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An Ideal Husband Study Guide

by Oscar Wilde

An Ideal Husband study guide contains a biography of Oscar Wilde, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

The play opens with a party at the Chiltern house, where all the major characters are introduced. At this party, Mrs. Cheveley blackmails Sir Robert and forces him to support her Argentine Canal scheme, in which she has invested heavily. She has in her possession a letter he wrote early in his public career in which he sold state secrets for a great fortune that has supported him to this day. Faced with certain ruin, Sir Robert has no choice but to accept Mrs. Cheveley's terms, and agrees to go before the House of Commons and publicly support the canal. Later in the night, Lady Chiltern, who prides herself on having an "ideal husband" and is unaware of Sir Robert's prior corruption, appeals to his morality and forces him to write a letter…

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• An Ideal Husband Summary
• About An Ideal Husband
• Character List
• Glossary of Terms
• Major Themes
• Summary and Analysis of Act I
• Summary and Analysis of Act II
• Summary and Analysis of Act III
• Summary and Analysis of Act IV
• Social Corruption
• Related Links on An Ideal Husband
• Suggested Essay Questions
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 1
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 2
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 3
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 4
• Author of ClassicNote and Sources

• An Ideal Husband: Major Themes
• An Ideal Husband: Essays
• An Ideal Husband: E-Text
• An Ideal Husband: Questions
• An Ideal Husband: Purchase the Novel and Related Material
• Oscar Wilde: Biography