Class 12 English A Matter of Husbands

Class 12 English A Matter of Husbands by Ferenc Molnár is a very twisted one-act play. It depicts the story of an Earnest Woman who is married to a lawyer and knows of a Famous Woman (an actress). The Earnest Woman comes to the Famous Woman because she believes that her husband is cheating on her with the Famous Woman. The Famous Woman weaves a brilliant, deceitful tale about how it is all a cleverly staged act where the man is attempting to trick his wife just to get more affection and jealousy from her.

When the Famous Woman finally convinces the Earnest Woman that the fabricated story is entirely true, the audience experiences a massive twist: we find out that the husband was actually hiding in the actress’s closet the whole time.

This play would require only two female actresses. The dynamic between the two is vital; strong comedic female actresses could make these parts very over-dramatic. The relationship between the two will need to grow on stage, and both of the performers will need to be very comfortable with each other. The characters in this one act are not particularly likable. The actor playing the Earnest Woman would need to be very ditzy and gullible, and the Famous Woman would have to be very wicked, manipulative, and twisted.

This one-act is somewhat of a set piece; nothing too flashy but still enough to create a mildly realistic setting like an exotic boudoir. Lighting would be very basic and standard. Blocking could add a lot to this piece and add another layer of comedic humor. As for costuming, the Famous Woman could wear a floor-length gown with matching gloves and a fur coat, while the Earnest Woman could wear a frumpy dress with white shoes and socks sticking out. Costuming helps introduce the characters’ personalities before they even begin speaking. With a one-act play, there is not a lot of time for character development, so any visual way to reveal something about the characters is necessary.

The Famous Actress is a young, renowned, and highly beautiful actress who is envied by ordinary women. On the outside, she looks innocent and harmless, but in reality, she is incredibly mean, wicked, and highly manipulative. She is cunning and deceitful, as seen perfectly in the way she rapidly concocts a fake, psychological story on the spot to sway the Earnest Woman from believing that her husband was having a genuine affair with her. She also lives a highly immoral life, which is proven in the conclusion of the story where it is revealed that Alfred, the ordinary woman’s husband, was actually hiding in her house the entire time she was lying to his wife.

In the story Class 12 English A Matter of Husbands, the ordinary woman (the Earnest Young Woman) is portrayed as a simple-minded, emotional, and timid person who is easily deceived by the false, theatrical story told by the actress. She had come to the actress in tears, completely sure and armed with evidence that her husband was having an affair. However, the actress, utilizing her professional skills of illusion, told a complex story of how her husband was actually trying to regain the wife’s love by doing things to make her jealous. Without asking logical questions, the ordinary woman believed her and bought fully into the story. In the end, it was revealed that her husband was actually in the actress’s room. This starkly shows that the actress was a cunning master of deception, while the ordinary woman was timid, gullible, and easily manipulated.

Yes, I can agree with the underlying logic of her argument as a psychological tactic. Men associated with theatre often have ordinary, simple-minded, and timid wives who can be easily deceived by false stories or grand romantic gestures. According to the fake story presented in the act, Alfred was pretending to romance the actress so as to regain the intense love he had for his wife by doing things to get her jealous and attentive again. Thus, the actress claims that men take advantage of cunning actresses to make their estranged wives jealous so as to woo them back. While this specific instance was a lie to hide a real affair, the psychological manipulation described is a plausible, albeit toxic, behavior in relationships.

The Famous Actress makes an absolute fool of the Earnest Young Woman by twisting the truth and saying that a massive psychological misunderstanding has arrived between her and her husband. She uses her acting skills to make the Earnest Young Woman believe that her husband has been deliberately playing a trick with her to make her jealous and gain her romantic love back. Because of this flawless performance, the Earnest Young Woman innocently realizes her supposed “misdeed” of accusing her husband, breaks down, and actually begs the cheating actress for forgiveness.

The scene is set in a drawing-room, and the design and colorings are exotic and suggestive of the lavish apartment of a famous Hungarian actress where this dialogue takes place. When the curtain rises, the Earnest Young Woman is discovered, poised nervously on the edge of a gilt chair. It is plain she has been sitting there a long time. For perhaps the fiftieth time, she is studying the exotic furnishings of the room and regarding the curtained door with a glance that would be impatient if it were not so palpably frightened. At last, the Famous Actress enters through the curtained door at the right which leads to her boudoir. This theatrical setting emphasizes the theme of the play: illusion vs. reality. The entire room is a stage for the actress to perform her lies, blurring the lines between real life and theatrical performance.

The ending of this play A Matter of Husbands is totally perfect and effectively justifies the buildup of the narrative. The writer executes the ending with great pertinence, finishing the confusion of the characters with a sharp twist. The film actress and the advocate (Alfred) are very satisfied at the end of the play as they successfully clear the hurdle between them—the suspicious wife. The actress ensures to the wife that they have no affair and that it is only “drama.” In the end, the young woman leaves very happy about her husband, completely oblivious to the truth.

As soon as she leaves, the film actress and the husband resume their hidden affair without any obstacle. The ending of the play is technically “good” for the cheaters, but it is dripping with dramatic irony. The film actress narrates to the young woman that her husband really loves her, but in reality, he has no true love for his wife and only cheats on her.

So, at the end of the play, we can assume the dark reality that innocent people often suffer at the hands of shrewd people because the innocent are sincere by heart, but cunning people always take brutal advantage of that innocence.

(Here is an example essay describing a favorite actor, written by Samiksha:)

My Favorite Actor

I like Johnny Depp, an American actor known for his portrayals of unique characters, such as Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” With the film’s success, it revealed new doors and nominations for his career. The film also opened a new door for me. Since the film, Johnny Depp has become my favorite actor. I admire Depp as an actor because of his talent, generosity, and devotion. Johnny Depp is one of the most talented actors I’ve seen. He is perhaps one of the most versatile actors of his day and age in Hollywood. Not only is he extremely talented, but he is also a generous man. He is part of several charitable causes. He supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and donates frequent packages to the children. Johnny Depp is also a devoted person. He is exceedingly devoted to his family. His favorite activity is to be home playing with the children. There aren’t many actors like Johnny Depp, and I admire him even more for standing out against the rest. He is a gifted actor, kindhearted, and a devoted person. Johnny Depp is my favorite actor, and I admire him not only as an actor but as a person.