Question

Which excerpt from Act I of The Importance of Being Earnest. is an understatement?

“I am always telling that to your poor uncle, but he never seems to take much notice . . . as far as any improvement in his ailment goes.”
“Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names.”
“Gwendolen, I must get christened at once—I mean we must get married at once. There is no time to be lost.”
“You know that I love you, and you led me to believe, Miss Fairfax, that you were not absolutely indifferent to me.”

Answer 1

Answer:

Which excerpt from Act I of The Importance of Being Earnest. is an understatement?

1) “I am always telling that to your poor uncle, but he never seems to take much notice . . . as far as any improvement in his ailment goes.”

2) “Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names.”

3) “Gwendolen, I must get christened at once—I mean we must get married at once. There is no time to be lost.”

4) “You know that I love you, and you led me to believe, Miss Fairfax, that you were not absolutely indifferent to me.”<<<CORRECT

Explanation:

EDGE 2021

Answer 2

After analyzing each excerpt from "The Importance of Being Earnest," we can select the following one as containing an understatement:

D. “You know that I love you, and you led me to believe, Miss Fairfax, that you were not absolutely indifferent to me.”

What is an understatement?

An understatement is a device that presents something as being less than what it really is. Another word for understatement is euphemism.

In the excerpt found in letter D, the understatement lies in the words "not absolutely indifferent to me." This is a way to make Miss Fairfax's feelings seems less intense than what they really are. The speaker actually means that she loves him.

Learn more about understatement here:

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