The Importance of Being Earnest: Act 3

Plot Summary

Act 3 begins with Cecily and Gwendolen realising they are both engaged to ‘Ernest’.
Jack and Algernon’s deceit is revealed and they’re forced to admit they had lied about their names.
It is then revealed by Miss Prism (Cecily’s governess) that she accidentally abandoned a baby in a handbag who is revealed to be Jack, who is indeed Algernon’s elder brother.
Jack finds out that he, coincidentally, is also christened as Ernest which leads to a happy conclusion as both couples get engaged.

Character Analysis

Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax: The women’s fascination with the name ‘Ernest’ over their actual lovers reveals the superficiality of their love.
Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff: Their tricks are exposed illustrating their deceptive nature, but also their profound desire to escape rigid societal norms.
Miss Prism: Her past mistake drives the final plot twist, revealing her as a key character in untying the tangle of deceit.

Themes

Identity : Jack’s discovery about his original identity as ‘Ernest’ highlights the theme of mistaken and made-up identities.
Love and Courtship: The convoluted love affairs and resolved engagements underline the Victorian obsession with marriage.
Truth and Lies: Act 3 resolves the numerous lies and half-truths exposing each character’s duplicity, again criticising Victorian hypocrisy.

Language and Style

Wilde employs the technique of farce - the reversal of Jack’s invented identity to his real one, producing humour and driving the plot.
Satire is heavily used again, ridiculing the superficiality of Cecily and Gwendolen’s fascination with the name ‘Ernest’.
The reveal of Miss Prism’s past mistake is a type of deus ex machina, an unexpected solution to an insurmountable problem.
The use of wordplay lends wit to the dialogue while simultaneously illuminating character traits and societal norms.