Chapter Synopsis of The Importance of Being Earnest - Study Guide by Oscar Wilde

Cecily is able to recount the events to him in such detail as she always brandishes a copy of here diary. Here, Wilde can parody himself and his literary contemporaries, who, he felt, could only actually commit to paper truths about there own personalities. Cecily says to Algy of her diary: "It is simply a very young girl’s record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy".

Lord Arthur had been spiritually reborn after facing and defeating an evil streak within himself, and had put the seal on his rebirth by christening himself in the bathtub. Jack and Algy’s attempts to rechisten themselves reduce to absurdity Lord Arthur’s situation. The motives behind their actions render absurd and treat playfully the entire idea of spiritual rebirth. In the paradise of innocence that Algy and Jack inhabit, there is no need for any spiritual development whatsoever. There is no need for them to purge themselves of evil because evil is not a real thing.

Merriman enters to announce the presence of Miss Gwendolen Fairfax, who has come to see Mr Worthing on very important business. Cecily receives her and through the course of their conversation, they discover that they are both engaged to Mr Earnest Worthing. However, the return of Jack and Algy exposes the truth - Cecily reveals Jack’s real identity and Gwendolen unmasks Algy.

As characters, Jack and Algy’s situation reduces to nonsense the serious and dangerous double life that Dorian Gray led. In the country, Jack is Mr Jack Worthing, Cecily’s guardian, and so forced to adopt a high moral tone on all subjects. Cecily observes that her Uncle is so serious that she thinks he cannot be quite well, while the morally pompous Miss Prism says that Jack’s "gravity of demeanour is especially to be recommended in one so comparatively young as he is. I know none who has a higher sense of duty and responsibility". But this identity is a mask, and while in London, he assumes the name of Earnest and lives entirely for pleasure. His real personality, like Dorian, is the wicked one. But in this work, wickedness is a very harmless, innocent thing. Had Dorian been exposed in his lifetime, he would have been rejected by society and disgraced forever. Jack and Algy are exposed, but are quickly forgiven by all. By extension, therefore, if Dorian's double life is reduced to nonsense, then his situation too is reduced to the level of innocence and playfulness.

The girls, who had been at each other’s throats a moment before, cling together for comfort and retreat scornfully into the house, while the men remain in the garden, arguing. The act closes with Jack and Algy nonsensically quarrelling over which of them is to eat a dish of muffins the girls had left behind. Here, Algy’s tremendous appetite reduces to innocence the sin-tainted feast in Salome, which culminated in her ‘feasting’ on the severed head of a prophet. Algy’s appetite, however, does not lead him to do anything worse than eating Lady Bracknell’s cucumber sandwiches and Jack’s muffins. Unlike Salome’s bloodthirsty sexual appetite, Algy’s is funny and harmless.

Act III

Cecily and Gwendolen sit in the drawing room of Jack’s country house, longing for reconciliation with their respective partners. This is easily achieved when Jack and Algy enter soon after. The final obstacle is removed when they both announce that they are to be re-christened Earnest that afternoon. But then Lady Bracknell unexpectedly enters, absolutely refuses to allow Gwendolen to marry Jack and then starts to subject him to a severe questioning about Algy’s fiancée. When it emerges that Cecily has about £130,000 in the funds, her attitude changes dramatically and she gives her consent to the marriage of Algy and Cecily. Jack, however, in his capacity as Cecily’s guardian, forbids the marriage unless Lady Bracknell allows him to marry Gwendolen. This she refuses, and the situation seems hopeless until the arrival of Dr Chasuble.

Lady Bracknell’s attempts to keep Jack and Gwendolen apart render her monstrous and a parody of Lord Henry Wotton in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Here, Lord Henry functioned as Dorian’s private Satan, leading him ultimately to death and destruction. Jack says of Lady Bracknell earlier in the play: "Never met such a Gorgon…I don’t really know what a Gorgon is like, but I am quite sure that Lady Bracknell is