The play opens in the morning room at Algernon Moncrieff’s flat in Half-Moon Street, London. Lane, Algernon’s servant, is arranging tea and cucumber sandwiches because Algernon’s aunt, Lady Bracknell, is coming for a visit. Meanwhile, Algernon is playing the piano in the adjoining room. When he asks Lane whether he has heard him play, Lane says he didn’t think it was polite to listen. ”That’s too bad,” says Algernon, for he doesn’t play accurately, but with a wonderful expression. On Algernon’s question why the servants constantly drink the champagne during dinner parties, Lane responds that the bachelors have much better wine than married couples. Algernon is shocked by the possibility that marriage could be so demoralizing. Lane can not confirm it, being that he was married only once, and that was because of a misunderstanding. After Lane leaves the room, Algernon wonders if the lower orders are of any use if they don’t set an example.
Algernon’s friend Ernest Worthing stops by for an unexpected visit. He lives in the country and occasionally comes to London. What Algernon doesn’t know is that Ernest’s real name is Jack. Ernest, that is Jack, is delighted to hear that Lady Bracknell and her daughter, Gwendolen, are coming for tea. He is in love with Gwendolen and has come up to London especially to propose to her. Algernon tells him that it’s impossible because Gwendolen’s mother will oppose to it, and he (Algernon), as Gwendolen’s first cousin will not give his blessing unless Jack answers him a few questions.
The last time he was there, Jack forgot a cigarette case with a questionable inscription from a lady named Cecily. At first, Jack pretends it is a present from his aunt but ultimately has to confess everything. He reveals that his real name is Jack and that Cecily is his ward. She is the granddaughter of Thomas Cardew, who had past away. He adopted Jack as a baby and now Cecily is in his care. As far as she is concerned, Ernest is his younger brother who lives in the city and repeatedly needs help getting out of trouble. He invented him because he believes he must be reputable around her and always set an example.
Algernon finds this entertaining and calls Jack a “Bunburyist”. This adjective comes from the name “Bunbury”. “He” is an invented friend of Algernon’s who is frequently ill and in need of care, which gives Algernon a chance to leave whenever he wants. Jack promises he is through with “Ernest”, but Algernon tells him that he will need him more than ever if he’s going to be married.
Aunt Augusta (Lady Bracknell) and Gwendolen arrive. Jack has an opportunity to witness Algernon’s “Bunburying” when he tells his aunt he won’t be able to come to her dinner that evening. However, he promises to attend her reception on Saturday and invites her to the music room to show her the program he has drawn out for the occasion.
Once left alone, Jack and Gwendolen confess their love to each other and she accepts his proposal. However, she says she wouldn’t marry him if his name wasn’t Ernest. Lady Bracnell returns and, seeing Jack on bended knee, demands an explanation. When Gwendolyn informs her about the engagement, she tells that she doesn’t have the right to arrange such a thing for herself. She sends her to the carriage in order to interrogate Jack. She seems somewhat satisfied with his answers until she asks him about his parents. She is astounded to find out that Jack was found in a cloakroom at Victoria Station by Thomas Cardew, who also raised him. Therefore, she announces that Gwendolen cannot “marry into a cloakroom, and form an alliance with a parcel” and leaves.
Jack tells Algernon that he is going to kill “Ernest” and go back to being himself all the time, partly because Cecily is too much interested in him. In the meantime, Gwendolyn returns and tells Jack they can never marry, but she will always love him. She asks for his country address so that she can write to him daily. As Jack dictates the address, Algernon sneakily writes it on his shirt cuff.
Act II
This act is set at the garden of Manor house, Jack’s home in the country. The scene shows Cecily and her tutor, Miss Prism. Cecily seems to prefer watering flowers and talking about her Uncle Jack than studying German, and her teacher doesn’t try as hard as she should to make her concentrate on her lessons. Miss Prism thinks that Jack is a very honorable and responsible man, and Cecily quite agrees with her. She wishes he would allow his brother Ernest to visit. They start talking about writing. Cecily keeps a diary where she notes everything that happens to her, while Miss Prism reveals that she once wrote a novel which she misplaced.
When local reverend, Dr. Canon Chasuble comes in, Cecily comments that Miss Prism has a headache and that she would probably enjoy a walk. Miss Prism says that she said no such thing, and Dr. Chasuble takes the opportunity to flirt with her. Finally she agrees to go for a walk with him. It is obvious that they are attracted to each other.
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