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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.
2
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.
4
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 !