Lady Windermere's Fan
Mike Barker’s adaption of Lady Windermere’s Fan – titled A Good Woman – and Oscar Wilde’s original play are both stories with similar themes and values. They follow the same plotline and convey a similar message- that the harsh rules of society were hypocritical and verging on absurd. However, with drastic changes made to the setting, characters and time period, some of the key themes are altered and sacrificed to cater for a modern film-going audience.
Both A Good Woman and Lady Windermere’s Fan revolve around the importance of one’s reputation and the ability to conform to the norms of society. To be different or to go against the unspoken rules of society is conveyed as akin to committing social suicide; therefore most people live behind a mask, behaving in ways other people expect them to. An example of this, included in both the play and the film, is Mr Dumby’s conduct at Lady Windermere’s ball. When asked, “It's been a delightful season, hasn't it?” he replies, “Quite delightful!” When he is asked, “It has been a very dull season, hasn't it?” by a different person, he replies, “Dreadfully dull!” It is also highlighted by both Barker and Wilde that to be ‘good’, one doesn’t have to be morally good, they just have to be respectable – “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious”, says Darlington. Mrs Erlynne, who with her sexual deviations has ostracised herself from society, is considered the worst a woman can be. However, she demonstrates her selflessness and good heart at the conclusion of the narrative as she saves Lady Windermere from social suicide at the sake of her own. These virtues would mean nothing to many people, who spend their time lamenting the sins of others while completely ignoring their own faults. This hypocrisy is a prominent theme in the play, however is somewhat left out of the film due to changes in the script and characterizations.
The differences that separate Mrs Windermere from he film
Both A Good Woman and Lady Windermere’s Fan revolve around the importance of one’s reputation and the ability to conform to the norms of society. To be different or to go against the unspoken rules of society is conveyed as akin to committing social suicide; therefore most people live behind a mask, behaving in ways other people expect them to. An example of this, included in both the play and the film, is Mr Dumby’s conduct at Lady Windermere’s ball. When asked, “It's been a delightful season, hasn't it?” he replies, “Quite delightful!” When he is asked, “It has been a very dull season, hasn't it?” by a different person, he replies, “Dreadfully dull!” It is also highlighted by both Barker and Wilde that to be ‘good’, one doesn’t have to be morally good, they just have to be respectable – “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious”, says Darlington. Mrs Erlynne, who with her sexual deviations has ostracised herself from society, is considered the worst a woman can be. However, she demonstrates her selflessness and good heart at the conclusion of the narrative as she saves Lady Windermere from social suicide at the sake of her own. These virtues would mean nothing to many people, who spend their time lamenting the sins of others while completely ignoring their own faults. This hypocrisy is a prominent theme in the play, however is somewhat left out of the film due to changes in the script and characterizations.
The differences that separate Mrs Windermere from he film