An Ideal Husband Study Guide
(Oscar Wilde)

Sir Robert Chiltern

An accomplished politician with a reputation for being honest and morally upright. Unknown to his wife and society, however, he began his career by selling cabinet secrets to Baron Arnheim. He amassed a sizeable fortune and became successful, when Mrs. Cheveley blackmails him with the letter. Even in the face of losing everything, however, in the end he refuses to give in to her demands. He loves his wife more than anything, and would be willing to sacrifice anything in order to keep her. Robert stands for the "ideal" husband in the play.

Lady Chiltern

Sir Robert Chiltern's wife, Lady Chiltern is also a model member of society. A woman of good breeding and manners, she is always proper and put together. She worships her husband because she believes him to be better than other men and above corruption. When her fantasy is shattered, Lady Chiltern refuses at first to forgive Robert, but eventually realizes that she expected too much of him. Lady Chiltern stands for the "ideal" wife in the play.

Mabel Chiltern

Mabel is Robert Chiltern's younger sister, and a perfect representation of an English beauty. Young, witty and sociable, she is the female "dandy" counterpart to Lord Goring, whom she adores. She doesn't profess any interest in obtaining an ideal husband and thinks she would go insane if she did. She turns down multiple offers of marriage until Lord Goring proposes to her, and she gladly accepts.

Lord Goring

The token dandy bachelor of the play, and Sir Robert's best friend. Thirty-four years old, though claiming thirty-one, Lord Goring is always impeccably dressed no matter the occasion. He has no ambition in life and does not seem to do anything for a living, for which his father repeatedly calls him useless. He enjoys a stylish lifestyle and is constantly calling on other members of high society. Despite his dandy nature, he also acts as a moral compass for characters such as the Chiltern's as they encounter moral entanglements. He represents Aestheticism and, therefore, rebellions against the strict rules of society.

Lord Caversham

Lord Goring's father, Lord Caversham is an elderly gentleman extremely concerned with the traditional rules and standards of society. As such, he and his son do not see eye to eye on any issue, and Lord Caversham constantly dismisses the younger generation as being too modern. While Lord Goring's concerns are style and wit, Lord Caversham is mainly concerned with practicality and common sense.

Mrs. Cheveley

An old schoolmate of Lady Chiltern's who comes back to haunt the cast of the play as the primary villainous character. Mrs. Cheveley is a dangerous combination of beautiful and smart, and travels from Vienna to bribe Robert Chiltern into supporting her fraudulent canal scheme. Lady Chiltern immediately distrusts her because, in school, she was a thief and a liar, and time hasn't changed her terribly much. She manipulates others for her own selfish gain until Lord Goring turns the tables on her by blackmailing her.

Baron Arnheim

Although the Baron never appears on stage (he is dead before the play begins), he still influences the more ambitious characters such as Mrs. Cheveley and Robert Chiltern. He is the one who introduced Robert to his philosophy of power and urged Robert to sell information to him in order to cheat the stock market. The Baron believed that wealth equaled power, and Mrs. Cheveley was his lover and disciple.

Lady Markby

An older friend of the Chiltern family, it is Lady Markby who invites Mrs. Cheveley to the party. Like Lord Caversham, Lady Markby represents the old generation and way of thinking as opposed to the main characters who are all fairly modern. At Lady Chiltern's house, Lady Markby claims not to support the higher education of women because she believes it interferes with a woman's duties and disrupts marriages.

The Countess of Basildon/Mrs. Marchmont

Two frivolous members of society who join the Chiltern's at their party. They talk about pointless things and in general provide comic relief. They represent the shallowness of English society.

Vicomte De Nanjac

A young, awkward man of high society who attends the Chiltern's parties. His awkwardness is contrasted with Lord Goring's wittiness.

Mr. Montford

Robert's secretary, and also a dandy. Lord Goring and Lady Chiltern plan to ask him for the letter, but it was already in Robert's possession.

Mason

The Chiltern's butler. Mason announces the entrance of the characters in the play.

Phipps

Lord Goring's personal butler. Phipps seems absent of all emotion and wears his face like a mask.

James

Lord Goring's footman, escorts Mrs. Cheveley inside.

Harold

Robert Chiltern's footman.