Lady Windemer's Fan recap

On her twenty-first birthday, Lady Windermere hears that her husband is secretly giving money to Mrs Erlynne, a woman seeking admission to respectable society. Lord Windermere forces an invitation to the birthday ball, while Lord Darlington urges Lady Windermere to leave her apparently unfaithful husband. She nearly does so, but Mrs Erlynne follows her to Darlington's rooms and persuades her to return to her child. When the men's unexpected arrival threatens discovery, Mrs Erlynne exposes herself and accepts the scandal so Lady Windermere can escape unseen. Mrs Erlynne is secretly Lady Windermere's supposedly dead mother; Lord Windermere knows this, but his wife never learns it. The next day Mrs Erlynne protects the secret, takes the incriminating fan with Lady Windermere's consent, and departs to marry Lord Augustus. Lady Windermere's marriage survives, and she revises her rigid judgment of other women without knowing the full reason for Mrs Erlynne's sacrifice.

Lady Windermere receives a fan from her husband for her twenty-first birthday. Lord Darlington flirts with her and questions her severe moral judgments, but she rejects his suggestion that she should permit admiration from anyone but her husband. The Duchess of Berwick then reports that Lord Windermere has repeatedly visited Mrs Erlynne, a woman with a scandalous reputation, and has been supporting her. Lady Windermere finds a locked bank book recording substantial payments. When confronted, Lord Windermere denies being unfaithful but refuses to explain. He insists that Mrs Erlynne must be invited to the birthday ball so she can be received by society. Lady Windermere declares that she will publicly strike Mrs Erlynne with her new fan if the woman comes.

At the ball, Lord Windermere sends Mrs Erlynne an invitation in his wife's name. Mrs Erlynne arrives despite Lady Windermere's cold reception and quickly manages the room's social currents. Lord Augustus, who wants to marry her, asks Lord Windermere whether he has any claim on her; Windermere denies it while continuing to protect her. Lord Darlington declares his love to Lady Windermere and urges her to leave her husband with him. She initially refuses, but after seeing Mrs Erlynne exercise influence over Lord Windermere and hearing plans that suggest their association will continue, she decides to accept Darlington's offer. Lady Windermere leaves a note for her husband and slips away. Mrs Erlynne reads the note, becomes alarmed, and follows her, taking the note so Lord Windermere will not find it.

Lady Windermere waits in Lord Darlington's rooms but begins to regret abandoning her child. Mrs Erlynne finds her there and urgently argues that one desperate decision could destroy her marriage and social position. Her appeal succeeds, and Lady Windermere prepares to return home. Before the women can leave, Lord Darlington arrives with Lord Windermere, Lord Augustus, Cecil Graham, and Dumby after their evening out. The women hide while the men talk. Cecil discovers Lady Windermere's fan, which she accidentally left in the room. Lord Windermere recognizes it and demands an explanation. To prevent Lady Windermere from being found, Mrs Erlynne steps out and claims the situation as her own. Lord Windermere denounces her, while Lady Windermere escapes without being seen. Mrs Erlynne has sacrificed the respectable standing she was working to obtain in order to save the younger woman.

The next morning, Lady Windermere wants to tell her husband what she nearly did, but he believes Mrs Erlynne alone went to Darlington's rooms and insists that his wife should never see her again. He reveals privately that Mrs Erlynne is Lady Windermere's mother, whom Lady Windermere believes dead, and intends to disclose the truth. Mrs Erlynne arrives before leaving England and prevents both confessions: she will not let her daughter destroy her marriage or lose her cherished image of her mother. Lady Windermere gives her the fan and a photograph of herself with her child. Lord Augustus then reports that Mrs Erlynne has accepted him. She has explained her compromising appearance as an attempt to find Augustus, an account he accepts. Mrs Erlynne departs to marry him abroad, preserving Lady Windermere's home and keeping their relationship secret. Lady Windermere concludes only that Mrs Erlynne is a good woman, having learned that conduct and character cannot be judged as simply as she once thought.

Mrs Erlynne visits the Windermeres before leaving England and asks for a photograph of Lady Windermere and her child. Lord Windermere still considers her unworthy and wants to expose her past, but Lady Windermere, remembering the rescue at Lord Darlington's rooms, insists that she is a good woman. Mrs Erlynne privately prevents Lady Windermere from confessing her attempted flight and keeps their true relationship secret. She takes the fan and the photograph with her. Lord Augustus then announces that Mrs Erlynne has accepted his proposal: she has explained her presence in Darlington's rooms as an effort to find Augustus himself, and he believes her. Mrs Erlynne leaves to marry him abroad. Lady Windermere keeps her marriage and her idealized memory of her mother, never learning that Mrs Erlynne is that mother. Mrs Erlynne gains a new life but sacrifices recognition by her daughter in order to protect her.