An Ideal Husband

A2 Love Through The Ages Wider Reading

'An Ideal Husband

Oscar Wilde - 1894

An Ideal Husband is a comedy of manners by Oscar Wilde, set in High Society Victorian Britian. It tells the tale of Sir Robert Chiltern, a prolific politician and a scandal from his past that threatens to ruin him and his marriage. Wilde comments on many themes that had parrallels with not only Victorian life at the time, but his own such as social class, the position of women, the presentation of public life and private life and morality. 

One thing Wilde puts a lot of emphasis on is the dynamic in which men and women form relationships. Lady Chiltern, Sir Robert's wife, like many Victorian women of the day, lives her life by the rules of society and morality. One thing that seems to doom her and Sir Robert's relationship is the fact that she is oblivious to the previous life of Sir Robert and the scandalous origins of his fortune. Instead, she looks to him as "the ideal husband", perfection in every way and cannot see his faults. "The error all women commit. Why can't you women love us, faults and all? Why do you place us on monstrous pedestals?" As a result, their marriage seems inflexible and rigidly defined by their public persona. This makes the marriage vulnerable when things go wrong, and Mrs Cheveley uncovers Robert's dark past through the possession of a letter. Lady Chiltern is a character that is absolutely devoted to her husband and his career, she has great influence in persuading him to not support the Argentinian Canal project, despite it being the one thing he needs to do to escape Mrs Cheveley's blackmail. However, their public image of happily married man and wife is something tested throughout the play. Lady Chilterns idealisation of Sir Robert threatens the foundations of their relationship, and Robert argues this is because men and women love differently "All lives, save loveless lives, true love should pardon. A man's love is like that. It is wider, larger, more human than a woman's. Women think they are making ideals of men".  This is widely reflective of the nature of victorian ideas about the role of each of the sexes in relationships; "our husbands never appreciate anything in us. We have to go to others for that!". 

Women in Victorian society are there to silently support and be behind their husbands through everything. That there are different rules in love for men and women "men can love what is beneath them - things unworthy, stained, dishonoured. We women worship when we love; and when we lose our worship we lose everything" . This could also be seen as a comment on Wilde's own homosexuality - drawn from the desire to love someone on equal terms. 

It could be argued there are several parallels made in the play between Wilde's own experiences to be forgiven of past sins by people you trust and to be loved on equal terms with men, not idolised as such by women. He was also a prevalent member of High Society in the late 1800s, known for his larger than life character and wit. Characters such as Lady Markby and The Countess of Basildon provide comedic insight into the foolish and hypocritical ways of society, fashion and of public image  "nowadays people marry as often as they can, don't they? It is most fashionable" much like themes explored  in School For Scandal where relationships are undertaken if it is in the sake of fashion or social climbing. The question of morality is also remarked upon as a mere social device "Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people who we personally dislike" that has no real significance or spiritual or religious bearing. Any opportunity is taken to discuss and undermine women who feel threatened  - like in the presence of Mrs Cheveley "Well she wore far too much rouuge last night, and not quite enough clothes. That is always a sign of desperation in a woman." Politics is also remarked upon as being a way for the men of higher classes to move within popular social circles, and that British politics is corrupt and immoral "in England a man who can't talk morality twice a week to a large, popular, immoral audience is quite over as a serious politician."