A scene from
Oscar Wilde's 1895 play
An Ideal Husband, originally published in a 1901 collected edition of Wilde's works. The
comedy, which opened
January 3, 1896, at the
Haymarket Theatre in
London, revolves around
blackmail and
political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private
honour. It has been adapted into television, radio/audio, and three films. The published version differs slightly from the performed play, for Wilde added many passages and cut others. Prominent additions included written
stage directions and character descriptions. Wilde was a leader in the effort to make plays accessible to the reading public.
Artist: Unknown; Restoration: Adam Cuerden