Part 2: Literary Devices in The Importance of Being Earnest
Question 3 • 26-27 Ignite English 12 NG KY-English Language Arts 12
Which lines from The Importance of Being Earnest are epigrams? Check all that apply.“. . . in married life three is company and two is none.”“Well, if you want to know, Cecily happens to be my aunt.”“It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn’t Ernest.” "My dear fellow, there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all.”“More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn’t read.”
Answer
A
“. . . in married life three is company and two is none.”
B
“Well, if you want to know, Cecily happens to be my aunt.”
C
“It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn’t Ernest.”
D
"My dear fellow, there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all.”
E
“More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn’t read.”
Explanation
An epigram is a brief, witty remark that expresses an idea in a clever or surprising way. Choice A twists the familiar saying “two’s company, three’s a crowd” into a joke about married life. Choice E is also an epigram: it humorously suggests that avoiding certain books is central to modern culture. The other lines are statements or dialogue without the same pointed, memorable wit.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.