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In this paper, I examine the treatment of the fallen woman in Lady Windermere’s Fan, which is simultaneously conventional and subversive. Mrs. Erlynne, who left her husband and baby 20 years ago for her lover, was stigmatized as a fallen woman and has had a humiliating and miserable life as a social outcast. Mrs. Erlynne’s way of life is portrayed following the convention of the fallen woman. Through a typical portrayal, it is emphasized that she has been victimized by a society based on patriarchal ideology. Contrarily, Mrs Erlynne undermines the principles of Victorian society. She rejects motherhood after she saves her daughter from potential scandal, which sacrifices her reputation. This act is a challenge to Victorian values that cherish home and family and is a celebration of individualism, which Oscar Wilde advocated. In conclusion, Mrs Erlynne demonstrates the typical features of the fallen woman highlighting the destructive power Victorian ideology has; on the other hand, her subversion of the beliefs of society is accentuated through her individuality and the ending, which is contrary to the tragic death of the conventional fallen woman.
키워드열기/닫기 버튼
Lady Windermere’s Fan, Victorian era, conventional fallen woman, subversiveness, individuality
