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70 pages 2 hours read

Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1895

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Character Analysis

Jack (Ernest) Worthing

Jack Worthing is a wealthy, twenty-nine-year-old bachelor who splits his time between his country estate and London. He chafes at the social conventions of the British aristocracy but tries to seem as though he is obeying them, superficially at least.

In the city, Jack goes by the name Ernest and lives the life of a dissolute but wealthy bachelor, aided by his friend Algernon Moncrieff. In the country, he is the guardian of Cecily Cardew who believes him to be a sober, upright young man. He maintains this image by inventing a brother named Ernest to whom he assigns his exploits in the city. 

Despite his wealth and social standing, Jack is a foundling who was discovered as a baby in Victoria Station. He was raised by Thomas Cardew, Cecily’s grandfather, and does not know the identity of his real parents. His social station puts him on the path to meet and fall in love with Gwendolen Fairfax, but his mysterious origin prevents their marriage. The revelation that Jack is Algernon’s long-lost brother eventually clears the way for him to marry Gwendolen.

Algernon Moncrieff

Algernon is Jack’s companion about town in London. He is Lady Bracknell’s nephew Gwendolen’s cousin. Whereas Jack flouts social convention quietly, Algernon delights in being provocative. He lies about having a sick friend in the country, Mr. Bunbury, as an excuse to get out of any unwanted social obligations.

He dresses in loud clothes, curls his hair, and emits a stream of self-contradictory pronouncements about life, love, and social relations. His only consistent position appears to be that nothing he says is to be taken seriously. He is generally regarded as an author stand-in for Wilde. 

Lady Augusta Bracknell

Lady Bracknell is Algernon’s aunt and Gwendolen’s mother. She keeps her daughter on a tight leash, figuratively, and will not allow her to marry anyone she disapproves of. She is imperious and sharp-tongued, constantly pointing out what she considers deficiencies of character and behavior in those around her. This leads her relations such as Algernon to avoid her, and her husband is spoken of as a sort of living husk. She is against any sort of social or educational improvement for anyone and seems to believe that any tragedy that befalls a person must be intended to teach them a lesson.

Miss Gwendolen Fairfax

Gwendolen Fairfax is Algernon’s nephew, the daughter of Lady Bracknell, and the object of Jack’s love. She is young and pretty but, in accordance with her mother’s wishes, very ignorant. She is eager to marry Jack, not because of any of his personal qualities but because she lives “in an age of ideals…and [her] ideal has always been to love someone of the name Ernest” (20).

Miss Cecily Cardew

Cecily Cardew is Jack’s eighteen-year-old ward in the country. Like Gwendolen, she is pretty, rich, and abhors learning. She is very bored by her life in the country and is fascinated by the stories Jack tells of his imaginary wicked brother. Like Gwendolen, she is given to “idealism” and wishes to marry a man named Ernest. She keeps a dairy in which she has recorded an imaginary courtship with “Ernest.”

Miss Prism

Miss Prism is employed by Jack as Cecily’s governess. Despite being responsible for Cecily’s education, Miss Prism does not appear to have much education and frequently misunderstands what is being said. She wishes that Dr. Chasuble would overcome his professional reluctance to court her.

Dr. Chasuble

Dr. Chasuble is the local Church canon in the area around Jack’s country house. He has a strong belief in the power of his sermons, particularly one on the meaning of “manna in the wilderness” (45) which he claims can give comfort in almost occasion. He wishes to court Miss Prism but feels that, as a member of the clergy, it would be improper for him to do so.

Lane

Lane is Algernon’s butler. He assists Algernon by backing up his master’s lies to Lady Bracknell with a stone-faced expression. It is implied that Lane drinks Algernon’s champagne without permission.

Merriman

Merriman is Jack’s butler in the country. He serves to announce people’s arrival and assists in making Algernon miss his train. 

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