Act 1 begins in Algernon's home where the butler, Lane, is setting out tea while Algernon is offstage playing piano very badly. Algernon enters and begins having a conversation with Lane about marriage and their guests for tea. Jack unexpectedly enters and declares his love for Gwendolen, Algernon's cousin, and his plans for proposing to her. Algernon discovers Jack's cigarette case and demands to know who "Jack" is because he knows Jack as "Ernest". Lady Bracknell, Algernon's aunt, enters with her daughter, Gwendolen and discusses Bunburying with Algernon. When Lady Bracknell and Algernon exit, Jack takes the opportunity to tell Gwendolen that he wants to marry her. Gwendolen, however, is still under the impression that Jack's name is Ernest. She says that she would only marry a man named Ernest because it is the only proper name. Lady Bracknell forbids Gwendolen and Jack to get married due to Jack's scandalous family background. He explains to her that he never knew his real parents because he was found in a handbag by his adoptive father.
In Act II, Algernon arrives at Jack’s country home, pretending to be Jack’s fake brother Ernest in the hopes of meeting Cecily, Jack’s dependant, who he has become infatuated with from Jack’s description of her. Jack then returns home, ready to tell a story about how his “brother” Ernest has died unexpectedly in Paris. He finds Algernon at his home, pretending to be “Ernest” and decides to go along with Algernon’s scheme. Algernon proposes to Cecily, only to find out that she has created an imagined romance between the two of them already, after hearing so much about “Uncle Jack’s brother”. Cecily also tells Algernon that part of her attraction to him is a result of his name being Ernest. Algernon leaves the estate to find Dr. Chasuble so he can get his name changed to Ernest. Gwendolen pays an unexpected visit to Jack’s estate and has a discussion with Cecily while Jack is away. Cecily explains that she is “Mr. Worthing’s dependent” and Gwendolen responds saying she never knew Ernest had a dependent. Cecily clarifies to Gwendolen that she is Jack Worthing’s dependent and is engaged to Ernest Worthing. Gwendolen, confused, explains that this can’t be possible because she is engaged to Ernest Worthing. The two then become enemies in the short time they have been conversing. Jack and Algernon return to the estate, both having made appointments with Dr. Chasuble to have their names changed to Ernest. Gwendolen and Cecily eventually discover the men’s true identities and demand to know if Jack’s brother Ernest is real. He tells them that he made up the story of having a brother and that neither of them are named Ernest. The women then storm into the house together, having made up. Act III takes place inside the house, where Gwendolen and Cecily have gone. The women confront Jack and Algernon about their reasons for lying and eventually accept their answers. However, they are still not able to accept their marriage proposals because their names are not Ernest. The men tell their respective lovers that they have both made appointments to be christened as “Ernest”. All is forgiven and the couples are in love again. Lady Bracknell arrives and once again states that she does not give Gwendolen permission to marry Jack. Algernon tells his aunt that has proposed to Cecily which causes Lady Bracknell to investigate the girl. Jack becomes angry with Lady Bracknell’s questions and tells her that Cecily is worth a lot of money, which piques Lady Bracknell’s interest. Jack then says that he will only allow Cecily, still his legal dependent, to marry Algernon if Lady Bracknell consents to the marriage of Jack and Gwendolen. She still refuses and Dr. Chasuble enters, offhandedly mentioning Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess. Lady Bracknell demands Miss Prism’s presence and reveals that Miss Prism lost Lady Bracknell’s sister’s baby once. Miss Prism confesses that she mistakenly put the infant in a handbag which she left at a train station. Jack soon realizes that the baby was him and Lady Bracknell is his aunt, making Algernon his younger brother. Jack also learns that his original christened name was “Ernest John”, and that he was never actually lying about his name or his brother. All couples embrace, including Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble. |