It is in response to Algernon asking him when he planned to tell Gwendolen about the true nature of his identity. Jack thinks that exposing the whole matter of him really being named Jack, and that Ernest is merely a cover for him to escape his country duties, isn't necessary. Or rather he feels that any sort of truth that really should be known, especially one so pressing as his real name, isn't the type of thing that a young girl like Gwendolen could handle or understand. I don't agree with him on this. Keeping up the facade is just digging him deeper into a hole, and eventually Gwendolen will find out that he's been deceiving her for all of the time that they've known each other.