One of the nineteenth century-s most successful and most frequently revived plays, An Ideal Husband has divided critics more than any other of Wilde-s plays. Treating political intrigue, financial fraud, blackmail, scandal and spin, and the role of women in public life, it is a play which engaged with issues of vital importance to its late-Victorian audience, which continue to resonate today. Sos Eltis, a specialist in Victorian drama and its relation to women''s issues, provides a stimulating new perspective on An Ideal Husband, through an introduction that looks at its relation with contemporary social purity campaigns, women''s rights, and political scandals. The introduction also gives a substantial performance history, with particular reference to the play''s film versions and the influential Peter Hall theatre production.
