Lady Windermere's Fan - Lesson 5 (Act 4)

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 5

Lady Windermere's fan

Act 4

Previously on Lady Windermere's fan

Mrs. Erlynne catches up with Lady Windermere at Lord Darlington's rooms. She pleads with her to reconsider and Mrs. Erlynne reminds her of her newborn child. She entreats her not to abandon her son and says that she must endure any hardship for him. Lady Windermere then finally agrees to let Mrs. Erlynne take her home. Before the two women can leave, Lord Darlington arrives home. Not only is Lord Augustus with him but also Lord Windermere and two other gentlemen from the party, Cecil Graham and Dumby. Mrs. Erlynne instructs Lady Windermere to conceal herself behind the curtains while she hides behind a door.

Cecil Graham spots a ladies' fan on Lord Darlington's sofa. He calls over Lord Augustus and Lord Windermere to show it to them, and Lord Windermere immediately recognizes it as his wife's fan. He accuses Lord Darlington of concealing Lady Windermere in his rooms and begins to search for her. As he heads toward the curtains, Mrs. Erlynne emerges from her hiding place. She explains that she took Lady Windermere's fan by mistake, while Lady Windermere escapes out of the window unseen.

What will happen next...?

Why is it ironic that Mrs. Erlynn says this: "You have a child, Lady Windermere. Go back to that child who even now, in pain or in joy, may be calling to you. [LADY WINDERMERE rises.] God gave you that child. He will require from you that you make his life fine, that you watch over him. What answer will you make to God if his life is ruined through you?" to Lady Windermere?

1. Because she loves children.
2. Because she hates children.
3. Because she hates god.
4. Because she abandoned her child.

Why was Lady Windermere in Lord Darlington's rooms in the first place?

1. Because she wanted to cheat on her husband as he had cheated on her (so she thought)
2. Because her fan was there and she wanted it back
3. Because he had a nice painting that she simply had to see
4. Because his place had a great rating on AirBnB

Who says this: No, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

1. Lord Windermere
2. Lord Darlington
3. Dumby
4. Cecil Graham

And now, on Lady Windermere's Fan

Form a group of five students, each playing a role:

1 Rosalie AND Parker

2 Lady Windermere

3 Lord Windermere

4 Mrs Erlynne

5 Lord Augustus

Read through the act, while you answer the following questions:

Lady Windermere:

How securely one thinks one lives - out of reach of temptation, sin, folly. And then suddenly - Oh! Life is terrible. It rules us, we do not rule it.

Her tone seems quite changed. What was her former outlook on temptation and sin? What is her attitude to it now?

Lady W

Actions are the first tragedy in life, words

are the second. Words are perhaps the worst. Words are merciless.

What makes words worse?

Lord Windermere

 She is the most dangerous woman I know

Why would Lord W say this?

Mrs Erlynn

My daughter, you mean.

This is the second time in the same scene that she makes this point. Why?

And now....

For the big questions!

What are the themes in Lady Windermere's Fan?

Is Mrs Erlynne a good woman?