Read the excerpt from Act III of The Importance of Being Earnest.Gwendolen. True! I had forgotten. There are principles at stake that one cannot surrender. Which of us should tell them? The task is not a pleasant one.Cecily. Could we not both speak at the same time?Gwendolen. An excellent idea! I nearly always speak at the same time as other people. Will you take the time from me?Cecily. Certainly. [Gwendolen beats time with uplifted finger.]Gwendolen and Cecily [Speaking together.] Your Christian names are still an insuperable barrier. That is all!
Gwendolen and Cecily agree that their principles matter and quickly devise a way to tell the men their names are still a barrier. Speaking together shows they are resolved to make their position clear, so the tone conveys determination. It is not hopelessness, since they are actively deciding what to do.
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