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JACK Your duty as a gentleman calls you back. ALGERNON My duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures in the smallest degree.
Oscar Wilde
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote humorously highlights the tension between social responsibilities and personal pleasures.

In this exchange between Jack and Algernon from Oscar Wilde's play, the characters are discussing the concept of duty and pleasure. Jack feels obligated to adhere to the responsibilities of being a gentleman, while Algernon asserts that his sense of duty has never prevented him from enjoying his personal indulgences. This reflects a common struggle between societal expectations and individual desires, illustrating Wilde's wit and perspective on the absurdities of social conventions.

Themes

DutyPleasureGentlemanRelationshipsSociety

In practice

Example use cases

In a conversation about balancing work and personal life, one might quote Wilde to emphasize the importance of enjoyment.

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When one has never heard a man's name in the course of one's life, it speaks volumes for him; he must be quite respectable.
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A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes in it.
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