Oscar Wilde’s first theatrical success, produced in 1892, begins with a society scandal — Lady Windermere suspects her husband of an affair with the mysterious Mrs. Erlynne — and ends with a revelation that reframes everything. The plot is a pretext for Wilde’s real interest: the gap between society’s moral pronouncements and the messier realities beneath them.
Lady Windermere’s Fan showcases Wilde at his most dramatically assured, with the wit of the dialogue matched by a genuinely moving final act. Download the free EPUB for any e-reader.