Question

Why has Cecily broken off her engagement to Algernon?

• A. She discovered that Jack’s brother is more wicked than she thought
• B. She discovered that Jack’s brother is less wicked than she thought
• C. She felt it couldn’t be a really serious engagement otherwise
• D. She had met someone else

Answer 1

Answer:

C. She felt it couldn’t be a really serious engagement otherwise

• Cecily has broken off her engagement to Algernon (who is pretending to be "Ernest") because she believes it is what couples in love are supposed to do.

• She explains that she and "Ernest" (Algernon) have been "engaged" for three months—entirely in her imagination—and during that time, she felt it was necessary to break off the engagement once, just for the excitement of it. She tells Algernon:

• "It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn’t been broken off at least once."

• This moment is part of Wilde’s satire on Victorian romantic ideals, mocking the way people construct dramatic, artificial relationships based on societal expectations rather than genuine emotion. Cecily’s childish and overly romanticized view of love contrasts with Algernon’s carefree deception, creating one of the play’s funniest moments.