We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(3) Base Camp
An Ideal Husband isn't hard to read. The witticisms keep things clipping along. Many elements of the story – a woman with the past, a political intrigue, a problem-solving friend – will be familiar from a million Hollywood movies. Sure, there will be some references you don't get the first time around, but these just serve to situate the play in Wilde's own time. They won't get in the way of understanding what's happening in the play.