Lady Windermere has a happy marriage-or she believes she does, until one of London society's gossips, the Duchess of Berwick, arrives with her daughter to voice her suspicions about an affair Lord Windermere appears to be having. And the duchess's testimony is not the only evidence either. Lord Windermere's private bank book shows that he has been giving large-and frequent-sums of money to a "Mrs. Erlynne," and he even admits to seeing much of the woman. To add insult to injury, Lord Windermere insists that Mrs. Erlynne be invited to the ball being held for Lady Windermere's birthday.
Employing the witty dialogue, social satire, and outrageous paradox for which he is still remembered today, Oscar Wilde's classic play shines a light on the destructiveness of gossip and superficial judgment. Lady Windermere's Fan examines the ambiguous sexual morality and gender politics at the heart of the British ruling class, while simultaneously challenging our perceptions of what constitutes a "good woman."
