The Importance of Being Earnest

From a window of Jack’s country house, Cecily and Gwendolen watch the two men finish their muffins and come into the house. Cecily asks Algernon why he pretended to be Jack’s brother, and Algernon says he did it to meet her. Gwendolen asks Jack if he pretended to have a brother so that he could come to London to see her as often as possible. He says that he did. 

At first, the ladies seem inclined to accept the men’s contrition and resume their engagements, but they then say that the men’s “Christian names are still an insuperable barrier” (74). Jack and Algernon reply that they have each arranged to be christened Ernest that afternoon. The two couples embrace just as Merriman announces the arrival of Lady Bracknell.

Gwendolen tells her mother that she is engaged to Jack, and Lady Bracknell orders her to come sit next to her. She insists that Jack cease all communication with Gwendolen. She then asks Algernon if this is the house Mr. Bunbury lives in. He stammers out that Bunbury has just died. She is glad that Bunbury has finally made up his mind and died under the advice of medical authorities.

Algernon informs his aunt that he is engaged to Cecily who has just been introduced to her as Jack’s ward. Lady Bracknell is moderately satisfied by the details of Cecily’s background but becomes positively enthusiastic about the engagement when Jack tells her that Cecily is the heiress to an enormous fortune. She gives her assent to the marriage, and she, Algernon, and Cecily reconcile happily.

Jack, however, says that he does not approve and, as Cecily’s guardian, withholds his consent for the marriage on the grounds of Algernon’s low moral character. Upon finding out that Cecily is eighteen, Lady Bracknell points out that she will soon be of age and free to marry who she wishes, but Jack tells her that she does not legally come of age until thirty-five. Algernon promises Cecily that he can wait for her, but she says that she is too impatient. Jack now tells Lady Bracknell that he will allow Cecily to marry Algernon if she permits Gwendolen to marry him.

Lady Bracknell categorically refuses to allow Gwendolen to marry Jack and makes to leave with her daughter when Dr. Chasuble enters to tell the men that everything is ready for their christenings. Lady Bracknell remarks that two grown men being christened is highly irregular. Dr. Chasuble turns to return to the church and says that Miss Prism is waiting for him. Lady Bracknell starts at the name and asks about Miss Prism. Jack tells her that she is Cecily’s governess, and Lady Bracknell calls for her to be summoned.

Miss Prism enters and becomes very anxious at the sight of Lady Bracknell. Lady Bracknell demands to know where the baby last seen in Miss Prism’s care twenty-eight years ago is. She was meant to have taken the baby out in its stroller, but the stroller was later found with the manuscript of a three-volume novel in it instead. Miss Prism explains that she accidentally put the manuscript in the stroller and the baby in her handbag. With shame, she tells Lady Bracknell that she left the bag with the baby at Victoria Station. Jack dashes off in excitement. He returns with the handbag in which he was found by Thomas Cardew at Victoria Station, and Miss Prism confirms that it is the same handbag she left there.

Jack at first thinks Miss Prism is his mother, but Lady Bracknell informs him that he is the son of her sister and, therefore, Algernon’s older brother. Gwendolen asks Jack what his name is now. Lady Bracknell cannot recall, only that he was named after his father. After consulting the Army Lists, Jack learns that his father’s name, and his own, is Ernest. All barriers to his marriage to Gwendolen have been removed, and three couples embrace: Jack and Gwendolen; Algernon and Cecily; and Dr. Chasuble and Miss Prism.