Monologue

Sir Robert Chiltern Monologue from An Ideal Husband

From An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

male · defiant · 1:38 min

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Yes. But the Suez Canal was a very great and splendid undertaking. It gave us our direct route to India. It had imperial value. It was necessary that we should have control. This Argentine scheme is a commonplace Stock Exchange swindle. (MRS. CHEVELEY: A speculation, Sir Robert! A brilliant, daring speculation.) Believe me, Mrs. Cheveley, it is a swindle. Let us call things by their proper names. It makes matters simpler. We have all the information about it at the Foreign Office. In fact, I sent out a special Commission to inquire into the matter privately, and they report that the works are hardly begun, and as for the money already subscribed, no one seems to know what has become of it. The whole thing is a second Panama, and with not a quarter of the chance of success that miserable affair ever had. I hope you have not invested in it. I am sure you are far too clever to have done that. (MRS. CHEVELEY: I have invested very largely in it.) Who could have advised you to do such a foolish thing?

About this piece

Sir Robert Chiltern confronts Mrs. Cheveley about a fraudulent investment scheme, expressing his disdain and concern for the implications of such corruption.

40s · disgust · betrayal · power · ambition · corruption

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