An Ideal Husband - ideal or not?

Had the opportunity to go and see the play 'An Ideal Husband' by Oscar Wilde. Quite amusing and full of irony and humor. Rapid fire quips flying stage left and stage right.

I especially found it interesting that the characters (and there were 'characters') would be saying words yet doing something totally different in actions.

I wonder how much we do that exact same thing in life and is it humorous, as in the play, or wasted effort and time? Why do we act one way but on the inside feel another; say one thing but want another; give in or deprive ourselves? Is it just human nature and moral code in opposing corners?

At the start of the play we find the main male character (the husband) in well-to-do political English society. His wife believes him to be of the utmost moral character. His career has been built on this. and everyone believes him to be honest, forthright and of strong character.

Later we find out his 'springboard' to this social class and wealth stemmed from a decision made years ago while young, to alter certain information. Years later, this letter resurfaces and he is blackmailed to support an idea, that altough unpopular, with his backing will go through and make lots of money for certain individuals. So this 'Ideal Husband' is not so quite ideal...but his wife doesn't know and he doesn't want her to find out. He loves his wife and if she were to find out he wasn't the ideal husband, she'd leave him.

In the interim, an entire series of situations involving you rub my back, I'll rub yours, I won't tell if you do this takes place between several of the main characters. One of which includes an unaddressed letter written by the wife to a good family friend. It was written ambiguously so it can be interpreted different ways.

In the end, the wife finds out about the husband's less than moral decision in his youth, the husband finds out about the wife unaddressed letter and it's decided he IS 'An Ideal Husband' afterall.

I guess it all depends on one's definition of 'ideal'... sorta like what's 'normal'? It's all subjective. Could this be the basis for "The Good Wife"?

As Wilde notes, "Sooner or later, we shall all have to pay for what we do. No one should be entirely judged by their past."