Penguin Readers Factsheets an Ideal Husband

Penguin Readers Factsheets Level An Ideal Husband 3 – Pre-intermediate Teacher’s Notes An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

English-speaking world. Many of his witty sayings are still repeated Summary and enjoyed today. As a young man, he wore his hair long, dressed colourfully and carried flowers. After his marriage to Constance An Ideal Husband is about a group of rich people in London during Lloyd in 1884, he published several children’s books. (The Selfish the 1890s. Sir Robert Chiltern, is the ‘ideal husband’ who works in Giant now in the Penguin Young Reader series is one of his the government’s foreign office and has a happy marriage, or stories.) does he? In Act 1, a beautiful and sophisticated woman called Mrs Cheveley arrives. She has been out of England. Her arrival brings Background and themes trouble for Sir Robert. She has a secret letter about him and she wants him to get the government to agree to a building plan for The play is light and very amusing but there are many themes in it. Argentina, which will make her rich. Sir Robert tells his wife, Lady It takes place in the London society of the 1890s, among rich Chiltern. She asks him not to do what Mrs Cheveley wants. Mrs people who don’t need to work. They spend a lot of time at parties Cheveley then tells Lady Chiltern that Sir Robert once sold a and social events. Some of the men are in government. This puts government secret to a businessman for money. This information is them in the position of telling others how to run their lives, so revealed in Mrs Cheveley’s ‘letter’. In fact, Mrs Cheveley is using the should they lead good lives themselves and set a good example? letter to blackmail Sir Robert. Or is it not important what they do in their own life? Lord Goring is a good friend to both Sir Robert and Lady Chiltern One of the messages of the play is that people in government have and he loves Sir Robert’s sister, Mabel. In Act 2, Goring suggests more opportunity to make money and so they should be honest and to Sir Robert that to stop Mrs Cheveley making trouble for Sir truthful, and not try to make money out of helping to run the country. Robert, he needs to find out something bad about her. In Act 3 it is Wilde suggests that someone who is good is difficult to live with Lord Goring who is able to get the letter back, by proving to Mrs because they don’t understand other people making mistakes or Cheveley that he knows she is a thief. Lady Chiltern is very upset doing wrong. Sir Robert feels unable to tell his wife what happened because she can no longer think of her husband as honest. many years ago, because she, who would never do anything In Act 3 Lord Goring is at home waiting for Lady Chiltern, who wrong, will not understand. His wife’s love is imperfect at the start has sent him a letter asking if she can talk to him. Mrs Cheveley of the play, because it is conditional. Mabel Chiltern understands steals this letter while she is waiting to talk to Lord Goring. Sir this problem and says she doesn’t want a perfect husband. Robert has also come to talk to Goring. He finds out that Mrs A positive thing about the play is that both Sir Robert and Lady Cheveley is in the next room. Lord Goring thinks it is Lady Chiltern Chiltern are willing to change. Lady Chiltern is able to forgive her who is there and he tells Sir Robert that the lady loves him. This husband. Sir Robert is ready to stop his work in the government to makes Sir Robert angry with Lord Goring. Mrs Cheveley thinks that please her. This helps their marriage become happier. the stolen letter addressed to Goring is a love letter and she later sends it to Sir Robert. An Ideal Husband is a kind of love story. Lady Chiltern loves her husband because of the picture she has of him. Sir Robert loves In Act 4 Lady Chiltern learns that Sir Robert’s secret is safe, but his wife, and wants her to admire him always. It is a love that that Mrs Cheveley has sent her (Lady Chiltern’s) letter to Goring. Sir leaves no room for change and so is imperfect. Only when Lady Robert thinks the letter was written to him, and so it doesn’t make Chiltern realises she can forgive him for not being perfect can their him angry, as he thinks it shows that his wife loves him again. He love grow. Mabel Chiltern and Lord Goring are also in love, but doesn’t want to upset her again, so when Lord Caversham tells him behave very differently. that the prime minister wants to give him a more important government job, he says he cannot take it. Lord Goring tells Lady Wilde makes fun of the these people, but in a gentle way that Chiltern that she should let her husband take the job. It is important makes you smile. For example, he writes,‘How can you say he is to him. Lady Chiltern understands this. She has changed and is able lazy, when he goes horse-riding… changes his clothes five times a to forgive her husband. In the last scene Mabel and Goring prepare day.’ ‘I love talking about nothing. It’s the only thing I understand.’; to get married and Sir Robert and Lady Chiltern’s marriage is safe. ‘I have given a lot of money to the poor.’ ‘To the poor, was that really a good idea?’; ‘Her daughter is getting married … it is very sad’; ‘She’s as cold and perfect as all good women. She will never About the author forgive me.’ In successful plays, the characters change during Oscar Wilde was a clever writer of plays and poems. His most the play. In An Ideal Husband Lady Chiltern learns to famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is one of the most forgive and love her husband. famous plays in the English language and is performed all over the

(b) Scene 1, Sir Robert and in scene 2, Lady Chiltern, talk to Communicative activities Lord Goring. Scene 3, Lord Goring talks to Mabel Chiltern. Scene 4, Mrs Cheveley, Lady Markby and Lady Chiltern talk together, and in scene 5, Lady Chiltern and ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK Sir Robert are together. 1 Ask students: Which do you prefer, plays or films? Ask (c) Scene 1, Sir Robert talks to Mrs Cheveley. Scene 2, students to explain why they prefer plays or films. Lady Chiltern talks to Lord Goring. Scene 3, Sir Robert 2 Ask the class to imagine that they will be performing An Ideal and Lord Goring talk. Scene 4, lady Markby and Lady Husband. How will they plan it? Ask students to make a list of Chiltern talk together. Scene 5, Sir Robert and Mrs the things that they will need to do, (For example, they will Cheveley are talking together. need to choose actors, a director, costume-makers. They will 3 Students work in pairs and act out scene 5, using the picture need to rehearse the play.) on page 25. The class can vote for the pair who put the most 3 Ask the students to study the photo on the cover of the book. feeling into the acting. Ask them to write three sentences about the man in the photo. Acts 3 and 4 Then ask them to read the four sentences about the book at 1 Students should write a short summary about what happens to: the back of the book. Checking that they understand all the (a) Sir Robert’s letter, (c) the bracelet vocabulary, ask them if they can now give the name of the man (b) Lady Chiltern’s letter on the front. How does what they wrote fit/not fit with the text? 2 Students work in pairs. Describe the following situation for 4 Ask students to ook up the word ‘ideal’ in the dictionary and students to discuss. Ask them to try and be honest and to discuss what it means in general, and then what it means in give reasons for their decision. the title of the play.(Ideal: the best possible, perfect. Imagine that you need money quickly or you will be in ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION trouble. You have a secret letter about someone in government which you could sell to the newspapers. If the Act 1 secret is published it will hurt this person, but you will be 1 Students work in pairs. They answer the questions below. helped. What would you do in this situation? (a) The title of Act 1 is ‘A Surprise Guest’. Who is this? (b) Where does Act 1 take place? ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK (c) Who says ‘I hate learning.’? 1 Students work in pairs. Ask students to write separate (d) What is the name of Lord Caversham’s son? descriptions about what happened durng the play to: (e) What is Lady Chiltern’s first name? (f) Which characters were at school together? (a) Mabel Chiltern and Lord Goring (g) Mabel Chiltern finds something that Mrs Cheveley has (b) Sir Robert and Lady Chiltern lost. What is it? Who takes it from her? (c) Mrs Cheveley (d) Lord Caversham 2 Students work in pairs. They answer the questions below and give reasons for their opinion. 2 Students discuss as a class: ‘Men need success in their lives. Feelings are more important in women’s lives.’ How does the Out of Act 1, who do you think is play show this is true? Is it true in society today? (a) the funniest person? (b) the most important person? (c) the most unpleasant person? (d) a servant? Glossary 3 Divide the class into four groups, one for each scene. Each Act 1 Acts 3 and 4 group should check the descriptions of the characters on page viii. Then they choose one of the characters. If the Act (v) to play someone in a play or Ambition (n) something in your life that film you have wanted to do for a long time groups are large there can be more than one student for Baron (n) someone in British society Palm tree (n) a tree with large leaves each character. Taking each scene one at a time, each who owns land that grows near deserts student takes turns to find a question that their character Bracelet (n) it is worn round the wrist Prime minister (n) the leader of the asks. They read the question aloud to the rest of the class.. to look pretty British government The rest of the class must find the answer from the text. The Brooch (n) it is worn on women’s Trust (v) to believe that someone is activity could be on a timed basis. For example, in scene I, clothes to look pretty honest Mabel Chiltern asks, ‘Why do you call Lord Goring good-for- Carriage (n) a kind of car pulled by a nothing?’ The answer is ‘because he’s so lazy’. horse. It carries passengers Act 2 Character (n) the person an actor or 1 Ask the students in groups to choose one scene and describe actress plays in a ply or film it. They should say who is talking to whom and what they talk about. (Scenes 1 and 4 have two parts with different characters in each part.) Try and get the groups to cover all the scenes. Added together the class will have a summary of Act 2. 2 Students work in pairs. Write the ‘summaries’ below on the board. Ask: Which is the correct summary of Act 1? (a) Scene 1, Lord Goring talks to Mrs Cheveley. Scene 2, Mrs Cheveley talks to Sir Robert. In scenes 3 and 4, Sir Robert and Lady Chiltern are talking. In scene 5, Mrs Cheveley and Lady Chiltern are talking.

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ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK Act 2 1 Look quickly through the book and make a list of things that Scenes 1–3 are different from other Readers, for example, there are 1 Match the sentences. names down the left hand side. (a) ‘Why didn’t you tell your wife everything?’ 2 Read the Introduction. Then complete these sentences. (b) ‘Weak? I had to be strong and brave.’ (a) The author of An Ideal Husband is ______. (c) ‘I have just come from a meeting at the Women’s Club.’ (b) It takes place over ______hours. (d) ‘Lord Goring! Please don’t be serious!’ (c) It takes place in the early 1890s in the home of (i) Sir Robert ______. (ii) Mabel Chiltern (d) Some of the women are beautiful and ______. (iii) Lord Goring (e) They are interested in ______. (iv) Lady Chiltern (f) They go to dinner parties and the theatre every ______Scenes 4–5 3Write a few sentences about what you think an ideal husband In the following sentences, change the nouns to pronouns. should be like. First, look up the word ‘ideal’ in your dictionary. Example: Mrs Cheveley has lost a gold brooch. She has lost it. (a) Lady Chiltern asked Mason about the gold brooch. ACTIVITIES WHILE READING THE BOOK (b) Lady Brancaster visited Lady Markby. Act 1 (c) Lady Chiltern didn’t invite Mrs Cheveley to her house. (d) Lady Chiltern made Sir Robert break his promise. Scenes 1–3 (e) Mrs Cheveley had a plan to make a lot of money. 1 Are these sentences right or wrong? (f) Mrs Cheveley wanted to tell the world about the secret. (a) Mrs Marchmont is going to the Hartlocks’ party because Act 3 they give interesting parties. True or false? (b) Lady Basildon loves learning from people. (c) Lord Goring is called a ‘good-for-nothing’ because he is (a) Lord Caversham calls on Lord Goring at ten o’clock. lazy. (b) Lord Caversham does not want his son to get married. (d) Lady Chiltern and Mrs Cheveley like each other because (c) Lord Goring is thirty-two years old. they were at school together. (d) Baron Arnheim left most of his money to Sir Robert. (e) Mrs Cheveley will stay in London if the weather and (e) Baron Arnheim left most of his money to Mrs Cheveley. cooking are good. (f) Sir Robert says Lord Goring is his only friend. (f) Mrs Cheveley likes talking about business. (g) A long time ago Lord Goring asked Mrs Cheveley to (g) Sir Robert made money from the Argentine Canal plan. marry him. Scene 4–6 Act 4 2 Answer these questions. 1 Put the sentences in the right order to tell the story. (a) How long does Mrs Cheveley say it took her to change (a) Lady Chiltern kisses Sir Robert. Sir Robert’s mind? (b) Lord Goring tells Lady Chiltern that he has burnt the (b) Lord Goring says ’clever women sometimes make letter with Sir Robert’s secret. surprising mistakes’. Who is he talking about? (c) Lady Chiltern tears up her letter to Lord Goring. (c) Who finds a brooch and what happens to it? (d) Lord Caversham tells Sir Robert that there is a new (d) Sir Robert tells his wife a lie. What is it? government position for him. (e) At which hotel is Mrs Cheveley staying? (e) Lord Goring and Mabel Chiltern decide to get married. (f) Can you think of a reason why Wilde makes the stage dark at the end of Act 1?

2 Find the following sentences in the text. Explain why these sentences are not true. Example: Lord Caversham says ‘Robert Chiltern has a good position because of hard work, honesty and marriage.’ Answer: Lord Caversham does not know that Sir Robert was once not honest. (a) Lord Goring says to his father, ‘I am very pleased to see you.’ (b) Lord Caversham says to his son, ‘You are heartless, sir, quite heartless.’ (c) Lord Goring tells Sir Robert that ‘That lady has never hurt you.’ 3Work with a partner. Discuss how Lord Goring shows Mrs Cheveley that the brooch is not hers. 4 Which sentences are true? (a) Lord Goring doesn’t want to see his father every day because it is too exciting. (b) Lord Goring doesn’t want to see his father every day because it is not exciting. (c) Lord Goring was thinking about marriage. (d) Lord Caversham doesn’t know when Lord Goring is serious. (e) Lord Caversham thinks that Lord Goring doesn’t know Sir Robert very well. (f) Lord Goring does know Sir Robert very well. (g) Lord Caversham is angry with Mabel Chiltern. (h) Mabel Chiltern likes Lady Caversham’s hats.

ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK 1Write about the character of Sir Richard Chiltern. What is good about him? What is bad? 2 Choose any part of the play that you enjoyed, and tell a partner why you like it. Or choose one character that you would like to play, and explain why. 3Write the story of Lord Goring and Mabel Chiltern. Do you think they will have a happy marriage? 4 The dialogue in the play is very light, but there are moments of strong feeling. Pick out short dialogues which are examples of happiness, sadness, wrongdoing, goodness.