As Mrs. E takes on the role of a mother, the scene takes on a character more usual in
Victorian Melodrama.
The play sets the selflessness of parental love against the selfish and destructive
nature of sexual love.
Wildes dandies are only free in the play to talk about breaking moral codes.
Darlington can utter or hint immoral sentiments but he is forbidden to act immorally,
for as soon as he does that he breaks societys moral code, he abandons the pose of
dandy and to all intents and purposes, ceases to have any significant critical function
for the rest of the play
All social intercourse in Lady Windermeres Fan seems to work by the convention
that an individual character modifies his or her speech in accordance with the
expectations of his or her discusser.
Duchess of Berwick maintains that her nieces do not talk scandal, but merely remark
on what they see to everyone so the Duchess of Berwick employs a variety of
verbal masquerades to ensnare Hopper.
There are only two characters in the play who make consistent attempts at
truthfulness: Lady Windermere, who is finally reduced to a form of lying and Lord
Augustus
All potential contradictions in Societys values are reconciled by the plays happy
ending.
It is very partial justice which prevails in the last scene. Lady Windermeres honour is
preserved, while Mrs Erlynne remains condemned for exactly the same faults.
It has an ambiguous yet none the less comic ending which is important because it
reminds us of the conventions of the late nineteenth century play.
Wilde could mock the values of the audience who supported them, but that mockery
had limits.
A very fine line between what is portrayed to society about being a good woman
and a bad woman
The smooth operation of London Society, with its series of regulates and accepted
excuses, is seen to depend upon lies.