Jack. oh, gwendolen is as right as a trivet. as far as she is concerned, we are engaged. her mother is perfectly unbearable. never met such a gorgon . . i don’t really know what a gorgon is like, but i am quite sure that lady bracknell is one. in any case, she is a monster, without being a myth, which is rather unfair . . i beg your pardon, algy, i suppose i shouldn’t talk about your own aunt in that way before you.
algernon. my dear boy, i love hearing my relations abused. it is the only thing that makes me put up with them at all. relations are simply a tedious pack of people, who haven’t got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die.
how does oscar wilde use algernon’s attitude to poke fun at society’s traditional rules of behavior?
in traditional society, algernon would be expected to defend his aunt. instead, he speaks freely about his feelings toward family.
in traditional society, algernon would be expected to speak kindly to jack. instead, he is harsh in his response.
algernon rises to his aunt’s defense when jack becomes critical of her personality.
algernon explains that his aunt is difficult, but that gwendolen is a favorite cousin.