The Importance of Being Earnest Act Two
The second act opens in the garden of Jack’s country estate, where Cecily is tending to some plants even as her governess, Miss Prism, chides her to study German. Cecily is uninterested in studying German, and Miss Prism reminds her that Jack wishes for her to learn things like German. Cecily is more interested in writing in her diary and doesn’t quite like how serious Jack appears to be at all times. Miss Prism defends Jack and reminds Cecily that Jack was under a tremendous amount of stress due to his troublesome brother, Ernest Worthington. Cecily feels that Ernest should be brought to the country estate, where she and Miss Prism could aid and reform him. Miss Prism is quite uninterested in that course of action and believes reformation rarely works. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Chasuble, the local vicar. Cecily teases her governess and the priest by suggesting that they take a walk since Miss Prism has been complaining of a headache. The governess and the vicar seem to share romantic feelings for one another since the two decide to take a walk even though Cecily had been lying about Miss Prism’s headache.
The butler comes into the house to announce the arrival of Mr. Ernest Worthington, or rather Algernon pretending to be Ernest. He greets Cecily fondly and announces his desire to stay over the weekend. Cecily informs him that Jack will be away until Monday since he is making travel arrangements for Ernest to travel to Australia given his endless troublemaking. Algernon flirts with Cecily and promises to mend his ways under her influence. They flirt with one another and travel into the house in search of food. Meanwhile, Miss Prism and Dr. Chausble come across Jack during their walk, and they make note of the mourning attire. Jack explains that he is mourning the death of his brother who had succumbed to a chill while visiting Paris. They sympathise with Jack’s grief but Miss Prism retains a rather critical outlook toward the supposedly dead troubled young brother. Jack speaks to the Vicar about having himself christened although he does not wish to be a part of a christening ceremony with children. They agreed to hold it that afternoon. The butler appears and informs Jack that his brother is visiting the estate.
Jack rushes to the house and finds Algernon pretending to be his brother. He begins to insist that Ernest leave the house immediately, but since he is unable to reveal Ernest’s true identity, Jack is forced to play along with Algernon’s charade. Cecily believes that their aggressive behavior is a consequence of the enmity that exists between brothers, and attempts to reconcile them. She defends Algernon’s character by citing his stories of caring for his sick friend, Bunbury. Jack is aghast at the mention of Bunburying and insists that Ernest depart the country with the earliest train. Algernon refuses to do so until Jack has stopped mourning, and so Jack decides to change his costume. Algernon is left alone, and he soliloquies his love for Cecily, who soon appears. He confesses his emotions to her and discovers that she has similar feelings for him. She explains that she has been involved in a fictitious relationship with Jack’s younger brother for a considerable amount of time, attested by the entries in her diary. Algernon is thrilled to learn of their fictitious relationship, but he soon learns that her feelings for him are inspired by the fact that his name is Ernest.
Algernon leaves Cecily in search of the vicar so that he too can have himself christened as Ernest. In his absence, the butler announces the arrival of Miss Gwendolen, who has decided to visit Ernest at his country estate. Cecily receives her hospitably and offers her tea, but Gwendolen is a little taken aback at learning that Cecily, a young and beautiful woman, is Mr Worthington’s ward and that he hadn’t ever mentioned having a ward. Cecily explains that she isn’t a ward to Ernest, but rather to his elder brother, Jack Worthington, and that she has recently become engaged to Ernest. Gwendolen is shocked to learn that her fiancé is now engaged to someone else, and the two of them begin a rather civilized argument about who is truly engaged to Ernest. Algernon and Jack arrive separately just as their argument is becoming more heated, but their appearance resolves the argument as both women discover that they are being deceived. They both happily reveal to one another that neither of the men is called Ernest, and team up to question the two men. Jack reluctantly informs them that he had no real brother called Ernest, and had invented a fiction. Both women are deeply displeased and they retreat to the house. Algernon is left outside with Jack, but instead of resolving their differences, the two men end up squabbling over food.
