Study Guide-An Ideal Husband Taproot Student Mats, Show 1
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
B Y O S C A R W I L D E
S T U D E N T
M A T I N E E S
C O M I N G PLOT SUMMARY
S O O N !
Nov. 29, 2011 his wife’s love, but when Gertrude
Beasley’s finds out his guilty secret she rejects
Christmas Party him.
Feb 7, 2012
Tartuffe
Time Period: 1900 “It is not the perfect
Mar. 27 /Apr.
Setting: London but the imperfect who
4
Freud’s Sir Robert Chiltern is a prominent have need of love.”
Sir Robert Chiltern
Last Session politician of impeccable moral charac-
ter. His wife, Gertrude, idolizes him
May 22, 2012
Leaving Iowa
as the ―ideal man‖ and believes that
he has no faults. Lord Goring is Sir Robert’s best
Gertrude’s ideal is shattered when friend and is in love with Robert’s sis-
Mrs. Cheveley arrives in town. Mrs. ter, Mabel Chiltern. Estranged from
Cheveley knows that at the beginning each other, both Robert and Gertrude
I N S I D E T H I S of his career Sir Robert gained his turn to Lord Goring for help and ad-
I S S U E :
wealth and position by taking part in vice.
an illegal fraud. Mrs. Cheveley is It is up to Lord Goring to foil Mrs.
Play Summary 1
blackmailing Sir Robert and threaten- Cheveley’s schemes, to help his friends
ing to expose him to the world. see that love requires forgiveness, and
Main Characters 2
Sir Robert cares less about losing his to somehow convince Miss Mabel to
reputation than he does about loosing marry him.
Playwright 3
Characters
The Play in Context 4
Sir Robert Chiltern—MP, House of Commons Mason—The Chiltern’s butler
Lady Chiltern (Gertrude)—his wife Phipps—Lord Goring’s butler
Victorians and Reform 5 Mabel Chiltern—his sister Lady Markby—friend of Lady Chiltern
Lord Goring—Sir Robert’s best friend Lady Basildon—friend of Lady Chiltern
Victorian Society Lord Caversham—Lord Goring’s father Mrs. Marchmont—friend of Lady Chiltern
6 Mrs. Cheveley—newly arrived from Vienna
& Manners Vicomte de Nanjac—with the French Embassy
Compare to
8
Current Topics
, P a g e 2 A N I D E A L H U S B A ND
WHO’S WHO
Arthur, Lord Goring Miss Mabel Chiltern Lady Chiltern (Gertrude) Sir Robert Chiltern
Caption describing picture or graphic. C H A R A C T E R D E S C R I P T I O N S
Oscar Wilde’s script gives de-
tailed character descriptions for Sir Robert—‖A personality of
all this main characters. If you mark….intensely admired by the
were an actor—how would you few, and deeply respected by the
use these descriptions to help many. The note of his manner is
you portray these characters? that of perfect distinction, with a
slight touch of pride.‖
Lady Chiltern—a woman of
serious purpose and ―grave, Mrs. Cheveley—‖She looks rather
Greek beauty.‖ like an orchid, and makes great
Mrs Cheveley (Laura) demands on one’s curiosity. In all
Mabel Chiltern—‖She has all her movements she is extremely
the fragrance and freedom of a graceful.‖
“To love oneself is flower...She has the fascinating
the beginning of a Lord Goring—‖A flawless
tyranny of youth, and the as-
life long romance” dandy...He plays with life...He is
~Lord Gor- tonishing courage of inno-
cence.‖ fond of being misunderstood. It
T H E T R I U M P H O F L O V E
Oscar Wilde’s script describes a tapestry (depicting the painting of ―The
Triumph of Love‖ by Francios Boucher) that is displayed in the
Chiltern’s house. In a play about love triumphing over condemnation
this was a highly symbolic piece of set decoration. Look for the ways
that Taproot set designer, Mark Lund has incorporated this painting
into our set.
(“The Triumph of Venus” by Francios Boucher, 1740)
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
B Y O S C A R W I L D E
S T U D E N T
M A T I N E E S
C O M I N G PLOT SUMMARY
S O O N !
Nov. 29, 2011 his wife’s love, but when Gertrude
Beasley’s finds out his guilty secret she rejects
Christmas Party him.
Feb 7, 2012
Tartuffe
Time Period: 1900 “It is not the perfect
Mar. 27 /Apr.
Setting: London but the imperfect who
4
Freud’s Sir Robert Chiltern is a prominent have need of love.”
Sir Robert Chiltern
Last Session politician of impeccable moral charac-
ter. His wife, Gertrude, idolizes him
May 22, 2012
Leaving Iowa
as the ―ideal man‖ and believes that
he has no faults. Lord Goring is Sir Robert’s best
Gertrude’s ideal is shattered when friend and is in love with Robert’s sis-
Mrs. Cheveley arrives in town. Mrs. ter, Mabel Chiltern. Estranged from
Cheveley knows that at the beginning each other, both Robert and Gertrude
I N S I D E T H I S of his career Sir Robert gained his turn to Lord Goring for help and ad-
I S S U E :
wealth and position by taking part in vice.
an illegal fraud. Mrs. Cheveley is It is up to Lord Goring to foil Mrs.
Play Summary 1
blackmailing Sir Robert and threaten- Cheveley’s schemes, to help his friends
ing to expose him to the world. see that love requires forgiveness, and
Main Characters 2
Sir Robert cares less about losing his to somehow convince Miss Mabel to
reputation than he does about loosing marry him.
Playwright 3
Characters
The Play in Context 4
Sir Robert Chiltern—MP, House of Commons Mason—The Chiltern’s butler
Lady Chiltern (Gertrude)—his wife Phipps—Lord Goring’s butler
Victorians and Reform 5 Mabel Chiltern—his sister Lady Markby—friend of Lady Chiltern
Lord Goring—Sir Robert’s best friend Lady Basildon—friend of Lady Chiltern
Victorian Society Lord Caversham—Lord Goring’s father Mrs. Marchmont—friend of Lady Chiltern
6 Mrs. Cheveley—newly arrived from Vienna
& Manners Vicomte de Nanjac—with the French Embassy
Compare to
8
Current Topics
, P a g e 2 A N I D E A L H U S B A ND
WHO’S WHO
Arthur, Lord Goring Miss Mabel Chiltern Lady Chiltern (Gertrude) Sir Robert Chiltern
Caption describing picture or graphic. C H A R A C T E R D E S C R I P T I O N S
Oscar Wilde’s script gives de-
tailed character descriptions for Sir Robert—‖A personality of
all this main characters. If you mark….intensely admired by the
were an actor—how would you few, and deeply respected by the
use these descriptions to help many. The note of his manner is
you portray these characters? that of perfect distinction, with a
slight touch of pride.‖
Lady Chiltern—a woman of
serious purpose and ―grave, Mrs. Cheveley—‖She looks rather
Greek beauty.‖ like an orchid, and makes great
Mrs Cheveley (Laura) demands on one’s curiosity. In all
Mabel Chiltern—‖She has all her movements she is extremely
the fragrance and freedom of a graceful.‖
“To love oneself is flower...She has the fascinating
the beginning of a Lord Goring—‖A flawless
tyranny of youth, and the as-
life long romance” dandy...He plays with life...He is
~Lord Gor- tonishing courage of inno-
cence.‖ fond of being misunderstood. It
T H E T R I U M P H O F L O V E
Oscar Wilde’s script describes a tapestry (depicting the painting of ―The
Triumph of Love‖ by Francios Boucher) that is displayed in the
Chiltern’s house. In a play about love triumphing over condemnation
this was a highly symbolic piece of set decoration. Look for the ways
that Taproot set designer, Mark Lund has incorporated this painting
into our set.
(“The Triumph of Venus” by Francios Boucher, 1740)
