The Importance of Being Earnest Vocabulary/Characters

Bunburying

The practice of creating a fictional person or excuse to avoid unwanted social obligations (term invented by Oscar Wilde)

Effrontery

Insolent or impertinent behavior; shameless boldness

Ostentatious

Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress

Perfunctory

Carried out with minimal effort or reflection; done merely as a routine duty

Imperious

Arrogant and domineering; assuming power or authority without justification

Supercilious

Behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others; haughty

Indiscretion

Behavior or speech that is not careful or sensible; lack of good judgment

Propriety

Conformity to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals; correctness

Affectation

Behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress; pretense

Candor

The quality of being open, honest, and straightforward in speech or expression

Trivial

Of little value or importance; insignificant

Cynical

Distrustful of human sincerity or integrity; believing people are motivated by self-interest

Paradox

A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement that when investigated may prove to be true

Epigram

A pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way; a witty statement

Duplicity

Deceitfulness; double-dealing; deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech

Frivolous

Not having any serious purpose or value; carefree and superficial

Aesthetic

Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty; artistic

Languid

Displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed

Scrupulous

Very concerned to avoid doing wrong; diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details

Irreproachable

Beyond criticism; blameless and faultless

Jack Worthing

The protagonist who leads a double life as 'Ernest' in the city and 'Jack' in the country.

Algernon Moncrieff

Jack's close friend, known for his wit and penchant for Bunburying.

Gwendolen Fairfax

Algernon's love interest, who is obsessed with the name 'Ernest'.

Cecily Cardew

Jack's ward, who is infatuated with the idea of 'Ernest'.

Lady Bracknell

Gwendolen's mother, a formidable and aristocratic figure who values social status.

Miss Prism

Cecily's governess, who has a mysterious past and a romantic history with Dr. Chasuble.

Dr. Chasuble

The local clergyman who is romantically interested in Miss Prism.

What does Lady Bracknell reveal about Miss Prism's past at the beginning of Act 3?

Miss Prism was employed as a nursemaid in her household 28 years ago, and that she disappeared one day with a baby

What truth does Miss Prism reveal about the handbag and the baby she lost?

she accidentally mixed up a baby and a manuscript: she put the baby in a handbag and left it at Victoria Station, while she put her three-volume novel in the baby carriage

How does Jack discover his real name, and what is it?

Jack looks through the Army Lists and discovers he was named after his father, General Ernest John Moncrieff, so his real name is indeed Ernest.

What is the significance of Jack's discovery about Algernon's relationship to him?

Jack is Algernon's older brother

How does the play resolve the question of "Earnest"—who actually ends up being earnest, and in what way?

Jack has been earnest (honest/sincere) all along without realizing it—his name really is Ernest, so when he told Gwendolen his name was Ernest, he was actually telling the truth.

THEMES: Duplicity and Double Lives

Jack and Algernon both create fictional personas to escape responsibility

Jack's "Ernest" in town vs. "Jack" in country

Algernon's "Bunbury" as excuse for pleasure

Irony: Jack's fake name turns out to be his real name

Quote: "I've now realized for the first time in my life the vital Importance of Being Earnest"

THEMES: Triviality and Superficiality

Characters obsess over trivial matters (names, cucumber sandwiches, muffins)

Gwendolen and Cecily care more about the name Ernest than the person

Lady Bracknell values wealth and social position over character

Wilde satirizes Victorian society's shallow values

THEMES: Marriage and Courtship

Marriage treated as social/economic contract, not romance

Lady Bracknell's interrogation of Jack focuses on property and connections

Algernon's cynical views: "Divorces are made in Heaven"

The play mocks Victorian marriage conventions

THEMES: Social Class and Snobbery

Lady Bracknell embodies aristocratic snobbery

Jack's unknown parentage makes him unsuitable despite his wealth

Cecily becomes acceptable when her fortune is revealed

Wilde critiques the rigid Victorian class system

THEMES: Identity and Earnestness

The pun on "Ernest/earnest" is central

Characters are NOT earnest (serious/sincere)—they're frivolous and deceptive

Yet the play suggests being "earnest" is overrated

True identity vs. performed identity

Satire

Mocks Victorian institutions: marriage, education, religion, class system

Uses humor to criticize society

Nothing is sacred—everything is fair game for mockery

Paradox and Epigrams

Wilde's signature style—characters speak in clever, quotable lines

Example: "I can resist everything except temptation"

Dramatic irony:

Audience knows Jack and Algernon are lying before the women do

Situational irony:

Jack's fake name is actually his real name

Verbal irony

Characters say the opposite of what they mean

The Handbag:

Jack's mysterious origins; absurdity of class distinctions based on birth

Food (cucumber sandwiches, muffins, tea-cake):

Appetite and indulgence; trivial concerns; Algernon's gluttony represents his pleasure-seeking nature

The Name "Ernest"

Pun on earnest/Ernest; irony of seeking honesty through deception

Town vs. Country:

Dual identities; escape from responsibility; Victorian double standards

Christening/Baptism:

Rebirth and transformation; willingness to change identity for love

Satire of Victorian Society

Lady Bracknell as embodiment of aristocratic values (wealth over character)

Marriage as social contract rather than romance

Obsession with trivial matters (names, food, appearances)

The absurdity of class distinctions (handbag incident)