Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first produced 22 February 1892

at the St James's Theatre i !o do " The play #as first published i 189$" !i%e ma y of Wilde's comedies, it biti &ly satiri'es the morals of (ictoria society, particularly marria&e" The story co cer s !ady Wi dermere, #ho disco)ers that her husba d may be ha)i & a affair #ith a other #oma " She co fro ts her husba d but he i stead i )ites the other #oma , *rs +rly e, to his #ife's birthday ball" , &ered by her husba d's u faithful ess, !ady Wi dermere lea)es her husba d for a other lo)er" ,fter disco)eri & #hat has tra spired, *rs +rly e follo#s !ady Wi dermere a d attempts to persuade her to retur to her husba d a d i the course of this, *rs +rly e is disco)ered i a compromisi & positio " -t is the re)ealed *rs +rly e is !ady Wi dermere.s mother, #ho aba do ed her family t#e ty years before the time the play is set" *rs +rly e sacrifices herself a d her reputatio i order to sa)e her dau&hter's marria&e" The best % o# li e of the play sums up the ce tral theme/ We are all i the &utter, but some of us are loo%i & at the stars" 0!ord 1arli &to
Contents
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o o o o o

1 4ompositio 2 Sy opsis 2"1 ,ct 2"2 ,ct -2"$ ,ct --2"5 ,ct -( $ 6roductio s $"1 6remiere 5 Themes 7 *edia 8 ,daptatio s 9 - *usic 8 :efere ces 9 +;ter al li %s

Composition[edit]
<y the summer of 1891 Wilde had already #ritte three plays, Vera; or, The Nihilists a d The Duchess of Padua had fou d little success, a d Salome had bee ce sored" = perturbed, he tur ed from tra&edy to comedy a d decided to #rite a other play" 213 >e #e t to the !a%e 1istrict i the orth of + &la d, stayi & #ith a frie d a d later meeti &:obert :oss there" ?umerous

characters i the play appear to dra# their ames from the orth of + &la d/ !ady Wi dermere from the la%e a d earby to# Wi dermere, the 1uchess of <er#ic% from <er#ic%-upo -T#eed, !ord 1arli &to from 1arli &to @thou&h Wilde had used AWi dermereA earlier i Lord Arthur Saville's CrimeB"223 Wilde, at the proddi & of Sir Ceor&e ,le;a der, the actor ma a&er of St James's Theatre, be&a #riti & the play"2$3 <y October the play #as fi ished a d he offered it to ,le;a der"253 ,le;a der li%ed the play, a d offered him a ad)a ce of D1,EEE for it" Wilde, impressed by his co fide ce, opted to ta%e a perce ta&e i stead, from #hich he #ould ear D9,EEE i the first year alo e @#orth D855,7EE todayB" 273283 ,le;a der #as a meticulous ma a&er a d he a d Wilde be&a e;hausti)e re)isio s a d rehearsals of the play" <oth #ere tale ted artists #ith stro & ideas about their art" Wilde, for i sta ce, emphasi'ed atte tio to aesthetic mi utiae rather tha realismF he resisted ,le;a der's su&&ested broad sta&e mo)eme ts, Guippi & that A1etails are of o importa ce i life, but i art details are )italA"293 These co ti ued after the ope i & i&ht, #he at the su&&estio of both frie ds a d ,le;a der, Wilde made cha &es to re)eal *rs +ryl e's relatio ship #ith !ady Wi dermere &radually throu&hout the play, rather tha reser)i & the secret for the fi al act" 283 1espite these artistic differe ces, both #ere professio al a d their collaboratio #as a fruitful o e" There e;ists a e;ta t ma uscript of the play a d it is held i the William , dre#s 4lar% *emorial !ibrary at the = i)ersity of 4alifor ia i !os , &eles"293

Synopsis[edit]
Act I[edit]
The play ope s i the mor i & room of the Wi dermeres' reside ce i !o do " -t is tea time a d !ady Wi dermere0#ho is prepari & for her comi & of a&e birthday ball that e)e i &0has a )isit from a frie d, !ord 1arli &to " She sho#s off her e# fa / a prese t from her husba d" She e;plai s to !ord 1arli &to that she is upset o)er the complime ts he co ti ues to pay to her, re)eali & that she is a 6urita a d has )ery particular )ie#s about #hat is acceptable i society" The 1uchess of <er#ic% calls a d !ord 1arli &to lea)es shortly thereafter" The 1uchess i forms !ady Wi dermere that her husba d may be betrayi & her marria&e by ma%i & repeated )isits to a other #oma , a Mrs Erly e, a d possibly &i)i & her lar&e sums of mo ey" These rumours ha)e bee &ossip amo & !o do society for Guite a #hile, thou&h seemi &ly this is the first !ady Wi dermere has heard about it" Follo#i & the departure of the 1uchess, !ady Wi dermere decides to chec% her husba d's ba % boo%" She fi ds the boo% i a des% a d sees that othi & appears amiss, thou&h o retur i & she disco)ers a seco d ba % boo%/ o e #ith a loc%" ,fter pryi & the loc% ope , she fi ds it lists lar&e sums of mo ey &i)e to *rs +rly e" ,t this poi t, !ord Wi dermere e ters a d she co fro ts him" Thou&h he ca ot de y that he has had deali &s #ith *rs +rly e, he states that he is ot betrayi & !ady Wi dermere" >e reGuests that she se d *rs +rly e a i )itatio to her birthday ball that e)e i & i order to help her bac% i to society" Whe !ady Wi dermere refuses, he #rites out a i )itatio himself" !ady Wi dermere ma%es clear her i te tio to cause a sce e if *rs +rly e appears, to #hich !ord Wi dermere respo ds that it #ould be i her best i terest ot to do so"

!ady Wi dermere lea)es i dis&ust to prepare for the party, a d !ord Wi dermere re)eals i soliloGuy that he is protecti & *rs +rly e's true ide tity to sa)e his #ife e;treme humiliatio " What shall - doH - dare ot tell her #ho this #oma really is" The shame #ould %ill her" 0!ord Wi dermere

Act II[edit]
,ct -- ope s i the Wi dermeres' dra#i & room duri & the birthday ball that e)e i &" (arious &uests e ter, a d ma%e small-tal%" !ord Wi dermere e ters a d as%s !ady Wi dermere to spea% #ith him, but she brushes him off" , frie d of !ord Wi dermere's, !ord ,u&ustus !orto @ATuppyAB, pulls him aside to i Guire about *rs +rly e, #ith #hom he is e amoured" !ord Wi dermere re)eals that there is othi & u to#ard i his relatio ship #ith *rs +rly e, a d that she #ill be atte di & the ball, #hich comes as a &reat relief to !ord ,u&ustus as he #as #orried about her social sta di &" ,fter a u successful attempt to ma%e peace #ith his #ife, !ord Wi dermere summo s the coura&e to tell the truth to her, but at that mome t *rs +rly e arri)es at the party, #here she is &reeted coldly by !ady Wi dermere, spoili & his pla " ,lo e, !ady Wi dermere a d !ord 1arli &to discuss *rs +rly e's atte da ce" !ady Wi dermere is e ra&ed a d co fused a d as%s !ord 1arli &to to be her frie d" - stead of frie dship, !ord 1arli &to ta%es ad)a ta&e of !ady Wi dermere's tra&ic state a d professes his lo)e to her, offeri & her his life, a d i )iti & her to ris% short-term social humiliatio for a e# life #ith him" !ord 1arli &to sets her a ultimatum to try to co )i ce her to ta%e actio immediately, #hile still i a state of shoc%" !ady Wi dermere is shoc%ed by the re)elatio , a d fi ds she does ot ha)e the coura&e to ta%e the offer" >eartbro%e , !ord 1arli &to a ou ces that he #ill be lea)i & the cou try the e;t day a d that they #ill e)er meet a&ai , a d lea)es" The &uests be&i to lea)e, a d say their &ood i&hts to !ady Wi dermere0some remar%i & positi)ely about *rs +rly e" O the other side of the room *rs +rly e is discussi & her pla s #ith !ord Wi dermereF she i te ds to marry !ord ,u&ustus a d #ill reGuire some mo ey from !ord Wi dermere" !ater, !ady Wi dermere, i spite of her earlier relucta ce, decides to lea)e the house at o ce for !ord 1arli &to , a d lea)es a ote to that effect for !ord Wi dermere" *rs +rly e disco)ers the ote a d that !ady Wi dermere has &o e, a d is curiously #orried by this" While readi & the ote, a brief mo olo&ue re)eals that she is i fact !ady Wi dermere's mother a d made a similar mista%e herself t#e ty years pre)iously" She ta%es the letter a d e;its to locate !ady Wi dermere" >o# ca - sa)e herH >o# ca - sa)e my childH , mome t may rui a life" Who % o#s that better tha -H 0*rs +rly e

Act III[edit]
!ady Wi dermere is alo e i !ord 1arli &to 's rooms u sure if she has made the ri&ht decisio " +)e tually, she resol)es to retur to her husba d, but the *rs +rly e appears" 1espite *rs +rly e's ho est attempts to persuade her to retur home to her husba d, !ady Wi dermere is

co )i ced her appeara ce is part of some plot co cei)ed by her a d !ord Wi dermere" *rs +rly e fi ally brea%s !ady Wi dermere's resista ce by implori & her to retur for the sa%e of her you & child, but as they be&i to e;it they hear !ord 1arli &to e teri & #ith frie ds" The t#o #ome hide" The me 0 #ho i clude !ord Wi dermere a d !ord ,u&ustus 0 ha)e bee e)icted from their &e tleme 's club at closi & time a d tal% about #ome / mai ly *rs +rly e" O e of them ta%es otice of a fa lyi & o a table @!ady Wi dermere'sB a d presumes that !ord 1arli &to prese tly has a #oma )isiti &" ,s !ord Wi dermere rises to lea)e, the fa is poi ted out to him, #hich he i sta tly reco& ises as his #ife's" >e dema ds to % o# if !ord 1arli &to has her hidde some#here" !ord 1arli &to refuses to co-operate, belie)i & that !ady Wi dermere has come to him" Just as !ord Wi dermere is about to disco)er !ady Wi dermere's hidi & place, *rs +rly e re)eals herself i stead, shoc%i & all the me a d allo#i & !ady Wi dermere to slip a#ay u oticed" - am afraid - too% your #ife.s fa i mista%e for my o# , #he - #as lea)i & your house to- i&ht" am so sorry" 0*rs +rly e

Act IV[edit]
The e;t day, !ady Wi dermere is lyi & o the couch of the mor i & room a ;ious about #hether to tell her husba d #hat actually happe ed, or #hether *rs +rly e #ill ha)e already betrayed her secret" >er husba d e ters" >e is sympathetic to#ards her a d they discuss the possibility of ta%i & a holiday to for&et the rece t i cide t" !ady Wi dermere apolo&ises for her pre)ious suspicio of her husba d a d beha)iour at the party, a d !ord Wi dermere ma%es clear his e# co tempt for *rs +rly e 0 #ar i & his #ife to stay a#ay from her" *rs +rly e's arri)al is a ou ced alo & #ith the retur of the fa , a d despite her husba d's protestatio s, !ady Wi dermere i sists o seei & her" *rs +rly e e ters a d states that she shall be &oi & abroad, but as%s that !ady Wi dermere &i)e her a photo&raph of herself a d her so " Whilst !ady Wi dermere lea)es the room to fi d o e, the story is re)ealed/ *rs +rly e left her husba d for a lo)er shortly after !ady Wi dermere's birth" Whe her e# lo)er aba do ed her, *rs +rly e #as left alo e a d i disrepute" *ore rece tly, usi & the assumed ame of *rs +rly e, she has be&u blac%maili & !ord Wi dermere i order to re&ai her lifestyle a d status, by threate i & to re)eal her true ide tity as !ady Wi dermere's shameful mother 0 ot dead, as !ady Wi dermere belie)es" !ord Wi dermere lame ts ot ha)i & told his #ife the #hole story at o ce a d resol)es to tell her the truth o#" *rs +rly e forbids him to do so, threate i & to spread shame far a d #ide if he does" !ady Wi dermere retur s #ith the photo&raph #hich she prese ts to *rs +rly e, a d reGuests that !ord Wi dermere chec% for the retur of *rs +rly e's coach" ?o# that they are alo e, a d bei & o#ed a fa)our, *rs +rly e dema ds that !ady Wi dermere ot re)eal the truth about the e)e ts of the pre)ious i&ht to !ord Wi dermere, a d !ady Wi dermere promises to %eep the secret"

,fter !ord Wi dermere's retur , !ord ,u&ustus e ters" >e is shoc%ed to see *rs +rly e after the e)e ts of the i&ht before, but she reGuests his compa y as she heads to her carria&e, a d he soo retur s to the Wi dermeres #ith e#s that she has satisfactorily e;plai ed the e)e ts of the e)e i &, a d that they are to marry a d li)e out of + &la d" 2Ta%i & her husba d.s ha d"3 ,h, you.re marryi & a )ery &ood #oma I 0!ady Wi dermere Their marria&e is restored, but both !ord a d !ady Wi dermere %eep their secrets"

Productions[edit]
Premiere[edit]
The premiere at the St James's Theatre #as follo#ed by a otorious speech &i)e by Wilde" Whe Wilde a s#ered the calls of A,uthorIA a d appeared before the curtai s after the third act, critics #ere more offe ded by the ci&arette i his ha d tha his e&otistic speech/ !adies a d Ce tleme " - ha)e e Joyed this e)e i & imme sely" The actors ha)e &i)e us a charmi ! re ditio of a deli!htful play, a d your appreciatio has bee most i telli&e t" co &ratulate you o the !reat success of your performa ce, #hich persuades me that you thi % almost as hi&hly of the play as - do myself"21E3 The play's <road#ay premiKre o 7 February 189$ at 6almer's Theatre #as also the first <road#ay performa ce for sta&e a d scree actress Julia ,rthur, #ho played !ady Wi dermere" *rs" +rly e #as ori&i ated by *ario Terry, a d !ady Wi dermere by Wi ifred +mery"

Themes[edit]
<y sho#i & i St" James's, Wilde #as tar&eti & a fashio able, upper-middle class audie ce a d Wilde maps out the &eo&raphy of their #orld, Cros)e or SGuare, 4ur'o Street, the par%, #ith precisio "2113 6eter :aby has also hi&hli&hted Lady "i dermere's #a as a &ood e;ample of Wilde's most successful dramatic tech iGue/ the Ju;tapositio of the comic a d the serious" AO ce the absurd a d the pate tly false ha)e bee established, the serious emotio s a d ideas #hich are e;plored ha)e bee &i)e a setti & #hich pre)e ts them from e)er becomi & too seriousA" 2123 Scholar 6aul Fortu ato describes Oscar Wilde as a moder ist, #ho used his moder aesthetics so as to direct him i to the realm of mass culture" Wilde's hu&e popularity as a play#ri&ht be&a #ith his productio of Lady "i dermere's #a , his recherchL attitude a d perso al aesthetics reflected i his #riti &" Fortu ato elaborates o the facets of his aestheticism- a aestheticism that distorts a d lies o the surface, reJects a y otio of a authe tic self, a d ce ters o the female aesthete a d #oma of fashio " ,s he describes, u dersta di & Wilde as a moder ist throu&h his #riti & of Lady "i dermere's #a ca help us u dersta d the disparity bet#ee mass culture a d hi&h society" Wilde brid&es this by theori'i & his moder aesthetics be eath the or ame tal surface of fashio a d elite society" The fa that stri &s to&ether the play's sce es simulta eously e)o%es a traditio al symbol of modesty #hile re)eali & a truly moder curre t of i fidelity"21$3