One of the nineteenth century's most successful & 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 & spin & 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 & 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 & political scandals The introduction also gives a substantial performance history with particular reference to the play's film versions & the influential Peter Hall theatre production