Scandals concerning corruption and blackmail are expected elements of politics in movies and on television. There have been famous corruption scandals in American history, such as the Iran-Contra Affair. The public seems to expect that politicians are willing to take money in exchange for political favors and to use insider information for their personal benefit. Like Sir Chiltern, Martha Stewart famously used insider information to have money. In her case, Stewart sold stocks that she discovered were going to lose money before the information’s public release. Sir Robert tries to justify his selling of state secrets by claiming to Goring “private information is practically the source of every large modern fortune” (51). Sir Robert is implying
…show more content…
Cheveley feels certain that Sir Robert would again compromise his moral principles out of a need to do whatever necessary to maintain his political status. He tells Goring that he wants to cover-up selling Baron Arnhelm the secret information about plans for the Suez Canal out of fear of the “public disgrace that is in store for me” (58). At that point, in Act 2, it seems that Sir Robert does have a “price” as he struggles with what would be worse: angering his wife or losing his political status. Goring convinces Sir Robert to fight back by looking for negative information about Mrs. Cheveley’s own character. Goring knows that in order to be a successful blackmailer, the blackmailer's own reputation must be above suspicion. Goring knew that Mrs. Cheveley had her own past misdeeds and if he threatened their revelation then she would leave Sir Robert alone. Wilde seems to advocate resisting blackmail; because most blackmail requires the blackmailers having been immoral themselves and they do not want their own crimes revealed. David Letterman foiled a blackmail attempt by his former mistress because he was willing to risk exposure and contact the FBI to end the extortion. In effect, Letterman went public to the media in a way that Sir Robert wanted to avoid without regard to damaging his
Cheveley feels certain that Sir Robert would again compromise his moral principles out of a need to do whatever necessary to maintain his political status. He tells Goring that he wants to cover-up selling Baron Arnhelm the secret information about plans for the Suez Canal out of fear of the “public disgrace that is in store for me” (58). At that point, in Act 2, it seems that Sir Robert does have a “price” as he struggles with what would be worse: angering his wife or losing his political status. Goring convinces Sir Robert to fight back by looking for negative information about Mrs. Cheveley’s own character. Goring knows that in order to be a successful blackmailer, the blackmailer's own reputation must be above suspicion. Goring knew that Mrs. Cheveley had her own past misdeeds and if he threatened their revelation then she would leave Sir Robert alone. Wilde seems to advocate resisting blackmail; because most blackmail requires the blackmailers having been immoral themselves and they do not want their own crimes revealed. David Letterman foiled a blackmail attempt by his former mistress because he was willing to risk exposure and contact the FBI to end the extortion. In effect, Letterman went public to the media in a way that Sir Robert wanted to avoid without regard to damaging his