Private Desires and Public Decency: A Queer Theoretical Analysis of An Ideal Husband

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to understand the hidden, untold secret behavior of the male characters in the drama An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde. An autobiographical touch on the character,  Sir Robert Chiltern leads to the conception of queerness. The paper targets an in-depth analysis of Gender and Gender categories (LGBTQ)  by using Queer theory, Performativity, Disidentification, and the Closet. The reader is drawn to the play from a queer perspective by its themes of secrecy and disidentification.The usage of irony creates a theatrical space where queerness subtly thrives beneath the surface. The paper also positions Wilde’s play as a foundation for modern queer literature and drama. Ultimately, Wilde presents morality as a mask and identity as performance, queering both genre and gender in a society unwilling to name the truth aloud.