London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can always recognise them. They look so thoroughly unhappy

London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can always recognise them. They look so thoroughly unhappy

Oscar Wilde, the renowned Irish playwright and author, was known for his sharp wit and satirical observations on society. In his works, he often critiqued the societal norms and expectations of his time, particularly when it came to marriage and relationships. One of his most famous quotes, "London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can always recognise them. They look so thoroughly unhappy," perfectly encapsulates Wilde's cynical view on the institution of marriage and the role of women in Victorian society.

During Wilde's time, marriage was seen as a duty for women, and they were expected to be loyal and obedient to their husbands. However, Wilde saw through the facade of these seemingly happy marriages and recognized the underlying unhappiness and dissatisfaction that many women felt. The quote suggests that these women, who trust their husbands implicitly, are often the ones who are the most miserable. They have resigned themselves to a life of unhappiness and unfulfillment, all in the name of societal expectations and norms.

Wilde's observation is not only a critique of the institution of marriage but also a commentary on the lack of agency and autonomy that women had during his time. Women were expected to be subservient to their husbands and were often trapped in loveless marriages for the sake of propriety and social status. Wilde's quote highlights the hypocrisy and superficiality of these relationships, where trust and loyalty are merely facades that mask the underlying discontent and misery.