The plot in six lines
At a party in his London home, Sir Robert Chiltern enjoys a reputation for integrity and the admiration of Lady Chiltern.
Mrs Cheveley demands his support for a fraudulent canal scheme, threatening to reveal a letter proving that he sold a government secret.
Robert confides in Lord Goring, who recognises that Lady Chiltern's belief in her husband's perfection makes the threat especially dangerous.
As Mrs Cheveley increases the pressure, private meetings and letters create further risks, while Mabel Chiltern and Lord Goring grow closer.
The conflict tests Robert's determination to protect himself, Lady Chiltern's capacity for forgiveness and Lord Goring's ability to act decisively.
With Mrs Cheveley's scheme defeated, Robert's public career survives, Lady Chiltern accepts his imperfections, and Lord Goring and Mabel look towards an honest marriage.
Themes
Moral ideals: Lady Chiltern's belief in Robert's perfection shows how an ideal can place pressure on love and encourage concealment.
Public reputation: Robert's admired honesty rests on a corrupt beginning, exposing the distance between public reputation and private truth.
Forgiveness: Goring's defence of imperfect people challenges Lady Chiltern's conviction that wrongdoing should exclude a person from love.
Women's roles: Lady Chiltern, Mrs Cheveley and Mabel respond differently to a society that limits women's ways of acting.
Appearance and reality: Lord Goring's apparently idle manner conceals loyalty and judgement, while Robert's spotless image conceals an old wrong.
Characters
- Sir Robert ChilternA respected Under-Secretary of State whose spotless name hides one old act, and who wants above all to keep his career and his wife's love.
- Lady Gertrude ChilternRobert's wife, a woman of firm moral principles who sees her husband as a model of honour and expects him to stay one.
- Lord GoringA witty, idle-seeming bachelor and Robert's close friend, who hides a sharp mind and wants to help the Chilterns.
- Mrs CheveleyA clever, elegant schemer from Vienna who knows Robert's secret and wants his help for a fraudulent canal project.
- Mabel ChilternRobert's lively young sister, who speaks her mind, mocks the conventions of society and has her eye on Lord Goring.
- Lord CavershamLord Goring's gruff father, who wants his son to marry and take life seriously, and who rarely understands his jokes.
For the A level English Literature exams, summer 2027
- The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027.
- OCR: Paper 1 (H472/01), Section 2 (drama and poetry before 1900), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning, 2 hours 30 minutes.
A two-week plan
- Day oneRead the 15-minute summary of An Ideal Husband from start to finish, then tell the story back to yourself in five sentences.
- Days two to threeA perfect marriage and a party: Notice how the party's witty conversation establishes the marriage and reputation that Mrs Cheveley threatens.
- Day fourA stranger arrives with a demand: Watch how Mrs Cheveley's polished manner contrasts with the coercion behind her demand.
- Day fiveRobert seeks help from a dandy: Follow how Goring shifts attention from Robert's political danger to the demands within his marriage.
- Day sixLove, pressure and a widening trap: Notice how comic courtship runs alongside private meetings, misunderstandings and the threat of discovery.
- Day sevenWhat the play says about ideals and mercy: Consider how the ideal of perfection differs from Goring's argument for mercy.
- Day eightHow Wilde builds the comedy and the plot: Watch how epigrams reveal character while letters, objects and timing sustain the suspense.
- Day nineThe cast: Sir Robert Chiltern, Lady Gertrude Chiltern, Lord Goring, Mrs Cheveley and Mabel Chiltern. Write one line on what each of them wants.
- Day tenThemes: Moral ideals; Public reputation; Forgiveness; Women's roles; Appearance and reality. Pick one moment in the story for each.
- Day elevenForm: study how the play is built: its scenes, its speeches and its turning points.
- Day twelvePractice: plan and write an essay on one theme, then read your argument back and test it against the story.
- Day thirteenPractice: try a second question with a different focus, such as a character or the form.
- Day fourteenRecap: reread your notes and the summary, say the plot out loud once, then rest.
From the boards' published specifications and final summer 2027 timetables, read on 23 October 2026. Ask your school which board and papers you sit.
Questions
What is An Ideal Husband about?
An Ideal Husband is about a respected politician whose concealed wrongdoing threatens his marriage and career. Mrs Cheveley's blackmail brings questions of honour, love and forgiveness into conflict.
Who are the main characters in An Ideal Husband?
The main characters are Sir Robert Chiltern, Lady Gertrude Chiltern, Lord Goring, Mrs Cheveley, Mabel Chiltern and Lord Caversham. The Chilterns face a threat from Mrs Cheveley, while Lord Goring becomes their key helper.
What are the main themes of An Ideal Husband?
The main themes are moral perfection, forgiveness, public reputation, appearance and reality, and women's roles. The play contrasts love that demands an ideal with love that accepts human faults.
Is An Ideal Husband a set text for A level English Literature?
Yes. OCR lists it in Paper 1 (H472/01), Section 2 (drama and poetry before 1900).
When are the A level English Literature exams in 2027?
The summer 2027 A level exams run from 10 May to 22 June 2027. OCR: Paper 1 (H472/01), Thursday 13 May 2027, morning.
