Characters Flashcards
Sir Robert Chiltern
LC’s husband
corrupt politician
betrays a gov secret for money
‘power was the one thing worth having’
‘to succeed one most have wealth’
not an ideal husband or politician
ACT 4 - willing to sacrifice his public life for his wife
rewarded for his speech with a seat in the cabinet, showing how politicians are rewarded for bad deeds
WM: Politicians are not always to be trusted, appearances and reputation can be deceiving
Lady Chiltern
SRC’s wife
is able to tell her husband what to do ‘write this moment’, has domestic power
Goes to the Woman’s Liberal Association
Gives up her high moral standards for her husband, showing how women must give way to their husbands ‘a mans life is of more value than a woman’s’
‘women worship when we love’
‘lie to me! lie to me!’
WM: women had high expectations and failure to meet them has consequences
Mabel Chiltern
has a romance with and eventually marries LG
Ideal Victorian Woman
London Society played an important role in the lives of young women
Marries for love - unusual
‘I love London society’
‘I have no character left at all’
‘I think they are quite impossible’ (about politics)
WM: women must ultimately conform, their key role is as a wife
Lord Goring
Solipsism
OW’s self insert
has a romance with and eventually marries MC
‘he plays with life’
‘I am very selfish’
‘you seem to be living entirely for pleasure’
‘a man’s life is of more value than a woman’s’
WM: Even people that try to break stereotypes will eventually conform
Mrs Cheveley
blackmails SR, demonstrating her power even as a woman
‘politics is my only passion’
‘the brilliant Mrs Cheveley’
‘her face is illuminated with evil triumph’
SNAKE BROOCH = Adam and Eve, links to Christabel, ‘Lord Goring suddenly clasps it on her arm’ (represents handcuffs and her guilt as a thief)
trys to blackmail LG and subverts to typical female stereotypes of wanting marriage and stability - looses power
doesn’t appear in act 4 as punishment for trying to break stereotypes
WM: female power fails against the male establishment
Mrs Marchmont and Lady Basildon
upper class women with no purpose in life, dislike learning, talk nonsense
represent the upper classes who are self involved
Lord Caversham
dislikes London society
Lord Goring’s father
represents traditional views
