Lady Augusta Bracknell

Lady Augusta Bracknell

1. Language

   • Remains articulate and with firm control of repartee throughout, establishes her power dynamics over everyone
     • Both Jack and Algernon stutter or loose eloquence at points when talking to her
     • LB able to taunt characters like Jack throughout through nuances of language and double meaning
       • "Is Miss Cardew at all connected with any of the larger railway stations in London?' p60
         • Link to genre and the trope she represents, is an elderly women, able to do this because has most experience within the upper class world

2. Attitudes

   • Love, marriage and women
     • A a female character is interpretation of a trope from comedy of manners genre, a matriarch with power and arbitrary attitudes that complicate the plot, often figure of humour both to the audience and other characters because in no longer sexually or aesthetically desirable-
       • Creates a paradox of her power, it is very real in its effect and all character adhere to it, yet in private Algernon, Jack and Gwendolen all demean and satirise her.
         • Jack calls her a 'gorgon', monster, but also insulting to physical appearance, link to aestheticism p21
         • Gwendolen disobeys her mother through actions and inverts LB's belief that 'Hesitation... is a sign of mental decay in the young' (i.e. sign of rebellion) by saying G: 'The ol-dfashioned respect for the young is fast dying out' p25
         • Algernon creates Bunbury to go against LB and states he 'loves hearing (his) relations abused.' p22
       • Also separate from other characters as without partner or foil (9 characters and she odd one out)
     • LB's attitudes to marriage very closely linked to social hierarchy
       • This in turn links to her over arching role in the play, to convey the hypocrisies of victorian society
         • Does not approve of 'mercenary marriages' yet 'When (she) married Lord Bracknell (she) had no fortune of any kind.' p61
     • Rejects any notion that marriage may be for love
       • 'I was obliged to call of dear Lady Harbury. I hadn't been there since her poor husband's death. I never saw a woman so altered; she looks quite twenty years younger' p13
         • Semi colon break establishes audiences expectations. Conveys that LB's views on marriage subverted, irony that character seemingly obsessed with marriage but continually presents it as undesirable
           • Another example when talking of Jack's real father, (eccentricity) 'result of the Indian climate, and marriage, and indigestion' p69- alliteration of Indian and indigestion either side of marriage makes it appear out of place, emphasising it to the listener and emphasising the satire surround LB's views on marriage.
           • Also presented in her own marriage with inversion of traditional gender conventions with her husband- 'your father, should his health permit him'. p17
       • Also rejects importance of character, only class and clash (link to treatment of Jack) - 'I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before marriage.' p62
   • Social hierarchy
     • Views mainly conveyed through her rejection of jack's marriage proposal to Gwendolen based on his lack of parentage and therefore secure social status
       • Is willing to reject Cecily (rich, pretty, charming) as a match for Algernon simply because doesn't want Gwendolen to marry Jack
         • J: 'But my dear Lady Bracknell, the matter is entirely in your own hands. The moment you consent to my marriage with Gwendolen, I will most gladly allow you nephew to form an alliance with my ward.' 'LB: '(Rising a drawing herself up) Your must be quite aware that what you propose is out of the question.' p64
           • Physical humour of indignation (bird-like) in 'drawing herself up'
       • Links to overall theme of 'cash, class and character' Jack proven to have cash and character (though character less important to LB anyway)
         • Jack doesn't have class- 'I strongly advise you, Mr Worthing,... to make a definite effort to produce at any rate on parent, of either sex, before the season is quite over.' p21
           • Humour at impossibility, frames being an orphan as a choice, Wilde able to satires the upper classes convictions that they are always correct, without question at it is up to everyone else to change, even if impossible
   • Propriety and etiquette
     • Is able to frame every decision and attitude in moralistic terms, allowing her to triumph above all other characters, Wilde satirises this most explicitly when propriety, or the language of morals, applied to absurd situations
       • 'Well I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or die. this shilly-shallying on with the question is absurd.' p14
         • Victorian charatcer valued moralistic and decisive strength, applying this to life and death highlights the absurdity of this attitude across society (Aestheticism pushed individualism rather than a 'hard and fast rule' and also how truth subjective and not absolute, so decision making partially void)
           • Satire made greater through complete lack of sympathy- conveyed through inclusion of everyday, colloquial decision-making terminology, 'shilly-shallying' and 'high time...made up his mind'
       • Uses property as a facade to avoid social judgement
         • 'French songs I cannot possibly allow. People always seem to think that they are improper, and either look shocked, which is vulgar, or laugh, which is worse.' p14
           • After french revolution in late 18th century (about one hundred years before play written) English aristocracy fearful of similar thing (LB later refers to fear of 'acts of violence in Grosvenor Square') her move has nothing to do with respectability, though she tries to frame it in this way, and more with the judgment she would face from the political implication- fact this is french music satirises level of scrutiny in upper classes.
             • Also see level of scrutiny through Algernon judging moral behaviour of lower classes without judging himself- hypocrisy of upper classes, all external judgment not internal
   • Hypocrisy
     • Either does not see or ignores hypocrisy, lack of self-evalutation within the upper classes, Wilde satirises ignorance
       • Can be seen clearly in her swift changes attitudes, emotions and opinions.
         • LB: "As a matter of form, Mr Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?' J: 'Oh! about a hundred and thirty puns in the Funds...' 'LB: (sitting down again) A moment, Mr Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds" And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me the most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.' p60
           • Exaggerated transparency of emotions what heightens the comedy, goes form use of diminutive 'little fortune' to complete reversal in emotions, with the pathetic guise of 'look(ing) at her again' swiftness of change also enforced by the physical comedy of sitting back down.
       • Sees ignorance as precious, unquestioning, safe- 'Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone.' p18
     • Paradoxical hypocritical statements reflect absurdity of Victorian morality.

3. How she fits key motifs

   • Town and country
     • Lady Bracknell unimpressed with Jack's town and country houses, town house 'unfashionable' and country estate neither 'profit or pleasure' p19
       • Rejects country- 'A girl with a simple and unspoilt nature was Gwendolen, could hardly be expected to reside in the country.' p19
         • But able to exercise power in both domains
   • Satire
     • Main instrument of satire surrounding her is through her hypocrisy and firm commitment to absurd notions
       • Idea of being able to 'produce' a parent
         • See's Jack and Cecily being orphans as an inconvenience. In Victorian times charity pushed as idea through moralistic terms, often towards orphans and wards (lots of orphanages built during period) LB's rejection of Jack is moralistic terms for selfish marital reasons eateries that though morality and charity an attractive facade ultimately social ideals more important.
       • Lack of empathy or sympathy towards Bunbury's death
         • Implies she is aware of 'Bunburying' because of longer experience in upper class society, aware of social conduct
   • identity
     • Will only accepts Jack's identity through his heredity and lineage.
       • 'Mr Worthing, is Miss Cardew at all connected with any of the larger railway stations in London"... Unitil yesterday I had no idea that there were any families or persons whose origin was a Terminus.' p60
         • Double meaning of 'Terminus', refers to train station but also terminate (dead end), reflecting her attitudes towards his lack of family being a dead end for marriage, humour therefore created through oxymoron of 'origin; being a 'Terminus'

4. Interactions with other characters

   • Algernon
     • Morally disapproves of him, 'Good afternoon, dear Algernon, I hope you are behaving very well.' 'I am feeling very well, Aunt Augusta.' 'That;s not quite the same thing. In fact the two rarely go together.' p12
       • Defends him though/ over looks immoral behaviour because he is family, and doesn't pose trouble to her (unlike Jack)
         • 'Ahem! Mr Worthing, after careful consideration I have decided to entirely overlook my nephew's conduct to you.' p63
         • 'That is not the destiny I propose for Gwendolen. Algernon of course can choose for himself.' p64
   • Jack
     • Strongly dislikes him after discovering lack of parentage.
       • Even before she know she '(Bows to him in icy coldness)' p12- suspicious because of importance of correct match for Gwendolen
     • Condemns him through moralistic and social hierarchical terms- 'To be born, or at any rate bred in a handbag, whether it has straps or not, seems to me to display a contempt for the ordinary decencies of family life that reminds me of the works excess of the french revolution.' p21
       • Belittles him through animalistic verb 'breed', also mocks his nervous injections of superfluous detail (whether it has straps or not). Then alines herself with moral decency (family life an ideal pushed by the royal family throughout Victoria's reign), also likens this to aristocratic fear of the french revolution, humour creates through the exaggeration that being born in a handbag equivalent to complete class warfare.
       • 'To loose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to loose both looks like carelessness.' p20
   • Cecily
     • Initially repeats stage action she first did to Jack- '(Lady Bracknell bows coldly to Cecily)'p59, suggests she sees her as similar problem if like Jack, does not meet requirements, is wary of her.
       • Then finds her 'not unsatisfactory' p60 because of her grandfather (importance of lineage), double negative creates humour, straining highly conservative attitudes.
         • More kind once realises marriage possible way to increase fortune, 'Come here sweet child...' 'Well, it will not be very long before you are of age and free from the restrain of tutelage. I don't think your guardian's consent is, after all, a matter of any importance.' p63 Hypocrisy, her consent central in preventing J&G marrying
           • Still looks down on her because of her appearance as a country girl- 'Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might have left it.' p61
       • Development of opinion with each new piece of information, in such a short amount of time, demonstrates how removed from her views character is, only class and cash.
   • Gwendolen
     • Is dominating over her and wishes to control her marriage in order to make a good match.
       • Bribes her maid to find out where she is
       • 'Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you do become engaged to someone, I, or your father, should his health permit him, will inform you of the fact.' p17
       • (To Jack) 'You can hardly imagine that I and Lord Bracknell would dream of allowing our only daughter- a girl brought up with the utmost care- to marry into a cloakroom, and form an alliance with a parcel?" p21
         • Interesting point, Jack echoes back to LB, 'allow your nephew to form an alliance with my ward.' p64
           • Repetition, satirising that marriage like a business in this society, also perhaps as Jack gets more confident trying again to adopt the language of the moralistic figures of authority to get what he wants (fails here also- see Jack character map)