An Ideal Husband
A Play & For Love of the King: A Burmese Masque
📘 About This Book
An Ideal Husband is an 1895 stage play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. The action is set in London, in "the present", and takes place over the course of twenty-four hours. "Sooner or later," Wilde notes, "we shall all have to pay for what we do." But he adds that, "No one should be entirely judged by their past." Together with The Importance of Being Earnest, it is often considered Wilde's dramatic masterpiece. After Earnest, it is his most popularly produced play. The play opens during a dinner party at the home of Sir Robert Chiltern in London's fashionable Grosvenor Square. Sir Robert, a prestigious member of the House of Commons, and his wife, Lady Chiltern, are hosting a gathering that includes his friend Lord Goring, a dandified bachelor and close friend to the Chilterns, Mabel Chiltern, and other genteel guests. During the party, Mrs. Cheveley, an enemy of Lady Chiltern from their school days, attempts to blackmail Sir Robert into supporting a fraudulent scheme to build a canal in Argentina. Apparently, Mrs. Cheveley's late mentor and lover, Baron Arnheim, induced the young Sir Robert to sell him a Cabinet secret - which enabled Arnheim to buy shares in the Suez Canal Company three days before the British government announced its purchase of the company. Arnheim's payoff was the basis of Sir Robert's fortune, and Mrs. Cheveley has Robert's letter to Arnheim as proof of his crime. Fearing the ruin of both career and marriage, Sir Robert submits to her demands. When Mrs. Cheveley pointedly informs Lady Chiltern of Sir Robert's change of heart regarding the canal scheme, the morally inflexible Lady Chiltern, unaware of both her husband's past and the blackmail plot, insists that Sir Robert renege on his promise to Mrs. Chevely. For Lady Chiltern, their marriage is predicated on her having an "ideal husband"-that is, a model spouse in both private and public life whom she can worship; thus, Sir Robert must remain unimpeachable in all his decisions. Sir Robert complies with the lady's wishes and apparently seals his doom. Also toward the end of Act I, Mabel and Lord Goring come upon a diamond brooch that Lord Goring gave someone many years ago. Goring takes the brooch and asks that Mabel inform him if anyone comes to retrieve it.
📖 Summary
An Ideal Husband is a renowned dramatic work originally written by Oscar Wilde in 1895 and published in a modern edition in 2020. Spanning one hundred and eighty pages, the text captures Wilde's brilliant theatrical mastery, often considered his dramatic masterpiece alongside The Importance of Being Earnest. The narrative unfolds over the course of a frantic twenty-four hours in London, beginning with a lavish dinner party hosted by Sir Robert Chiltern and his wife, Lady Chiltern, at their elegant home in fashionable Grosvenor Square. Sir Robert is a highly prestigious member of the House of Commons, and the couple enjoys a glittering, seemingly unblemished reputation within high society, built heavily upon the pillars of public and private honour. However, this delicate facade is quickly threatened by the dark undercurrents of political corruption and ruthless blackmail. As the rapid action of the play progresses, Wilde explores the complex tensions between past actions and present morality. The central conflict forces characters and readers alike to confront the heavy burden of expectation. Wilde famously observes that sooner or later, humanity must pay for what it does, yet he offers a crucial counter-perspective by adding that no one should be entirely judged by their past. This tension drives the emotional and intellectual core of the work, challenging rigid moral frameworks and examining the hypocrisy inherent in demanding absolute perfection from flawed human beings. Through sparkling dialogue, sharp wit, and intricate plotting, the book provides an enduring critique of Victorian values, political integrity, and the dangerous gap between public reputation and private reality. The modern publication preserves the brilliance of Wilde's original stage vision in a compact format that continues to captivate contemporary readers and theatre enthusiasts alike, standing firmly as one of his most popularly produced and enduringly celebrated plays.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Features brilliant and sharp dialogue characteristic of Oscar Wilde.
Engaging plot driven by high-stakes blackmail and political tension.
Thought-provoking exploration of morality and forgiveness.
Concise page count makes for a fast and focused reading experience.
⚠️ Cons
The 1895 setting may feel distant to readers looking for contemporary settings.
The heavy focus on Victorian social conventions requires contextual adjustment.
✍️ About the Author
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet celebrated for his wit and aestheticism, known for 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
View all books →❓ FAQ
Who is the author of An Ideal Husband? +
The book was written by the renowned author and playwright Oscar Wilde.
When was the play originally written and when was this edition published? +
The stage play was originally written in 1895, and this specific edition was published in 2020.
How long is this published edition? +
This edition spans one hundred and eighty pages.
Where does the story take place? +
The action is set in London, specifically taking place over the course of twenty-four hours starting at a dinner party in Grosvenor Square.
What are the main themes of the book? +
The core themes revolve around blackmail, political corruption, and the interplay between public and private honour.
