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An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (1895)

Everyone has been looking for the Prince Charming since the dawn

of time.

And one day you think you have just found the right guy, the perfect

guy. But in reality his life is a lie, yours too, and the society in which

you live, is only a kind of hypocrisy. And finally all around you is a

disenchanted world, full of lies.

An Ideal Husband of Oscar Wild tells a story in this type. It is very

surprising because you could think it is about your own life or your

own society. But in fact it takes place in the XIX century.

Jealousy, lies, superficiality, games of seduction, importance of

appearance… have crossed the time.

Oscar Wild makes fun of these people who believe themselves

worthy. Moreover it is a really funny piece where satire of these

characters is really well done. If you read this book I assure you, you

are going to spend a very funny moment and I assure you that even

if you know you read a piece in the past, you can not stop to

transcribe what you read in the XXI century. You travel between

past and present thanks to this book.

Now I let you discover some funny replicas in order to realize how

this is satirical and still current.

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Mrs Marchmont

Going on to the Hartlock’s tonight, Margaret ?

Lady Basildon

I suppose so. Are you ?

Mrs Marchmont

Yes. Horribly tedious parties they give, don’t they ?

Lady Basildon

Horribly tedious ! Never know why I go. Never why I go anywhere.

Mrs Marchmont

I come here to be educated.

Lady Basildon

Ah ! I hate being educated !

Lady Chiltern

There will be Mrs Cheveley and I have met her before. I did not know she

had been married a second time.

Lady Markby

Ah nowadays people marry as often as they can ; don’t they ? It is most

fashionable.

Mrs Marchmont

Our husbands never appreciate anything in us. We have to go to others for

that !

There is not the smallest element of excitement in knowing him.

We have married perfect husbands, and we are well punished for it.

Lord Goring

I prefer a gentlemanly fool any day. There is more to be said for stupidity

than people imagine. Personally I have a great admiration for stupidity. It

is a sort of fellow-felling, I suppose.

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Mrs Cheveley

The higher education of men is what I should like to see. Men need it so

sadly.

Lady Markby

They do, dear. But I am afraid such a scheme would be quite

unappreciated. I don’t think man as much capacity for development. I am

sure you understand, modern women understand everything.

Mrs Cheveley

Except their husbands. That is the one thing the modern woman never

understands.

Lady Markby

Ah ! My dear, you need not to be nervous. You will always be as pretty as

possible. That is the best fashion there is, and the only fashion that

England succeeds in setting.

Mrs Cheveley

My dear Arthur, women are never disarmed by compliments. Men always

are. That the difference between the two sexes.

Lord Caversham

Why don’t you try to do something useful in life ?

Lord Goring

I am far too young.

Lord Caversham

I hate this affection of youth, sir. It is a great deal too prevalent nowadays.

Lord Goring

Youth isn’t an affection. Youth is an art.

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More funny Lord Goring’s reflexions

I love talking about anything. It is the only thing I know anything about.

Everything is dangerous, my dear fellow. If it wasn’t so, life wouldn’t be

worth living…

I prefer a gentlemanly fool any day. Personally I have a great admiration

for stupidity.

Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other

people wear.

Many puns, humor and satire, I love this kind of theater...

Do not hesitate to read it !