Identify a key instance of dramatic irony in the play.

• A. The audience knows all plot twists before the characters do.
• B. The characters are aware of each other's deceptions from the start.
• C. The audience knows the characters' deceptions (Bunburying and false identities) while the characters believe their disguises, especially about "Ernest."
• D. There is no dramatic irony; deception is obvious to all.

Answer: (C)

Dramatic irony shows when the audience knows something the characters do not, creating a tension that fuels both humor and meaning. In The Importance of Being Earnest, this is built around Bunburying and the two men who pretend to be someone they’re not. The audience sees that Jack and Algernon are living under false identities and juggling other names to dodge duties and chase pleasure. At the same time, the women, especially, are taken in by the idea of an “Ernest”—a name they associate with honesty and straightforwardness—so they believe the men are genuinely earnest and worthy suitors. The irony comes from the audience’s awareness of the deception while the characters remain convinced that their disguises are working. This contrast between appearance and reality, centered on the idea of being “Ernest,” is the clearest instance of dramatic irony the play offers.