The Importance of Being Earnest

The play opens on Algernon and his butler, Lane, chatting in Algernon’s London apartment about the differences in the quality between champagne in the houses of bachelors and of married men. Lane soon exits and announces that Jack (Ernest) Worthing has arrived. Jack has been away in the country and does not enjoy it. Algernon tells Jack that his Aunt Augusta and cousin Gwendolen will be arriving shortly and that Augusta will not want Jack there flirting with Gwendolen. Jack, however, has come to town for the specific purpose of proposing to Gwendolen.

Algernon insists that Gwendolen will not marry Jack since “girls never marry the men they flirt with” (9). Algernon has found an inscription from someone named Cecily to Jack inside his cigarette case, and he threatens to withhold his consent to the marriage unless Jack tells him who she is. Jack explains that Cecily is the granddaughter of Mr. Cardew, his adoptive father; she is under Jack’s guardianship and calls him “Uncle.”

Jack confesses that he has been using the name Ernest in town; whereas, when he is in the country, he uses his proper name and pretends to have a troubled brother named Ernest in London. Thus, Jack always has an excuse to be somewhere else or someone to take the blame for his own bad behavior. Algernon informs Jack that he has a similar practice in which he pretends to go take care of a sick friend named Bunbury when he wants an excuse to get out of town or social obligations. Jack insists that he is not like Algernon and that he intends to renounce his alter ego Ernest if Gwendolen accepts his proposal.

Lady Bracknell (Aunt Augusta) arrives with Miss Fairfax (Gwendolen). When Lady Bracknell reaches for one of the cucumber sandwiches which Algernon asked Lane to specially prepare for her, she finds that there are none. Algernon has eaten all of them but affects to be shocked while Lane asserts that there were no cucumbers in the market that morning. Algernon tries to get out of the obligation to have dinner with his Aunt, telling her that his “poor friend Bunbury is very ill again” (18). Lady Bracknell is irritated, saying that she wishes Bunbury would stop being indecisive and either live or die. She asks that Bunbury not have a relapse on Saturday because she needs Algernon to arrange the music for her final reception of the season. She and Algernon exit to discuss the music.

Jack and Gwendolen confess their love to one another. Gwendolen says that she has long been determined to fall in love with a man named Ernest. Jack nervously asks if she would love him even if he weren’t named Ernest, but Gwendolen dismisses the concern since, after all, his name is Ernest. Jack proposes formally, and she accepts.

Lady Bracknell reenters the room, and Gwendolen informs her of their engagement. Lady Bracknell bristles and says she does not consent to the marriage. She orders Gwendolen out of the room, so she can interrogate Jack. She approves of his smoking habit, age, and wealth, but she is offended when Jack tells her that he is an adopted orphan who was discovered as an infant in a handbag at Victoria Station. Lady Bracknell refuses to give permission their engagement, summons Gwendolen, and leaves in a hurry.

Algernon reappears, and Jack tells him what has happened. Algernon asks if Jack explained to Gwendolen about “Ernest,” and Jack says no. Jack says he plans to tell everyone that Ernest died of apoplexy (a stroke) in Paris that week. Algernon points out that Cecily has become interested in Ernest and may be upset at his death. Jack waves the issue away while also telling Algernon that he will never introduce him to Cecily.

The two men begin making plans for dinner when Gwendolen comes back in. She tells Jack that it seems impossible that her mother will ever give them permission to marry. She promises to be devoted to Jack forever, even if she marries other men, and tells Jack that the story of his unusual origins has only made him more appealing to her. Jack gives her the address of his country house, so she can write to him, which Algernon also overhears.