Mrs. Arbuthnots speech at the end of Act Four, beginning men dont know what mothers are is one of the most beautiful pieces Ive ever read in Wilde. Its a very ironic speech, considering it was written by a man, but it shows what a wonderful insight into women Wilde had.
The play is essentially about morality and the conflict between a persons own, private sense of morality and the moral values imposed on us by society. Ultimately, Mrs. Arbuthnot is the character who most deserves our respect, precisely because she refuses to buy into the moral values of those around her. Reading it, I can just imagine how it would be performed, I even find myself acting the play out in my head, such is the power and force of Wildes dialogue.
This is a truly beautiful work which I highly recommend.