Question

[Algernon.] Besides, your name isn’t Jack at all; it is Ernest.

Jack. It isn’t Ernest; it’s Jack.

Algernon. You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. It is perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn’t Ernest. . . .

Jack. Well, my name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country, and the cigarette case was given to me in the country.

–The Importance of Being Earnest,
Oscar Wilde

Which feature of a comedy of manners is present in the passage?

Answer 1

The feature of a comedy of manners present in the passage is mistaken identity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dialogue between Algernon and Jack revolves around a misunderstanding regarding Jack's name, with Algernon insisting that it is Ernest and Jack denying it. This confusion over identity is a common theme in comedies of manners, which often involve characters adopting false identities or pretending to be someone they're not in order to gain an advantage or avoid social awkwardness. The use of mistaken identity in this passage also serves to create humor and irony, as Algernon's insistence that Jack's name is Ernest is at odds with the truth and leads to a comical argument between the two characters.