The Importance of Being Earnest: every role by lines, words, and stage time
Oscar Wilde. 9 speaking roles, 17,746 words, about 127 minutes of speech.
The Offbook team
Oct 8, 2026
Jack has the most to say in The Importance of Being Earnest: about 505 lines and 3,976 words, 22.4% of the play. Wilde wrote Earnest in quick prose dialogue, so its roles are measured best in words, not lines. Jack and Algernon share the lead almost equally, and Lady Bracknell, in only two of the three acts, has more to say than either young woman.
- Speaking roles
- 9
- Scenes
- 3
- Words
- 17,746
- Speech time
- 127 min
Every role, largest first
| Role | Lines | Words | Share | Minutes | Scenes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack | 505 | 3,976 | 22.4% | 28.4 | 3 |
| Algernon | 483 | 3,933 | 22.2% | 28.1 | 3 |
| Lady Bracknell | 326 | 2,883 | 16.2% | 20.6 | 2 |
| Cecily | 341 | 2,695 | 15.2% | 19.3 | 2 |
| Gwendolen | 267 | 2,192 | 12.4% | 15.7 | 3 |
| Miss Prism | 113 | 945 | 5.3% | 6.8 | 2 |
| Chasuble | 93 | 772 | 4.4% | 5.5 | 2 |
| Merriman | 26 | 163 | 0.9% | 1.2 | 2 |
| Lane | 29 | 161 | 0.9% | 1.2 | 1 |
Who speaks in which scene
Darker cells mean more words in that scene. Use it to plan rehearsal calls, or to see how long an actor waits between entrances.
| Role | Act 1 | Act 2 | Act 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack | |||
| Algernon | |||
| Lady Bracknell | |||
| Cecily | |||
| Gwendolen | |||
| Miss Prism | |||
| Chasuble |
The longest speeches
| Speech | Scene | Words | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algernon: “I haven’t the smallest intention of doing anyt…” | Act 1 | 171 | 18 |
| Lady Bracknell: “Well, I must say, Algernon, that I think it is…” | Act 1 | 171 | 18 |
| Jack: “I fear there can be no possible doubt about th…” | Act 3 | 152 | 16 |
| Lady Bracknell: “Come here. Sit down. Sit down immediately. Hes…” | Act 3 | 145 | 15 |
| Lady Bracknell: “A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty t…” | Act 3 | 127 | 13 |
| Gwendolen: “Yes, I am quite well aware of the fact. And I …” | Act 1 | 125 | 13 |
| Lady Bracknell: “The line is immaterial. Mr. Worthing, I confes…” | Act 1 | 123 | 13 |
| Chasuble: “In Paris! I fear that hardly points to any ver…” | Act 2 | 120 | 12 |
| Miss Prism: “Lady Bracknell, I admit with shame that I do n…” | Act 3 | 114 | 12 |
| Jack: “My dear Algy, I don’t know whether you will be…” | Act 1 | 113 | 12 |
Small roles that can be doubled
These pairs of small roles never speak in the same scene, so one actor could play both. Check entrances and silent appearances in your script before you cast it this way.
- Chasuble and Lane
- Merriman and Lane
Roles and monologues in depth
Questions actors ask
Who has the most lines in The Importance of Being Earnest?
Jack, with about 505 lines and 3,976 words, 22.4% of everything spoken in the play. Algernon is next, with about 483 lines (22.2%).
How long is The Importance of Being Earnest?
The full text has 17,746 spoken words, about 127 minutes at 140 words a minute before pauses, scene changes, and cuts. Most productions cut the text, so running times vary.
How many speaking roles are in The Importance of Being Earnest?
9 named roles speak in this edition, across 3 scenes. 2 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.
Keep reading
- An Ideal Husband: every role by lines, words, and stage timeOscar Wilde. Line counts, scenes, and the longest speeches.
- Lady Windermere’s Fan: every role by lines, words, and stage timeOscar Wilde. Line counts, scenes, and the longest speeches.
- How many lines does Lady Bracknell have in The Importance of Being Earnest?Lines, words, scenes, the longest speeches, and a plan to learn the part.
- Acting Verbs: A Working List of Actions and How to Use ThemWhat an action verb is in acting, why it has to be something you do to another person, a working list grouped by what each verb does, a scene from The Importance of Being Earnest actioned line by line, and how to change tactics when one stops working.