Lady Windermere's Fan: Summary

On a Tuesday afternoon in her house in Carlton House Terrace, Lady Windermere arranges roses and shows Lord Darlington the fan her husband has given her: it is her birthday, she has come of age, and she is giving a dance that night. Darlington pays her compliments she dislikes and puts an 'imaginary instance' of a young husband who befriends a woman of doubtful character, asking whether the wife should console herself. Lady Windermere, brought up by her stern aunt Lady Julia, answers that women who have committed a fault should never be forgiven and that men should be judged by the same laws.

The Duchess of Berwick arrives with her daughter, Lady Agatha, sends the girl off to look at photographs and then the sunset, and tells Lady Windermere what all London is saying: that Lord Windermere visits a Mrs Erlynne in Curzon Street four or five times a week and seems to be paying for her house and her ponies. Left alone, Lady Windermere searches her husband's bank book and finds nothing, then cuts open a second, locked book and finds payments to Mrs Erlynne of £600, £700 and £400.

Lord Windermere comes in and is angry that she has spied on him. He swears he has never loved anyone but her, says that Mrs Erlynne lost her place in the world twenty years ago, and asks his wife to invite her to the party so that she can return to society. Lady Windermere refuses, so he writes the card himself and sends it to 84A Curzon Street. She warns him that if the woman crosses her threshold she will strike her across the face with the fan, and tells Parker to announce the guests' names very distinctly. Alone, Lord Windermere admits that he dare not tell his wife who Mrs Erlynne really is, because the shame would kill her.

That night the drawing-room fills with guests. The Duchess steers Agatha towards Mr Hopper, a rich young Australian, while her brother Lord Augustus Lorton questions Lord Windermere about Mrs Erlynne, with whom he is infatuated. When Parker announces Mrs Erlynne, Lady Windermere lets the fan drop and only bows coldly. Mrs Erlynne sets about conquering the room: she makes Cecil Graham introduce her to his aunt, Lady Jedburgh, and wins an invitation to lunch, invites Mr Dumby to lunch in front of the jealous Lady Plymdale, and dances with Lord Windermere.

Lord Darlington tells Lady Windermere that he loves her and begs her to leave her husband that night. She says she has not the courage, and he tells her he will leave England the next day. The Duchess, now charmed by Mrs Erlynne, announces Agatha's engagement to Mr Hopper. Lady Windermere then watches her husband talk with Mrs Erlynne, who means to accept Lord Augustus and wants a settlement of £2,000 or £2,500 a year. Resolved, Lady Windermere writes her husband a letter and goes to Darlington. Parker tells Mrs Erlynne about the letter. She opens it and finds the same words she once wrote to her own husband, Lady Windermere's father. Determined to save her child, she keeps the letter from Lord Windermere and sends Lord Augustus to hold him at his club all night.

In Lord Darlington's rooms, Lady Windermere loses her nerve and is about to go home when Mrs Erlynne arrives. She refuses to believe her at first, sure that her husband has sent his mistress to fetch her back. Mrs Erlynne burns the letter, swears that Lord Windermere is guiltless, and describes the life of an outcast in which 'one pays for one's sin, and then one pays again'. Her plea that Lady Windermere must stay with her child breaks her resistance. As they go, voices are heard outside, and the two women hide, Lady Windermere behind the window curtain and Mrs Erlynne in the next room.

Turned out of their club at two o'clock, Lord Augustus, Lord Windermere, Cecil Graham and Mr Dumby arrive with Lord Darlington. The men drink and trade epigrams about women, and Darlington admits he loves a good woman who is not free. Cecil Graham notices a fan on the sofa and, thinking Darlington has a woman hidden in his rooms, shows it to Lord Windermere, who recognises it as his wife's. He demands an explanation and makes for the curtain, but Mrs Erlynne steps out and says she took Lady Windermere's fan by mistake. In the confusion Lady Windermere slips away unseen.

Next morning Lady Windermere, sure that Mrs Erlynne will tell the truth, resolves to confess. Lord Windermere, now convinced that Mrs Erlynne is as bad as a woman can be, forbids his wife to see her, but Mrs Erlynne calls to return the fan and say goodbye before leaving to live abroad. While Lady Windermere fetches a photograph of herself with her little boy, Lord Windermere accuses Mrs Erlynne of blackmail. She tells him she has known a mother's feelings only once, the night before, that she has no wish to play the part of a mother, and forbids him to reveal who she is.

Mrs Erlynne learns that her daughter worships the memory of a mother she believes dead, and leaves that ideal undisturbed. Alone with Lady Windermere, she asks her to repay her by silence and never tell her husband about the night before. She asks for the fan, which bears the name Margaret, their shared Christian name, and leaves on the arm of Lord Augustus. He returns to announce that she has explained everything and accepted his hand. Lord Windermere remarks that he is marrying a very clever woman; his wife answers that he is marrying a very good one.