Aestheticism Vs Hermeneutics and the Implications of Essence In Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband”

Abstract

An Ideal Husband is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde written in 1895 The play revolves around political corruption power and ambition perceptions of honour success and love and the dilemma of morality The play proved to be an immediate success As the 19thcentury society was obsessed with the mania for morality a communal trend emerged for everyone to pose as a paragon of virtue purity and incorruptibility The image of idealism is promoted with no tolerance for human frailties Such a trend opposes human nature and the purpose for which God has created this world The play depicts corrupt politics and social life a moral society where illicit love affairs flourish in secret Not a year passes in England without somebody disappearing Scandals used to lend charm or at least interest to a man now they crush him An Ideal Husband 28 Though the play is classified as a comedy it deals with serious issues The description of the Octagon room at Sir Robert Chiltern s house in Grosvenor Square refers to a powerful and wealthy society The artistic decoration reflects an appreciative sense of art but a predominant ambiance of appearances as much as the houses are luxuriously decorated so are elaborate women s dresses while men wear plain clothes