Lying and Cheating
-------Lady Chiltern from An Ideal Husband
Before I start to talk about this character, Lady Chiltern, I want first raising one of my point after I saw this movie. Like everybody is talking about, the cheat is one of the most serious things between two person no matter you are in romance relationship or already married. This play also bring this subject in front of us. Robert, Lady Chiltern’s husband which she always believe was perfect and ideal all the time, cheated her, Lady Chiltern which woman was un-mature. But is it shows Robert does not like Gertrude? Or does it shows a person like Robert is not a good man enough? To Lady Chiltern, I think is at the beginning.
In the first act, author introduces Lady Chiltern as a perfect example of the English type of prettiness. She is very well educated which has mentioned later. He describes her child-like appearance and stress her astonishing innocence. Her beauty is like the piece of art, but she is lack of confidence and security which makes her will not admit her beauty when others told her about it. And that is why she need a perfect husband, an ideal husband, the one who will never lie to her or even didn’t have any secret himself. She knows everything, every detail of her husband‘s schedule. But also because her child-like personality, she believes her husband very much. She also didn’t have the reason to doubt her husband. The first time when Mrs. Cheveley shows her desire to Lady Chiltern, she walk away immediately and shows no interest at all.
Lady Chiltern is easy to draw a demarcation between whom or what to hate or love, abhorring evil as a deadly foe. The first time Lady Chiltern show her unlike to Mrs. Cheveley, said to her husband, “she was untruthful, dishonest, an evil influence on every one whose trust or friendship she could win. I hated, I despised her. She stole things, and she was a thief.” Women always feel unsafe when another women enter their peaceful life, which make them lack inspiration to join in some adventures. And then, it comes to the first time she feel doubtful about her husband. The first time, she was so sure about what she think her husband is, an ideal man, an ideal husband. Here, she feel hesitant about whether continue to believe her husband or not. She also uses her words to press Sir Robert Chiltern to say what she wants to hear. After all, her husband does not tell her the truth because he loves her and does not want let her down.
She is also a woman who is not independent enough. When she feels uncertain, the first movement is going to Lord Goring.
Although she is a woman who lack of security, but face to the Mrs. Cheveley, she seems to be very confident about herself which also inform her personality that she thinks all the evil as a deadly foe.
After she knows the truth of his husband, she drives herself crazy and even do not let Robert explain all this to her. Madness has although her body, everything is refused from her mind which can show us the lies to herself are really intolerant.
Mrs. Cheveley said Lady Chiltern never changes since they graduated from school. Sure she did not. But after all these things she was going though, she changes certainly. She realize how much she loved her husband and she find out her fault in their relationship, “I set up him too high.” After all, she says one sentence which I think is the best describe how men and women can maintain a health relationship “, “ Men easily forget. And I forgive. That’s how women help the world. I see that now.”
Lady Chiltern is also a woman who worship love very much. After she realize Mabel and Lord Goring are truly in love with each other, she use every words try to give Mabel to Lord Goring, even admit her lie. She changes, become more mature and fit in the society of men and women.
At the last of first act, Oscar Wilde shows us how Robert and Gertrude loved each other, very much. At the last of the second act, he shows give us the sense of these two falling apart. Every climax is write in the last of every acts. The third act does not show Lady Chiltern at all. After the conflict between Lady Chiltern and Sir Robert Chiltern, this blank can relax the intensity and also prepare for the attitude change of Lady Chiltern.
Lying is not frightening in ones relationship, cheating is. Robert said one paragraph of line at the last of this play which shows his understand of love, Loveless marriages are not horrible. But there is one thing worse than an absolutely loveless marriage. A marriage in which there is love, but on one side only; faith, but on one side only; devotion, but on one side only, and in which of the two hearts one is sure to be broken.” According to his words, if two are equal there will be just fine. But if the love is only on one side, cheating might exist.
In my opinion, in this world there does not have ideal husband or ideal life. Everyone is not perfect. Everyone have their own secret and also their moral limits. What makes us different is how we deal with these complex things. We need to love oneself, just like Lord Goring said, begin our lifelong romance.