Lady Windermere’s Fan

“”Lady Windermere’s Fan”” is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1892. The play centers on Lady Windermere, a young woman who discovers that her husband may be having an affair with another woman, Mrs. Erlynne. Despite Lord Windermere’s assurances to the contrary, Lady Windermere is convinced of his infidelity and contemplates her own in retaliation. The plot thickens at Lady Windermere’s birthday ball, where a series of misunderstandings leads to a confrontation. The climax of the play reveals a significant secret: Mrs. Erlynne is actually Lady Windermere’s mother, who had left her family years earlier following her own scandalous affair. Mrs. Erlynne, who has been shunned by society, seeks to protect her daughter from the same fate. In the end, Mrs. Erlynne sacrifices her own chance at social rehabilitation to save Lady Windermere’s marriage and reputation. The play is noted for its sharp wit and its examination of the Victorian moral code, as well as its themes of marriage, trust, and the social expectations of women. It is a classic example of Wilde’s satirical style and his criticism of superficial judgments and moral hypocrisy. The title object, the fan, is a symbol of both femininity and the frivolities upon which society places undue importance. —- ISBN: 9798321284803