An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

So lately ive been revisiting wildes work and the most recent one is an ideal husband. The play itself focuses on sir Robert and Gertrude chiltern the "ideal couple". However when a sin of sir roberts past arises madness ensues. This coupled with wldes signatory and effortless wit makes it an enjoyable read, but pull off the banter and snubs at nineteenth century british society and we see that it follows very serious themes.
It is interesting to note how one dimensional the minor characters (lady basildon , lord caversham etc.) are as the main characters embody paradoxes and contradictions. The audience is able to simultaneously despise and sympathise with sir robert.
      Wilde also reverts from tradition in his writings by bringing in politics and corruption however minor. Despite the fact that at the end justice is never delivered Wilde has always been and always will be a favourite. For an even lighter comedy please check out "The importance of being Earnest" it is hilarious and truly reflects the genius of this man.

She Walks In the Glades of Chaos

       

She could feel them, see them even, they were all so close, looming over her as she borrowed her body under the blankets, curling into a fetal position.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she whimpered.

‘we’re doing to  you exactly what you did to them, this is you, all you, you’re doing this to yourself my dear” he purred running a gnarled finger down her cheek, it was almost a caress.

They were terrible to behold, creatures that could not be human; the twisted features, the unkempt tendrils of hair falling over their faces; the one seated by her book rack idly flipping through her stories had cuts-no stab wounds- on her back, horrific lacerations decorating the expanse strangely reminiscent of a bloody wreath. Most of them were observing her while some wandered around her room shifting her stuff around. She wondered if insanity had finally grasped her.

“ Think” he said in a  low voice ‘just think,

You know exactly what we are. Anniya’

She looked into his eyes he was close much too close inside ,she knew what they were most importantly who they were. She had known all along, but his eyes proved it, she could see herself in them; spewing her sick lies so easily ,weaving her web of deceit so heartlessly ,lying to herself ,to everyone.

She swept her gaze over them again, even more frightened than before. They were her demons, all of them, this was her reckoning, the price she had to pay for everything she had done. There was no escape.

Anniya could feel it all building up, her throat clogged from the terrifying weight of her sins. She needed release, needed retribution, needed something.

There was a moment, she could sense it. The calm before the storm. The serenity.

It was over as soon as it began. The monsters let out shrill shrieks as they converged upon her, but her own was truly frightening. A banshee wail of anguish and pain that echoed through the empty hallways of the asylum.

drabble#demons#anniya#again#