Why does jack lie about being earnest at the end of The Importance of Being Earnest 2002?

Answer 1

I think one important thing to remember when answering this question is that Ernest was never alive either--Ernest was simply an imaginary brother created by Jack so he could acquire a higher moral tone when conversing with Cecily. Jack pretends that his "brother Ernest" is dead to Cecily/Miss Prism/Dr. Chausuble in order to clear things up before he gets married to Gwendolen, since he is to be married as Ernest Worthing, as that is the name Gwendolen knows him by. Since his real name is Jack Worthing, he must be christened as Ernest Worthing for Gwendolen's sake. However, if there is already a "brother" named Ernest Worthing, the name is occupied. Thus, Jack must say that Ernest is dead in order that he can become Ernest.

Answer 2

In the 2002 film adaptation of "The Importance of Being Earnest," Jack lies about his name because he wants to protect his reputation and salvage his engagement to Gwendolen. By revealing his actual name as Ernest, Jack is able to maintain the persona that Gwendolen fell in love with, even if it means deceiving her with a falsehood.