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An Ideal Husband Trivia Quiz

"An Ideal Husband" is an Oscar Wilde comedy about a husband who doesn't turn out to be the ideal his wife always thought he was. It was first performed in 1895.

A multiple-choice quiz by wardcogge. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
wardcogge

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
316,661

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
363

Last 3 plays: Guest 206 (14/20), Guest 156 (19/20), Guest 169 (17/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Where does the First Act take place? Hint

Octagon room in Sir Robert Chiltern's house

Library of Lord Goring's house

Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern's house

Drawing room in Lord Goring's house

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Question 2 of 20

2. Why does Lady Basildon call the man who took her in to dinner trivial? Hint

Because he wore an evening dress with a buttonhole

Because he was staring at her decollet�

Because he advised her to find some serious purpose in life

Because he talked about his wife the whole time

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Question 3 of 20

3. Whom does Lord Caversham blame for leading an idle life? Hint

Sir Robert

Mason

Vicomte de Nanjac

Lord Goring

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Question 4 of 20

4. Whom does Oscar Wilde describe as "a work of art, on the whole, but showing the influence of too many schools"? Hint

Miss Mabel Chiltern

Lady Chiltern

Mrs Cheveley

Lady Markby

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Question 5 of 20

5. Which description fits Lord Goring? Hint

Flawless dandy who lies about his age

Young attach� known for his neckties and his Anglomania

Personality of mark with a tired look

Old gentleman wearing the riband and star of the Garter

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Question 6 of 20

6. Complete the following quote by Mrs Cheveley: "In modern life nothing produces such an effect ____." Hint

As an old-fashioned joke

As a mysterious past

As a witty remark

As a good platitude

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Question 7 of 20

7. What secret did Sir Robert keep from his wife? Hint

He had an affair with Mrs Cheveley

His real name was Earnest

He paid Lord Caversham for a seat in the Cabinet

He sold a Cabinet secret to a stockbroker

NEXT>

Question 8 of 20

8. What does Mrs Cheveley want from Sir Robert? Hint

Presidency of the Woman's Liberal Association

His retirement from public life

His public support of the Argentine Canal scheme

Big sum of money

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Question 9 of 20

9. What has Mrs Cheveley dropped in Sir Robert's house? Hint

Pearl necklace

Diamond brooch

Silver earring

Golden bracelet

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Question 10 of 20

10. Complete this quote by Lady Chiltern: "We women ____ when we love."

Answer: (One word, 7 letters)

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Question 11 of 20

11. What does Sir Robert call the god of this century? Hint

Wealth

Pessimism

Passion

Beauty

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Question 12 of 20

12. What would be very unbecoming to Lord Goring according to Miss Mabel Chiltern? Hint

Seriousness

Dishonesty

Ambition

Idleness

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. What is Tommy Trafford doing too often? Hint

Giving money to charity

Talking about politics

Proposing to Miss Mabel

Writing foolish letters

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Question 14 of 20

14. How does Lady Chiltern find out about her husband's secret? Hint

She never finds out

She finds his letter to Baron Arnheim

Mrs Cheveley tells her

She deduces it from an article in the Morning Post

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Question 15 of 20

15. Who is hiding in Lord Goring's drawing room during the Third Act? Hint

Lady Chiltern

Mrs Cheveley

Miss Mabel Chiltern

Lady Markby

NEXT>

Question 16 of 20

16. When will Mrs Cheveley give Sir Robert's letter to Lord Goring? Hint

When he offers her a seat in the House of Commons

When he buys her Argentine Canal shares

When he promises to marry her

When he writes her a big cheque

NEXT>

Question 17 of 20

17. "I want you. I trust you. I am coming to you." Who writes this to whom? Hint

Lady Chiltern to Lord Goring

Mrs Cheveley to Lord Goring

Lady Chiltern to Sir Robert

Mrs Cheveley to Sir Robert

NEXT>

Question 18 of 20

18. What's the name of Lord Goring's butler? Hint

Phipps

Merriman

Mason

Farquhar

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. Why does Sir Robert initially oppose a marriage between Lord Goring and his sister Mabel? Hint

He thinks the two are biologically brother and sister

He thinks Lord Goring is having an affair with Mrs Cheveley

He thinks Mabel is already married

He wants Mabel to marry Tommy Trafford

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. Mabel would like Lord Goring to make her an ideal husband.

True

False

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 06 2024 : Guest 206: 14/20
Oct 30 2024 : Guest 156: 19/20
Oct 21 2024 : Guest 169: 17/20
Oct 20 2024 : Guest 169: 5/20
Oct 20 2024 : Guest 169: 1/20
Oct 02 2024 : Guest 92: 13/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where does the First Act take place?

Answer: Octagon room in Sir Robert Chiltern's house

Lady Chiltern stands at the top of the staircase, ready to receive her evening guests.

2. Why does Lady Basildon call the man who took her in to dinner trivial?

Answer: Because he talked about his wife the whole time

Mrs Marchmont and Lady Basildon are two of Lady Chiltern's guests. They belong to the London society.

3. Whom does Lord Caversham blame for leading an idle life?

Answer: Lord Goring

He calls him his good-for-nothing young son, but Miss Mabel defends him.

4. Whom does Oscar Wilde describe as "a work of art, on the whole, but showing the influence of too many schools"?

Answer: Mrs Cheveley

Mrs Cheveley has Venetian red hair and grey-green eyes. She is in heliotrope, with diamonds. She's extremely graceful, but turns out to be the villain of the play.

5. Which description fits Lord Goring?

Answer: Flawless dandy who lies about his age

Lord Goring is thirty-four, but he says he's thirty-two. He is clever, but would not like to be thought so.

6. Complete the following quote by Mrs Cheveley: "In modern life nothing produces such an effect ____."

Answer: As a good platitude

Mrs Cheveley wants Sir Robert to defend the fraudulent scheme of the Argentine Canal Company in the House of Commons. "A few ordinary platitudes will do."

7. What secret did Sir Robert keep from his wife?

Answer: He sold a Cabinet secret to a stockbroker

He laid the foundation of his fortune by selling a Cabinet secret to Baron Arnheim, a Stock Exchange speculator. He wrote a letter to the Baron telling him to buy Suez Canal shares, three days before the Government announced its own purchase. Mrs Cheveley tries to blackmail him with this letter.

8. What does Mrs Cheveley want from Sir Robert?

Answer: His public support of the Argentine Canal scheme

She offers him the letter he wrote to Baron Arnheim in exchange for his support of the Argentine Canal scheme, because she has invested very largely in it.

9. What has Mrs Cheveley dropped in Sir Robert's house?

Answer: Diamond brooch

This brooch can also be used as a bracelet. Lord Goring knows that Mrs Cheveley stole it from his cousin Mary Berkshire. At the end of the third act he clasps it on her arm, and she can't get it off, because she doesn't know where the spring is.

10. Complete this quote by Lady Chiltern: "We women ____ when we love."

Answer: worship

It's towards the end of the First Act: "Robert, men can love what is beneath them - things unworthy, stained, dishonoured. We women worship when we love; and when we lose our worship, we lose everything."

11. What does Sir Robert call the god of this century?

Answer: Wealth

In the beginning of the Second Act he explains to Lord Goring that he sold the Government secret because he wanted to have success while he was still young.

12. What would be very unbecoming to Lord Goring according to Miss Mabel Chiltern?

Answer: Seriousness

In the Second Act Lord Goring starts talking about Pessimism in German Philosophy. Lady Chiltern likes it when he's serious, but Miss Mabel doesn't.

13. What is Tommy Trafford doing too often?

Answer: Proposing to Miss Mabel

He doesn't appear in the play himself, but he's talked about several times. Mabel would like Lady Chiltern to tell Tommy that proposing once a week is quite often enough.

14. How does Lady Chiltern find out about her husband's secret?

Answer: Mrs Cheveley tells her

Mrs Cheveley tells her towards the end of the Second Act that her husband has sold a Cabinet secret. When Lady Chiltern asks her husband if this is true, he admits everything.

15. Who is hiding in Lord Goring's drawing room during the Third Act?

Answer: Mrs Cheveley

Lord Goring thinks it's Lady Chiltern, but it's actually Mrs Cheveley.

16. When will Mrs Cheveley give Sir Robert's letter to Lord Goring?

Answer: When he promises to marry her

She wants to come back to live in London again. She tells Lord Goring he's the only person she ever cared for, if she ever cared for anybody, but Lord Goring can't forgive her for trying to kill Lady Chiltern's love for her husband.

17. "I want you. I trust you. I am coming to you." Who writes this to whom?

Answer: Lady Chiltern to Lord Goring

She writes this to Lord Goring because she needs his help. Mrs Cheveley steals it from Lord Goring's drawing room, and sends it to Sir Robert, hoping he will think it's a love letter.

18. What's the name of Lord Goring's butler?

Answer: Phipps

Wilde describes him as a mask with a manner. "Of his intellectual or emotional life, history knows nothing."

19. Why does Sir Robert initially oppose a marriage between Lord Goring and his sister Mabel?

Answer: He thinks Lord Goring is having an affair with Mrs Cheveley

He thinks this because he saw Mrs Cheveley hiding in Lord Goring's drawing room.

20. Mabel would like Lord Goring to make her an ideal husband.

Answer: False

She wouldn't like him to make her an ideal husband, because it sounds like something in the next world. All she wants is to be a real wife to him.

Source: Author wardcogge

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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