Bunburying

[Unregistered]

Bunburying is a system in which Algernon invented and uses to escape from unwanted social obligations.

[Unregistered]

While Bunburying is certainly a method for Algernon to escape his unwanted social responsibilities, Wilde was also tipping his hat to the homosexual audience of the time. A bunburyist was code for a homosexual, much as "gay" was, until heterosexuals figured out what it meant. Wilde isn't neccessarily implying that Algie's gay, he's alluding to the catch-phrase of the time.

[t]

Bunburying is not an actual "thing".Algernon made up hid friend Bunbury so he could go "visit"him when he did not want to visit relatives.Hence the phrase "Bunburying"

[Unregistered]

If you have read the play, you should know what bunburying is. Are you sure you're an English teacher? Bunburying is something Algernon made up (named after his imaginary friend, Mr. Bunbury) as an excuse to go to the country. Jack does the same thing by inventing an imaginary brother, so he can go to the city whenever he pleases.

[Unregistered]

Am I wrong, or doesn't Wilde explain in the very dialogue what Bunburying is? It's made up by Algy. All you have to do is read a few more pages...

[Unregistered]

It explains it in the next few pages. If you'd read it you'd know that by now. I don't see how you can say that you are an english teacher if you don't even know how to finish a play. Stick with drama, you're obviously better suited for it.

[Carol]

hello, I found the meaning in my dictionary. It means touring or sightseeing.

[Britta]

Hello!<br><br>maybe I can help your confusion. In my opinion, and I have read this in various sources, the term "bunburying" refers to the homosexual activity of having anal sex (you knnow, you bury something in the bun of someone else...). It is one of the many covert hints at homosexuality that Wilde's contemporaries only understood if they were part of the subculture. Likewise, I have read, "Cecily" is the term that was applie to a call-boy within the homosexual community of fin-de-siecle London. I found this out when teaching the play at German University, whether you can use this information teaching in high school, I do not know...<br><br>Cheers,<br>Britta

[Ellena]

Initially I felt that it was just a name for Algy's imaginary friend. Later, my literature lecturer told us that bunbury meant something else as Britta has elaborated. I felt quite uneasy when I heard it. As a school teacher, I believe that knowing what it really meant and teaching literature requires how we use our wisdom to enhance knowledge for the good of the students. I feel that it is quite unnecessary to highlight the 'backside' of the word bunbury but lead the students to learn and enjoy literature for what it is - for aesthetic knowledge .

[N]

Most of you commenters are cruel. The teacher just asked a simple question. You didn't have to go and insult the teacher by telling him/her that they shouldn't be an english teacher. How rude. If you want to answer the question, do so, and move on. WHo are you to insult someone like that. Shame on you. And this is coming from a high school senior. Some of you who are older should grow up.

[person]

i am only a freshman in high school, but i think everyones' opinon should be allowed to be stated whether one agrees or not. i think that bunburying is the act of doing what algeron wants because of his imaginary friend bunbury. he got out of staying with his aunt because of bunbury and went to jacks country house because of it. so in short i think bunburying is just doing what one wants because of there new found freedom. lol silly me

[Unregistered]

bunbury is the name of wilde's best friend. Henry bunbury (my great great grandfather) was known for wandering off at all times (we all still do it!)

[Unregistered]

i was going to reply but then realized that you must have gotten a bunch. i guess if you read the play you'll find out<br>

[Samantha]

Hey, i am not sure what bunburing is exacly. i believe that is is when someone (or something) is made up in order to avoid social events. i am a freshman in high school. i take beginning drama and we just got done read the play "the importance of being earnest" tomarrow when i go to drama class, i am going to ask my teacher what it means. She told us the exact meaning/definition of it but i kinda forgot. if you email me i can tell you what she said. mt email is [email protected] Hopefully i can help you!<br><br> Sam.

[Lord Henry]

Bunburying is merely the term for the creation of a spurious alibi. Please do not be deceived by suggestions that Bunburying is a term for "anal sex", or that "Earnest" was a codeword for homosexual. <br>In February 2001, the great British actor Sir Donald Sinden wrote a letter to The Times dispelling these ridiculous urban myths:<br> "Sir, In the 1940s I was privileged to talk, at considerable length, about the first production in 1895 of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest with three of the original participants: Irene Vanburgh, the first Gwendolen; Allan Aynesworth, the first Algy; and Lord Alfred Douglas, who was in Worthing with Wilde when he wrote the play and was present at the first night at the St James's Theatre.<br>"Although they had ample opportunity, at no time did any of them even hint that Earnest was a synonym for homosexual, or that Bunburying may have implied homosexual sex. The first time I heard it mentioned was in the 1980s and I immediately consulted Sir John Gielgud whose own performance of John Worthing in the same play was legendary and whose knowledge of theatrical lore was encyclopaedic. He replied in his ringing tones: "No-No! Nonsense, absolute nonsense: I would have known.<br>"Now we have Sir Richard Eyre in his otherwise excellent BBC television series about the history of the theatre repeating this ridiculous canard and adding, preposterously, that Cecily was a synonym for a "rentboy".<br>"I am emboldened to write this because only last week a theatre critic (not your own), in reviewing the latest production of The Importance, stated that the word 'earnest' was Victorian slang for homosexual".<br>"The rot is setting in and, if unchecked, will doubtless be regurgitated in countless PhD theses.<br>Yours faithfully, DONALD SINDEN"<br><br>So there you have it. Please do not regurgitate the "rot". But do enjoy the play.

[B.Stephens]

I was reading the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" in my Drama class today, when we were all stunned by the word "Bunbury". They asked me, "Mr. Stephens, what does Bunbury mean? What is Bunburying?" I'll tell u all, I'm a second year English teacher, but a first year Drama teacher, and I had no clue what it meant! I tried to look it up in the dictionary, and encyclopaedia, but I got nothing except that there is a city called Bunbury in Australia, but i'm not sure what that has to do with anything.<br>So...what exactly is Bunburying?? Can someone help out a young, confused English teacher pretending to be a Drama teacher? Thanks!

[mirou]

hi...i'm just a tunisian studiant (studying english as a speciality) but what i understood from the play is that bumbury is a way of escape from every thing not wanted ,created by Algy...like what did Jack when he created a brother called Earnest...we're studying this play and i'll ask my teacher about this point and i'll tell you all what he'll say to me...i really want to help you and to help my self at the same time in understanding this play....

[strawberry]

I don't think so that bunbury gives the meaning of homosixual term !
Simply, it had made up to a void socity obligations. that's all
C ya

[pandora]

Bunbury is the creation of alter ago to avoid responsibilities.

[toni]

Bunbury is the creation of alter ago to avoid responsibilities.


Pandora said what I would've posted..:lol:

[Laporis]

Bunbury is the creation of alter ago to avoid responsibilities.

Yes something very common in victorian society! The importance of being Ernest is more 'important' than actually be honest! So everyone who seems to be serious actually leads a double-life to escape that reality! :)