Algernon and Cecily

 Compare the proposal ( "Jack and Gwen") and this scene ("Algernon and Cecily"). 

Then analyse the vision of love and marriage given  in these two scenes.

CECILY	Then have we got to part?
ALGERNON	I am afraid so. It's a very painful parting.
CECILY	It is always painful to part from people whom one has known for a very brief space of time. The absence of old friends one can endure with equanimity. But even a momentary separation from anyone to whom one has just been introduced is almost unbearable.
ALGERNON	Thank you.
	[Enter MERRIMAN.]
MERRIMAN	The dog-cart is at the door, sir. [ALGERNON looks appealingly at CECILY.]
CECILY	It can wait, Merriman for . . . five minutes.
MERRIMAN	Yes, Miss.
	[Exit MERRIMAN.]
ALGERNON	I hope, Cecily, I shall not offend you if I state quite frankly and openly that you seem to me to be in every way the visible personification of absolute perfection.
CECILY	I think your frankness does you great credit, Ernest. If you will allow me, I will copy your remarks into my diary. [Goes over to table and begins writing in diary.]
ALGERNON	Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at it. May I?
CECILY	Oh no. [Puts her hand over it.] You see, it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy. But pray, Ernest, don't stop. I delight in taking down from dictation. I have reached 'absolute perfection'. You can go on. I am quite ready for more.
ALGERNON	[Somewhat taken aback.] Ahem! Ahem!
CECILY	Oh, don't cough, Ernest. When one is dictating one should speak fluently and not cough. Besides, I don't know how to spell a cough. [Writes as ALGERNON speaks.]
ALGERNON	[Speaking very rapidly.] Cecily, ever since I first looked upon your wonderful and incomparable beauty, I have dared to love you wildly, passionately, devotedly, hopelessly.
CECILY	I don't think that you should tell me that you love me wildly, passionately, devotedly, hopelessly. Hopelessly doesn't seem to make much sense, does it?
ALGERNON	Cecily!
	[Enter MERRIMAN.]
MERRIMAN	The dog-cart is waiting, sir.
ALGERNON	Tell it to come round next week, at the same hour.
MERRIMAN	[Looks at CECILY, who makes no sign.] Yes, sir.
	[MERRIMAN retires.]
CECILY	Uncle Jack would be very much annoyed if he knew you were staying on till next week, at the same hour.
ALGERNON	Oh, I don't care about Jack. I don't care for anybody in the whole world but you. I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won't you?
CECILY	You silly boy! Of course. Why, we have been engaged for the last three months.
ALGERNON	For the last three months?
CECILY	Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday.
ALGERNON	But how did we become engaged?
CECILY	Well, ever since dear Uncle Jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you, Ernest.
ALGERNON	Darling! And when was the engagement actually settled?
CECILY	On the 14th of February last. Worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence, I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here. The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover's knot I promised you always to wear.
ALGERNON	Did I give you this? It's very pretty, isn't it?
CECILY	Yes, you've wonderfully good taste, Ernest. It's the excuse I've always given for your leading such a bad life. And this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters. [Kneels at table, opens box, and produces letters tied up with blue ribbon.]
ALGERNON	My letters! But, my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters.
CECILY	You need hardly remind me of that, Ernest. I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always three times a week, and sometimes oftener.
ALGERNON	Oh, do let me read them, Cecily?
CECILY	Oh, I couldn't possibly. They would make you far too conceited. [Replaces box.] The three you wrote me after I had broken of the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelled, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little.
ALGERNON	But was our engagement ever broken off?
CECILY	Of course it was. On the 22nd of last March. You can see the entry if you like. [Shows diary.] 'To-day I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I feel it is better to do so. The weather still continues charming.'
ALGERNON	But why on earth did you break it of? What had I done? I had done nothing at all. Cecily, I am very much hurt indeed to hear you broke it off. Particularly when the weather was so charming.
CECILY	It would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you before the week was out.
ALGERNON	[Crossing to her, and kneeling.] What a perfect angel you are, Cecily.
CECILY	You dear romantic boy. [He kisses her, she puts her fingers through his hair.] I hope your hair curls naturally, does it?
ALGERNON	Yes, darling, with a little help from others.
CECILY	I am so glad.
ALGERNON	You'll never break of our engagement again, Cecily?
CECILY	I don't think I could break it off now that I have actually met you. Besides, of course, there is the question of your name.
ALGERNON	Yes, of course. [Nervously.]
CECILY	You must not laugh at me, darling, but it had always been a girlish dream of mine to love some one whose name was Ernest. [ALGERNON rises, CECILY also.] There is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence. I pity any poor married woman whose husband is not called Ernest.
ALGERNON	But, my dear child, do you mean to say you could not love me if I had some other name?
CECILY	But what name?
ALGERNON	Oh, any name you like - Algernon - for instance . . .
CECILY	But I don't like the name of Algernon.
ALGERNON	Well, my own dear, sweet, loving little darling, I really can't see why you should object to the name of Algernon. It is not at all a bad name. In fact, it is rather an aristocratic name. Half of the chaps who get into the Bankruptcy Court are called Algernon. But seriously, Cecily . . . [Moving to her] . . . if my name was Algy, couldn't you love me?
CECILY	[Rising.] I might respect you, Ernest, I might admire your character, but I fear that I should not be able to give you my undivided attention