Dishonesty with Ernest

Jack and Algernon abuses the character, Ernest, to have a double life where they can "bunbury" or be different than they really are. The play is often humorous because the characters are always thinking something extreme, then when finding out the truth, the say that is was their idea the whole time. Like when Gwendolen knew Cecily and her would be great friends, then two minutes later she says that she knew that Cecily was distrustful from the start. Some characters go back and forth with their opinions which makes it easy to fool people with the truth. it is very satirical when the play talks about marriage. Algernon explains to Jack that marriage is business not pleasure. This makes me think that marriage can just raise or lower your image in society. Spouses that did get married during this time period could have liked each other, but from this play it seems that it is based on society. In Act II Algernon and Jack are not being earnest even though the character they play is the earnest guy Gwendolen and Cecily ever knew about. when Jack learns that his real name is actually Ernest he becomes then acts like he is very sincere, like he inherited his own character. Algernon admits to being a bunburyist, that is how he has fun when he wants to be secretive. Even Jack is a bunburyist, but doesn't realize it. The name changes fulfills the characters' wishes they wouldn't be seen or heard of doing.

Oscar Wilde has the word earnest literal meaning of serious but sincere. in this book it is used as the notion of false truth and notion of right and wrong ideas. i think the Victorian Era had high expectations for what wealthy could and could not do. Algernon and Jack to invent made up characters with alter egos so they are can be able to escape all the high society expectations and live a different life, a perspective that is different than there regular life.