‘How are the characters, attitudes and prejudices of Cecily Cardew, Miss prism and Dr. Chausable are established during the opening of Act 2’

In the second act of ‘The importance of being Earnest’ were introduced to three characters; Cecily Cardew, Miss Prism and Dr Chausable. Cecily Cardew is represented as a young and light-hearted woman, she comes across as a person that doesn’t like studying or German especially dialogue. She states ‘But I don’t like German. It isn’t at all becoming a language. I know perfectly well that I look quite plain after my German lesson’. Oscar Wilde reveals Cecily as the dominant speaker in the beginning of act 2 during the conversation with Miss Prism (her governess). Miss Prism is very careful on what she says to Cecily Cardew because of their statues Cecily undermines and ignores Miss Prisms comments and questions. Even though Miss Prism is only a governess, Cecily has the influence to change the subject of conversation.

At the beginning of act 2 Miss Prism says ‘Child, you know how anxious your guardian is that you should improve yourself in every way’, her guardian is Jack Worthing and he wants her to succeed in life but never give up. He’s very determined that she should be studying. With Cecily’s reply ‘Dear Uncle Jack is so very serious! Sometimes he is so serious that I think he cannot be quite well. Wilde is portraying to us that she isn’t serious when it comes to studying; she thinks that her Uncle Jack is exaggerating. Miss Prism belittles her by using the word ‘Child’ because Cecily is being immature, so she’s trying to come across as if you’re not going to be grown up I’ll treat you like a child.

Oscar Wilde is trying to make us an audience pre-judge Cecily Cardew without even knowing her by showing us that she’s being childish and inconsiderate when it comes to her Uncle Jack and her studies. Wilde illustrates Miss Prism as a caring and considerate woman, who thinks high of Cecily Cardew and wants the best for her, the relationship between the both of them are very close. Oscar Wilde portrays Dr Chausable as a clergyman.