Mr. Bunbury

[Nuno]

Could somenone please explain to me who is Mr. Bunbury and what does he represent? Thank you.

[Nuno]

Hi,<br><br>I'm an English teacher currently reading this book with my 9th grade. Bunburying, an alternation on the word "bumming", refers to Oscar Wilde's homosexual nature. I know this sound obscure, however Oscar Wilde is known for his privately related metaphors and hidden meanings to things in his works.<br><br>Hope this has helped,<br><br>Kind regards,<br> Nick

Sorry, I didn't see this before. Could someone please post more info?

[mono]

Hello, Nuno, welcome to the forum.
Nick posted partially correctly, in my opinion, but "bunburying" more refers to leading a double-life, allowing someone to lead a life of deception. Oscar Wilde, of course, in all of his works, incorporated much of himself into the story, so "bunburying," to him, could refer to his suppressed homosexuality (which he later expressed); but in The Importance Of Being Earnest, Algernon refers to Jack as a "bunburyist" for calling himself Ernest to some, and Jack to others.

[Nuno]

Thank you mono for the kind welcome.
In fact that is not the type of answer I am looking for. I am interested in the charecter itself. But suficient enough.

[AAAstarry]

From my perception of the play, I would willingly reveal my supposition regarding Bunbury. I see a metaphore hidden in the name of Mr. Bunbury, so-called invented friend of Algy. I assume there's much more behind it than an spurious alibi that Algy had creating his friend Bunbury. According to the context, in which the word "Bunbury" was mentioned, it can have several meanings. Bunburyist - a person conducting a double deceptive life, pretending to be somebody else.(what we can refer to Jack, being Ernest). "To Bunbury all over" - messing around, travel around seeking for having fun; entertain oneself, have fun. (what Algy is sayng about himself in Act I). And the last one is simply a person, who never existed, a fictitious character. That's my understanding of the metaphore.

[smartie_pants88]

Bunbury is not actually a character at all mearly an imaginary friend of Algenons, Just like Jack says to Cecily that he is off to visit his imaginary brother earnest in the town when really he has no brother and is really going to see gwen, alge uses Bunbury as an excuse of getting out of his awfull aunty's formal functions where he gets o bord he becoms rude!

so in answer bunbury is not a person at all mearly a fictional part of alge's mind