Read the excerpt from Act I of The Importance of Being Earnest. Lady Bracknell. Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the question is absurd. . . . I should be much obliged if you would ask Mr. Bunbury, from me, to be kind enough not to have a relapse on Saturday, for I rely on you to arrange my music for me. It is my last reception, and one wants something that will encourage conversation, particularly at the end of the season when every one has practically said whatever they had to say, which, in most cases, was probably not much. What aspect of Lady Bracknell’s behavior does Wilde use to poke fun at the importance placed on frivolous events in formal society? her concern with a party instead of Mr. Bunbury’s health her interest in playing classical music at her reception her jealousy over Algernon’s friendship with the sickly Mr. Bunbury her concern about the health of Algernon’s friend
