An Ideal Husband Study Guide
(Oscar Wilde)

The first scene opens on a dinner party being hosted by Sir Robert Chiltern and his wife, Lady Chiltern, in the fashionable part of London. Sir Robert is a well-to-do politician and a member of the House of Commons and Lady Chiltern is his virtuous, beautiful wife. Several guests, all members of high society, are there, including Mrs. Marchmont, Lady Basildon, and the Vicomte De Nanjac. Lord Caversham and his son, Lord Goring, a bachelor and dandy, are also present.

During the party, one of Lady Chiltern's older friends, Mrs. Markby, comes in with her guest, Mrs. Cheveley. Lady Chiltern immediately recognizes Mrs. Cheveley as one of her old schoolmates with a cruel, deceitful temperament. Lady Chiltern knows Mrs. Cheveley is up to no good, and soon Mrs. Cheveley shows her true colors by blackmailing Sir Robert Chiltern. She has in her possession a letter from Robert's past proving that he sold Cabinet secrets to the Baron Arnheim in his youth. Mrs. Cheveley demands that Robert support a canal project she is invested in at his next meeting. The project is a scam, and Robert refuses to support it, but is forced to because of the letter.

After getting Robert's word, Mrs. Cheveley talks to Lady Chiltern. She reveals that Robert agreed to support her, and Lady Chiltern is angry. Lady Chiltern worships her husband and believes him to be above all other men in matters of honor.

The last two guests remaining at the party are Mabel Chiltern, Robert's sister, and Lord Goring. Conversing on a couch, Mabel finds a diamond brooch. Lord Goring takes the brooch from her, saying he gave it to someone as a present. He also wants Mabel to tell him if anyone comes to claim it. Lord Goring and Mabel soon leave, as well.

When Robert and Lady Chiltern are alone, she pleads with him not to go through with it. Not aware of her husband's past or the letter, she vows to never see him again if he has a shameful past. Assuring her he does not, he agrees to write Mrs. Cheveley a letter declining her proposal. By doing so, he seals his political and personal doom.

The second act also takes place at Robert's house but in the drawing room. Lord Goring is waiting for Robert, who finally appears. Robert is distressed about the situation and asks Lord Goring for advice. Lord Goring, having been shortly engaged to Mrs. Cheveley before finding out her dishonest nature, has some insight. He advises Robert to tell Lady Chiltern the situation and to fight Mrs. Cheveley any way he can. Robert won't tell Lady Chiltern because he will risk losing her, but agrees something must be done. Mabel comes in, and she and Lord Goring engage in witty, flirty conversation. During his visit, Lord Goring also urges Lady Chiltern to be more forgiving of other's offenses.

When Lord Goring leaves, Mrs. Markby comes by with Mrs. Cheveley, who is inquiring about her missing brooch. The brooch is nowhere to be found, and Mrs. Cheveley finds out it was Lady Chiltern who forced Robert to write the letter the previous night. Enraged, she tells Lady Chiltern about Robert's past and how he made his fortune selling information. Robert comes in at the end, after Mrs. Cheveley is gone; Lady Chiltern won't forgive him his past. Robert snaps, blaming Lady Chiltern for putting him on an impossible pedestal and ruining his life by forcing him to write that letter.

The third act begins in Lord Goring's house. He receives a letter from Lady Chiltern asking for help. The wording is vague, and the letter could be misinterpreted as from a lover. Just as Lord Goring is expecting Lady Chiltern to call on him, Lord Caversham appears wanting to talk to his son about marriage. Lord Goring sees his father, and, while they are talking, Mrs. Cheveley is admitted by the butler. Since the butler did not know which woman to receive, he mistakenly believed Mrs. Cheveley to be the right one. Mrs. Cheveley, in the drawing room, finds the letter from Lady Chiltern to Lord Goring. She misunderstands and steals the letter.

Meanwhile, Lord Caversham leaves and Sir Robert comes in. Robert is in utter despair and spills his secrets to Lord Goring. Mrs. Cheveley, trying to eavesdrop, knocks over a chair. Robert hears the noise and goes to investigate. Because Mrs. Cheveley and Lord Goring were previously engaged, Robert assumes they are now having an affair and leaves the scene in a huff. Lord Goring, believing Lady Chiltern to be in the drawing room, is surprised to see Mrs. Cheveley.

Mrs. Cheveley wants to offer her hand in marriage to Lord Goring in exchange for Robert's letter. Lord Goring will never accept her because she ruined the Chiltern's love for one another. When Lord Goring finds out she went there looking for a diamond brooch, he pulls it out of a nearby drawer and puts it on her wrist as a bracelet. It turns out Lord Goring gave the brooch to his cousin as a gift, and it was stolen. He threatens to call the police and have Mrs. Cheveley arrested if she does not hand over the letter. She does, and Lord Goring burns it. Before she leaves, however, Mrs. Cheveley reveals that she has stolen the letter from Lady Chiltern and plans to send it to Robert.

The final act shifts back to Robert's house. Lord Caversham is there and tells his son that Robert denounced the canal scheme at the meeting. Lord Goring is waiting for Robert or Lady Chiltern when Mabel enters. They talk, and Lord Goring proposes to her. She accepts and goes outside. Lady Chiltern enters, and Lord Goring tells her the letter is destroyed, but another letter is being sent to Robert. He urges Lady Chiltern to tell Robert the situation, but Lady Chiltern will not. They decide to intercept the letter when Robert comes in holding it.

Since the letter was not addressed to anyone, Robert believed the words to be to him and is overjoyed. Robert and Lady Chiltern reconcile, and Robert agrees to move to the countryside and give up his political life. Lord Caversham comes in, offering Robert a highly-sought position in the cabinet, and Robert goes to write a letter declining the offer. Lord Goring urges Lady Chiltern to allow Robert to stay in politics, as getting him out of London was what Mrs. Chiltern wanted. When Robert comes back, Lady Chiltern tears up the letter.

Robert thanks Lord Goring and asks if there is anything he can do in exchange. Lord Goring asks for Mabel's hand in marriage, and Robert refuses to give it, still believing Lord Goring and Mrs. Cheveley to be having an affair. Lady Chiltern reveals the truth, and Robert gives his permission for the couple to marry.