Wilde's four-act play written in 1895 centers around a high-class party at the home of Sir Robert Chiltern and his wife, Lady Chiltern. During the party, Lady Chiltern's worst enemy, Mrs. Cheveley, attempts to blackmail Sir Chiltern into her fraudulent scheme which includes building a canal in Argentina. Sir Chiltern cannot refuse due to the damning information Mrs. Cheveley knows about Sir Chiltern which his having to do with buying stock in the Suez Canal just days before British Rule announced its purchase. He made his fortune doing so and does not want to lose his career or marriage over this information, so he agrees. When Lady Chiltern hears about his agreement, she begs him to renege his promise and being an "ideal" and compliant husband listens to his wife despite the doom this would induce. The play goes on to have many interesting turns of events and was quite successful having 124 performances at the Haymarket Theatre in London starting in 1899.