An Ideal Husband - Oscar Wilde

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance...

This is the most phenomenal and striking definition I've ever read about ideal living...Who else can define it in such a beautiful way...Yes Oscar Wilde again..:-) Though he is a versatile writer,most of his works are plays only..'The Picture of Dorian Gray' is the only novel in his writing career..His capability of framing dialogues in a very natural way shows his hold on human behavior and mentalities..Coming to the book,'An Ideal Husband' is a good comedy..The play  is written in the backdrop of aristocratic society of  London..As usual The Irish writer targeted the London high class society..One more time I was spell bound by his witty writing style..

Oh, I love London Society! I think it has immensely improved. It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics. Just what Society should be.

In England a man who can’t talk morality twice a week to a large, popular, immoral audience is quite over as a serious politician

Image from google

Sir Robert Chiltern,who holds a honourable position in society,built his political career by selling a cabinet secret to a stock broker..He fears public disgrace when the proof of his corruption fell in hands of  Mrs.Cheveley...She starts blackmailing him and forces him to act in her favour for  her political gain..Mrs.Chiltern,The sensible wife of Sir Robert who admires him for his stainless character was shocked to know about this scandal..Sir Lord Goring,best friend of Robert takes the charge to save his friend..Finally Robert got saved from the disgrace with few dramatic consequences...

Even you are not rich enough, Sir Robert, to buy back your past. No man is.

Wilde explained few principles of  'successful marriage' and expectations of man and woman in a relationship..He says,men often need forgiveness and love and hence It is the utmost responsibility of  women to provide them these two..By taking man's side he quoted,woman's life is not as important as man's..My favourite character is none other than Mr.Goring,the most eligible bachelor with confused thoughts about marriage..Perhaps Wilde tried to put his heart and soul in this character..

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book..Of course Its always fun reading Oscar Wilde's...:-)
Here are few lines from the book..I wish I could add few more quotes..But it is going to be a never ending list when it comes to Oscar Wilde...

Sir Robert's agony,
Women think that they are making ideals of men. What they are making of us are false idols merely. You made your false idol of me, and I had not the courage to come down, show you my wounds, tell you my weaknesses. I was afraid that I might lose your love..

I don't know that women are always rewarded for being charming. I think they are usually punished for it!

Men can be analysed, women . . . merely adored.

I love talking about nothing, father. It is the only thing I know anything about

I adore political parties. They are the only place left to us where people don’t talk politics.

I like looking at geniuses, and listening to beautiful people.

Oh, I like tedious, practical subjects. What I don’t like are tedious, practical people. There is a wide difference.

I always pass on good advice.It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.

when the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers.

Life is never fair...And perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not."

Wonderful woman, Lady Markby, isn’t she? Talks more and says less than anybody I ever met

Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike

Lord Goring. Mabel, do be serious. Please be serious.
Mabel Chiltern. Ah! that is the sort of thing a man always says to a girl before he has been married to her. He never says it afterwards

A man’s life is of more value than a woman’s. It has larger issues,wider scope, greater ambitions. A woman’s life revolves in curves of emotions. It is upon lines of intellect that a man’s life progresses.

Bottomline : 'To err' is Men's right..'To forgive' is women's duty....:P