Which two male leads and their deceptions are central to the plot?

• A. Jack Worthing (deceives as 'Ernest' in the city) and Algernon Moncrieff (uses 'Bunburying' to create a fictitious friend)
• B. Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff; both tell the truth to all, always
• C. Gwendolen and Cecily; both manipulate identities
• D. Miss Prism and Lady Bracknell; both conceal identities

Answer: (A)

Deception and the use of invented identities drive the plot. The two male leads—Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff—each hide a separate double life, and those lies propel the action and its humor. Jack presents himself in the city as his brother Ernest, a persona that allows him to court Gwendolen with the appearance of candor and seriousness. Gwendolen’s fixation on the name Ernest makes this disguise particularly consequential, because it links truthfulness about character to a desired image. Algernon counters by living with his own created falsehood, Bunburying—inventing an invalid friend to justify avoiding social duties and to flirt with Cecily. This fictitious companion becomes a foil and catalyst for the romantic entanglements, and the overlap of these deceptions—who is really who and where each man stands—creates the misunderstandings, witty reversals, and ultimately the light-hearted resolution the play is famous for. The other options miss the point because they shift focus away from these male-driven deceptions or identify characters who are not the central pair driving the plot.