The Importance of Being Earnest Summary

Algernon Moncrieff prepares for the arrival of his aunt, Lady Bracknell,
and her daughter, Gwendolen, in his stylish London flat in 1895. His
butler, Lane, brings in "Ernest Worthing" (who is listed as "John
Worthing" in the cast list and "Jack" in the body of the play, although
both Lane and Algernon believe his name is Ernest), who has just
returned from the country. Jack reveals he has come to London to
propose to Gwendolen. Algernon ridicules the notion of marriage, and
says that before Jack can marry Gwendolen, he has to clear up the issue
of Cecily. Algernon orders Lane to bring in Jack's cigarette case and
shows the inscription: "'From little Cecily, with her fondest love to her
dear Uncle Jack.'" Jack says his name is Ernest in town and Jack in the
country. Algernon says he has always suspected Jack was a
"Bunburyist," and now he has proof.
Jack explains that Thomas Cardew, who adopted him, willed Jack to be
guardian to his granddaughter, Cecily. Cecily now lives at Jack's place in
the country under the guidance of her governess, Miss Prism. Since Jack
must maintain a high level of morality to set an example, he needs an
excuse to get into town. He has invented a ne'er-do-well younger brother
named Ernest who lives in Albany, and whose problems frequently
require Jack's attendance. Algernon confesses that he has invented an
invalid in the country, Bunbury, for when he needs to get out of town.

Jack insists that he is through with "Ernest," but Algernon maintains that
he will need him more than ever if he marries.
Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive. Algernon tells Lady Bracknell
that he will be unable to attend her dinner tonight, as Bunbury is ill.
They go into the music room. Jack confesses his feelings to Gwendolen,
and she admits that she likes him, too, especially since she has always
wanted to love someone named Ernest. Jack asks if she would still love
him if his name were not Ernest. She would not, she maintains. He
proposes to her, and she accepts. Lady Bracknell comes in, and
Gwendolen informs her of their engagement. Lady Bracknell says that
only she or her father can engage Gwendolen, and orders her to wait in
the carriage. After she leaves, Lady Bracknell learns from Jack that he
was an orphan, found in a handbag on a train. She is aghast and says she
will not allow her daughter to marry him. She leaves and Algernon
enters.
Jack tells Algernon what happened, and promises to "kill off" his brother
Ernest later in the week. Algernon expresses interest in meeting Cecily,
but Jack does not want this to happen, as she is young and pretty.
Gwendolen returns. She tells Algernon to turn his back. She asks Jack
his address in the country, and Algernon slyly writes this down and
checks a train timetable. Gwendolen promises to write Jack daily when
he returns to the countryside, and Jack escorts her out. Algernon informs
Lane that he will be going Bunburying tomorrow.

In the garden at Jack's country house, Miss Prism and Cecily discuss
Jack's seemingly serious demeanor; Miss Prism believes it is due to his
anxiety over his reckless brother. Dr.Chasuble enters the garden. He and
Miss Prism leave for a walk together. Merriman, their butler, announces
the arrival of Ernest Worthing. Algernon enters, pretending to be Ernest.
He and Cecily briefly discuss his "wicked" reputation. When he learns
that Jack will be back Monday afternoon, Algernon announces that he
must leave Monday morning. He flirts with Cecily and they exit into the
house.
Miss Prism and Chasuble return. She urges him to get married to a
mature lady. Jack enters the garden, dressed in black. He tells Miss
Prism he has returned earlier than expected, and explains that he is
dressed in black for his brother, who died in Paris last night. Jack asks
Chasuble if he would christen him this afternoon. He agrees, and Cecily
emerges from the house. She tells him that his brother is in the dining
room; Jack says he doesn't have a brother. She runs into the house and
brings out Algernon. Jack refuses to shake Algernon's hand, but Cecily
says that "Ernest" has been telling him about his friend Bunbury, and
that someone who takes care of an invalid must have some good in him.
Everyone but Jack and Algernon leaves. Jack orders Merriman to get the
dogcart, as Ernest has been called back to town (he wants to get rid of
Algernon). Jack tells Algernon he must leave, while Algernon expresses
an interest in Cecily. Jack exits.

Cecily enters the garden. Merriman tells Algernon that the dogcart is
ready, but Cecily says it can wait. Algernon compliments Cecily to her
great delight. She then tells Merriman that the dogcart can come back
next week. He asks Cecily to marry him, and she points out that they
have been engaged for three months. "Ever since [she] heard of Jack's
wicked brother Ernest" she has loved him. Cecily shows him the box of
letters he "wrote" to her (which she really wrote to herself). She also
admits that she loves him because his name is Ernest. Upon promptin,
she doubts she would be able to love him were his name Algernon. He
says he needs to see Chasuble quickly about "christening...I mean on
most important business." Algernon exits.
Merriman announces that Gwendolen has asked to see Mr. Worthing
(Jack). Cecily informs him that he has gone off to see Chasuble some
time ago, but invites her in. Gwendolen immediately takes to Cecily, but
wishes Cecily were not so young and alluring, as "Ernest," despite his
moral nature, is still susceptible to temptation. Cecily tells her that she is
not Ernest's ward, but his brother Jack's. Rather, she is going to marry
Ernest. They compare diary entries. Gwendolen feels she has the prior
claim, since Ernest asked to marry her yesterday. The girls argue and
insult each other.
Jack enters the garden, and Gwendolen asks if he is engaged to Cecily;
he laughs and denies it. Cecily says the man before them is her Uncle

Jack. As Gwendolen goes into shock, Algernon enters, and Cecily calls
him Ernest. She asks if he is married to Gwendolen; he denies it.
Gwendolen says that his name is Algernon. Cecily is shocked, and she
and Gwendolen hold each other and make up. Jack confesses he has no
brother Ernest, nor any brother at all. The women retire to the house.
Jack is angry at Algernon for stirring up trouble with his Bunburying.
They have both arranged for Chasuble to christen them "Ernest" later
that evening. Jack tells Algernon to go, but he refuses.
Jack and Algernon join Gwendolen and Cecily inside the country house.
The women tell the men their "Christian names are still an insuperable
barrier." The men reveal that they are to be re-christened this afternoon,
and the couples hug. Lady Bracknell arrives, and Gwendolen informs
her of her engagement. Lady Bracknell tells Jack that he may not speak
any more to her daughter.
Jack introduces Cecily to Lady Bracknell, and Algernon says that he is
engaged to her. Only when Lady Bracknell discovers Cecily has a large
personal fortune does she give her consent for their marriage. However,
Jack claims that, as his ward, Cecily may not marry without his consent
until age 35. He declines to give the necessary consent. He says that he
suspects Algernon of being untruthful. He recounts this afternoon's
events, in which Algernon impersonated Jack's brother. Jack tells Lady
Bracknell that if she consents to his marriage with Gwendolen, he will

consent to Cecily's with Algernon. Lady Bracknell refuses and tells

Gwendolen to get ready for the train.
Chasuble enters and announces that he is prepared for the christenings.
Lady Bracknell refuses to allow Algernon to be baptized, and Jack tells
Chasuble that the christenings will not be necessary any more. Chasuble
says he will leave, and mentions that Miss Prism is waiting for him.
Lady Bracknell asks to see Miss Prism. When she enters, she goes pale
upon seeing Lady Bracknell, who accuses her of kidnapping a baby boy
from her house 28 years ago. Under Jack's questioning, Miss Prism
reveals that she accidentally left the baby in a handbag on the Brighton
railway line. Jack leaves excitedly.
Jack returns with this very handbag. Jack tells her he was the baby. Lady
Bracknell informs Jack that he is the son of her sister, making him
Algernon's older brother. Jack asks Lady Bracknell what his original
name was. She says he was named after his father; after locating his
name under the Army Lists, they learn his full name is Ernest John
Moncrieff. All three couples, Chasuble and Miss Prism, Algernon and
Cecily, and Jack and Gwendolen, embrace. Jack tells Lady Bracknell
that he has realized, for the first time in his life, "the vital Importance of
Being Earnest."