Lady Windermere’s Fan is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1892. It is a brilliant example of Wilde’s wit and social satire, set in Victorian London. The play explores themes such as hypocrisy, morality, the roles of women in society, and the nature of forgiveness.

Lady Windermere is a young, moral woman who is encouraged to believe her husband may be having an affair with a mysterious woman named Mrs. Erlynne. Shocked and disillusioned, Lady Windermere considers leaving him for the dashing Lord Darlington. We discover that Mrs. Erlynne was shunned by society years earlier, for the same scandalous behaviour!

As events progress, Mrs. Erlynne sacrifices her own reputation again, to protect Lady Windermere from social disgrace.  Ultimately Lady Windermere gains a more mature understanding of morality and forgiveness, and her marriage and reputation is preserved.