• unchecked

    How is Jack's identity revealed in The Importance of Being Earnest? Or, What do you know of the discovery of Jack's identity in The Importance of Being Earnest? [NU. 2013, 2016]

Ans. Jack Worthing is one of the most important characters of the play, The Importance of Being Earnest. In this play, Jack does not know his parentage. Thomas Cardew discovers him from a handbag at a railway station. But in the last act, we come to know about his parentage through the statements of Lady Bracknell and Miss Prism. In the conversation with Jack and Chasuble Lady Bracknell notices the name of Miss Prism. Then Miss Prism explains that she made a great mistake but she did not try to report to anyone about her mistake. She placed the baby in the handbag instead of a three- volume novel written by herself. Even, she placed her manuscripts in the perambulator. Hearing this Jack wants to know about the place where she leaves the handbag. Then Miss Prism says that she had left the handbag in the cloak - room of Victoria railway station in London. Jack understands the reality of his life and represents a leather handbag before them. Miss Prism recognises the bag. Then the statements of Lady Bracknell proves that Jack is the son of her late sister and the elder brother of Algernon. Thus, Jack gets his real identity and satisfaction in his life.