In Arnolphe’s view, the best strategy for keeping one’s wife from straying is to keep her ignorant of alternatives that might present themselves. And so, he adopts Agnes as his ward at the age of four, and locks her away in a convent to shield her from all outside influences. And yet, nature proves much more powerful than anything man might do to deceive it. With Arnolphe away for a brief absence, Agnes, observes young Horace walking the lane in front of the house. He, likewise, notices her, and the ultimate irony is that the girl’s ignorance (thanks to Arnolphe’s paranoia) has also kept her ignorant about her guardian’s intent. And so, when she happens to find herself falling in love with Horace, she has no inclination to not respond.
Agnes’ affections for Horace escalate beyond anyone’s ability to control them, and every new strategy that Arnolphe concocts to split the two lovers apart only propels them into each other’s arms. Each new coincidence conspires against the man who would upset the natural progression of the woman’s honest feelings, until the play climaxes with Arnolphe finally abandoning his secret identity. He exposes Horace’ secret wedding plans to Horace’ father, Oronte, insisting that a son must marry the bride of his father’s selection. He fails to realize that Agnes was the girl that Oronte wanted Horace to marry all along.