John 'Jack' Worthing
A Justice of the Peace in the country, also known as Ernest in town.
Core Belief
"Maintaining a respectable image is essential, even if it requires deception. Love and marriage should be based on genuine affection, though societal approval is also important."
Worldview
Jack sees the world as divided between the strictures of country life and the freedoms of the city. He believes that one must play different roles to navigate these environments effectively, though he ultimately seeks a way to reconcile these conflicting identities.
Personality
Jack is a responsible and moral guardian to Cecily in the countryside, but leads a double life as the fictitious 'Ernest' in London to escape societal expectations and pursue Gwendolen. He is earnest (in both senses of the word), but also capable of deception when it suits his desires.
In Their Own Words
"When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring."
"My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn’t a dentist. It produces a false impression."
"Gwendolen—Cecily—it is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It is the first time in my life that I have ever been reduced to such a painful position, and I am really quite inexperienced in doing anything of the kind."
Discussions with John 'Jack' Worthing
Other Characters from The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People
Algernon Moncrieff
A charming, witty, and somewhat irresponsible gentleman.
Lady Bracknell
A formidable and aristocratic society matriarch.
Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax
A fashionable and sophisticated young woman obsessed with the name 'Ernest'.
Cecily Cardew
Jack's young and imaginative ward, living in the countryside.
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