The real Earnest is John Worthing. Which option correctly identifies this fact?

The real Earnest is John Worthing. Which option correctly identifies this fact?

• A. John Worthing
• B. Algernon Moncrieff
• C. Jack Worthing
• D. Ernest

Answer: (A)

In this play, names and identities are a key source of humor because characters constantly adopt aliases to create a second life. The person who is actually named Ernest behind those disguises is John Worthing. He goes by Jack in the country, but his true given name is John Worthing, and he invents a fictitious brother named Ernest to justify his city visits. Algernon Moncrieff is the other character who pretends to be Ernest, but he isn’t the real Ernest. The name Ernest is the alias, not the person’s true identity. So the best answer is John Worthing.

In this play, names and identities are a key source of humor because characters constantly adopt aliases to create a second life. The person who is actually named Ernest behind those disguises is John Worthing. He goes by Jack in the country, but his true given name is John Worthing, and he invents a fictitious brother named Ernest to justify his city visits. Algernon Moncrieff is the other character who pretends to be Ernest, but he isn’t the real Ernest. The name Ernest is the alias, not the person’s true identity. So the best answer is John Worthing.